Pulisic offsets Rodrygo goal as US gains 1-1 tie against Brazil in last Copa America warmup
U.S. forward Christian Pulisic (10) celebrates his goal against Brazil on a free kick during the first half of an international friendly soccer match Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. Credit: AP/John Raoux
ORLANDO, Fla. — Christian Pulisic scored in 26th minute to offset Rodrygo’s 17th-minute goal, and the United States played a spirited 1-1 draw against Brazil on Wednesday night in the last warmup for both teams ahead of the Copa America.
Rebounding from a 5-1 loss to Colombia last weekend, the U.S. stopped its 11-match losing streak against the Brazilians in a wide-open match. The Americans are now 1-18 with the draw against Brazil, getting their only win in a 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal.
Matt Turner had 11 saves, the most for an American goalkeeper since Tim Howard's 15 in the second-round 2-1 loss to Belgium at the 2014 World Cup.
Among six invited guests to the Copa America, the U.S. opens against Bolivia on June 23 and then plays Panama and Uruguay. Brazil, which last won the South American title in 2007, has first-round matches against Costa Rica, Paraguay and Colombia.
The game drew a mostly pro-Brazilian crowd of 60,016 to Camping World Stadium, the largest attendance for a U.S. national team game in Florida.
Yunus Musah nearly put the U.S. ahead in the fifth minute with a 25-yard shot that hit the crossbar and ricocheted off the back of goalkeeper Alisson and away fron the net.
Brazil went ahead when Turner took a backpass from Tim Ream and sent the ball upfield for Musah, who was switching off. Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães intercepted with a header toward Raphinha, who fed Rodrigyo with a diagonal pass for his sixth international goal, an 8-yard shot past Turner’s left arm.
U.S. forward Christian Pulisic (10) scores a goal past Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker on a free kick during the first half of an international friendly soccer match Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. Credit: AP/John Raoux
Pulisic was pulled down by João Gomes at the edge of the penalty area and slotted a free kick through the defensive wall and past Alisson’s right hand for his 29th goal in 68 international appearances.
Turner made excellent stops on 17-year Endrick in the 70th, Rodrygo in the 74th and Vinícius Júnior in the 87th, then punched away Andreas Pereira’s free kick in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Alisson denied Pulisic in the 68th and Brenden Aaronson in the 80th.
The U.S. again used rainbow numbers for Pride Month, this time on jerseys that were largely blue with a low white diagonal slash and a small amount of red at the bottom.
American coach Gregg Berhalter made two changes from Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Colombia, inserting forward Ricardo Pepi and Musah for Folarin Balogun and Johnny Cardoso. All 11 starters played for European clubs — just six of 154 starting positions have been filled with Major League Soccer players for the 14 matches the full pool has been available since the 2022 World Cup, including three of 110 since Berhalter returned as coach.
Brazil defender Lucas Beraldo (17) and U.S. forward Brenden Aaronson (11) collide going for possession of the ball during the second half of an international friendly soccer match Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. Credit: AP/John Raoux
The U.S. had not played at the former Citrus Bowl since Berhalter made his first international start in an exhibition against Sweden on Jan. 24, 1998.
Brazil coach Dorival Júnior changed 10 of 11 starters from Saturday’s 3-2 win over Mexico, keeping Alisson as the only holdover.