Christian Pulisic scored his 10th career goal for the United States, but the young star attacker was forced off with an injury before halftime in a 1-1 draw with Chile on Tuesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.
After playing 62 minutes in last Thursday’s 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Orlando, Pulisic went off after 36 minutes of the friendly, and afterward was receiving treatment on the bench in the area of his right knee.
The 20-year-old who plays for German title contenders Borussia Dortmund was the second U.S. player in as many matches to be forced off prematurely. Midfielder Weston McKennie departed early Thursday with an ankle ailment.
Pulisic, who is slated to move to the English Premier League’s Chelsea this summer, had only recently worked himself back into Dortmund’s lineup from a thigh injury sustained in February.
Oscar Opazo tied the match for Chile, scoring the first goal conceded by the U.S. in the four matches since Gregg Berhalter took over as coach. The result also kept Berhalter from being the first coach in program history to win his first four games in charge.
For Chile, it was a step forward under embattled coach Renaldo Rueda following a 3-1 friendly loss to Mexico in San Diego last Friday.
The Americans had the early lead in the fourth minute. Gyasi Zardes took down goalkeeper Ethan Horvath‘s long clearance with his first touch, and with his second sprayed a ball through Chile’s back line into the sprinting Pulisic’s path. Pulisic chipped goalkeeper Gabriel Arias with a finish that nestled into the net inside the right post.
The goal made Pulisic the youngest American player to reach 10 senior international goals.
Chile leveled just five minutes later. After sustained pressure, Charles Aranguiz‘s shot deflected off teammate Nicolas Castillo inside the penalty area. Opazo was first to the carom on the left side of the area and drove a half-volley beyond Horvath inside the right post.
Zardes had the Americans’ best chance early after halftime when he pounced upon a loose ball inside Chile’s penalty area. But with a defender pressuring, he skied his attempt over the bar.