Christian Pulisic's game against Panama was the young USMNT star's most impressive yet
Christian Pulisic has scored in the Bundesliga. He's done it in the Champions League. Just four days ago, he had a goal and three assists for the United States in a World Cup qualifier. But it was on Tuesday, when the 18-year-old had just one assist, that the American starlet had his most impressive game yet.
It's one thing to be skillful, dynamic and even brilliant. It's quite another to be that and mature enough to produce at the highest level as a teenager. Pulisic has been all of that, and it's been downright unbelievable, but Panama demanded something completely new of him -- that he be treated like a star, with all its physical ugliness and constant attention from defenses. And despite it all, he was still the star that Panama feared he'd be.
Pulisic didn't have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Marco Reus, Mario Gotze or Ousmane Dembele next to him, as is the case when he plays for Borussia Dortmund. He wasn't an unknown or a supporting part, as he was for the U.S. before. The teenager was, without a doubt, the Americans' brightest star and bigger threat in Panama City, and Los Canaleros knew that.
Panama's game plan was built around stopping Pulisic. They would throw multiple players at him, try to take away his space, deny him the ball and, if he did get the ball, kick him. They did it over and over.
Panama treated him the way most of the Premier League treats Eden Hazard. But in this match, the referee didn't care and repeatedly waved play on, no matter how badly Pulisic was fouled. And when the American did beat the one, or two, or three defenders on him, he had to battle an uneven, bumpy playing surface that made dribbling, let alone passing, an adventure.
In such a situation, Pulisic should have been no more than a decoy. If Panama were committing two or three players to him, fine. That would have been enough, and his teammates could play 10v9, or even 10v8.
Early on, it was clear that the physicality bothered Pulisic. The constant attention from Panama frustrated him. The inability to get the ball to roll straight unnerved him. But he adjusted, and then he turned the match for the U.S.
Look at the USMNT's one goal on the night: Pulisic got the ball on the right and undressed one defender. Another came, and he shook that Panamanian defender too. In all of that, he had multiple opportunities to shoot, but they wouldn't have been great chances. Pulisic knew that and trusted his incredible ability -- previous failures, uncalled fouls and shoddy field be damned. Then, with his best chance to shoot available, he instead passed to Clint Dempsey, who tapped the ball in.
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The United States had themselves a lead, and it was all because of Pulisic. His skill. His patience. His vision. His incredible ability to once again handle whatever opposing teams throw at him.
For the rest of the match, most every dangerous American foray forward came through Pulisic. They were few and far between, with the U.S. featured a less attacking team than the one that beat Honduras, not to mention the physicality and pitch that turned the game into what Bruce Arena called "a slugfest." But when they did get something, it was because of Pulisic, who was every bit as good as Panama's game plan would have indicated he is.
What Pulisic did would have been impressive for anyone, but to see it from an 18-year-old was something else.
Pulisic has spent more than a year now defying all expectations. He's met every challenge and then some. The jump to Borussia Dortmund's first team was the first, then the Champions League. Starting didn't faze him, and when he got called up to the U.S. senior team, he fit right in. He moved into the starting lineup and he became one of the team's linchpins. This all came in the last 14 months, and all to an 18-year-old. It's long been clear that stardom was in Pulisic's future, but in Panama City was the first time he was treated like a star.
This is going to be the norm for Pulisic for the next dozen years. He is the Americans' star, and teams will swarm him, kick him and do whatever they can to slow him down. It wasn't supposed to start this early, but nothing Pulisic is doing was supposed to come at him so soon. And just like everything else he's faced, he handled it without a problem.
Treat Pulisic like a star. He's playing like one.
