Mauricio Pochettino has endless scheduling options for the USMNT for the game in Turkey

IRVINE, Calif. — The U.S. men’s national team is approaching its final group stage match with the most pomp and circumstance it has ever seen in a World Cup. The game doesn’t matter.

Of course, everyone wants to keep the momentum going after the team’s two-game winning streak. And beating Turkey would be a feather in the cap for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, especially when the USMNT haven’t beaten European opposition since 2021 in a friendly against Bosnia.

But the Turks, who were badly dismissed after failing to score with more than 60 shots in two games, have nothing to play for but pride. Ditto for the Americans, who are locked in to play in the round of 32 – most likely against Bosnia, ironically – in Santa Clara on July 1.

Which means you can expect a tough turnaround from Pochettino, especially with four players on yellow cards and Christian Pulisic’s left calf injury making his status unclear.

Single yellow cards will be cleared after the group stage, but receiving a second will leave a player suspended in the round of 32. So there is little reason for the US to risk another Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson or Folarin Balogun – all Americans need on the field in the playoffs – in the name of getting a successful result.

“You’re asking the wrong person, man,” Adams said when asked about the situation. “I want to play every game.”

Adams, who received a yellow card against Paraguay, scored in a 2-0 win over Australia without a second. But given his role in protecting attackers and being stuck in defence, he is undoubtedly a risk taker on the card on any given day.

“When I want to do something stupid, I try to control myself a little bit,” Adams said on Friday about his mind. “There things [got] physically today, I was a peacemaker today, to be honest with you. I didn’t do anything wrong or do anything stupid. You think about it, but at the same time, I don’t control my anger. That’s what makes me a good player.”

The situation with Pulisic, whose injury has taken a back seat to the conversation since Friday, is very interesting.

If he is there to play – and although the buzz about that has been positive, there was hope he would play against Australia, before it didn’t happen – there is a fair argument to be made that he should get a few more minutes under his belt. Nineteen days between the Paraguay game and the round of 32 could be long enough for Pochettino to consider.

If Pulisic is in danger of aggravating the injury, or will need to play through it, then there is little reason to put himself at that risk.

While rotating the entire starting 11 may be a step too far – Pochettino would want to maintain continuity after all – this could be the moment for players like Cristian Roldan, Tim Weah, Alex Zendejas or Mark McKenzie to enter the game. Gio Reyna and Sebastian Berhalter, who came on as substitutes in the first two games, could be representatives for an extended appearance.

“It’s too early to talk about our decision against Turkey,” Pochettino said after the game, hours before the US officially defeated their group. “I can’t expect anything [about] what we will do. … But we are 28 players in training, 26 in the game [roster]and all the players have the ability to play and deserve to play.”