Pulisic's National Team Breakthrough

On This Day in 2017, Pulisic's Meteoric Rise Continued as the Teenager Delivered When His Country Needed Him Most

When the U.S. Men's National Team prepared for their June qualifying matches, they found themselves in an uncomfortable position. After collecting just four points from their first four games in CONCACAF's hexagonal qualifying round, new coach Bruce Arena faced immense pressure as the team hosted Trinidad and Tobago in Colorado before a daunting trip to Mexico City.

"We certainly understand the significance of this game," Arena said before the Trinidad match. "We firmly believe we have to win the game."

The Americans entered the qualifiers with cautious optimism. Just five days earlier, they'd played to a 1-1 draw with Venezuela in a friendly at Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah. In that contest, it was Christian Pulisic who delivered the equalizer in the 61st minute, showcasing his growing confidence by cutting onto his left foot and curling a shot past the goalkeeper. That marked the 18-year-old's fifth international goal, building anticipation for what he might contribute in the games that truly mattered.

The altitude at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City would be a factor, deliberately chosen to help acclimate the squad before their trip to Mexico City. "It is difficult to play at altitude," forward Jozy Altidore acknowledged in training. "But at the same time, it is the same for everybody, so there are no excuses."

Against Trinidad and Tobago on June 8, the Americans dominated possession in the first half and generated multiple scoring opportunities. Clint Dempsey—just one goal away from tying Landon Donovan's all-time USMNT scoring record—fired a warning shot over the bar. John Brooks forced a save from T&T goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams. Even Pulisic found space but couldn't convert.

The longer the match remained scoreless, the more tension rippled through the sell-out crowd. When Trinidad's Kenwyne Jones headed a shot off the crossbar in the 33rd minute, the anxiety only intensified. The Americans needed these three points—absolutely needed them—to keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.

As the second half began, the stadium collectively held its breath. Would the Americans' dominance finally produce a breakthrough? Or would Trinidad and Tobago frustrate them and escape with a draw that would severely damage U.S. qualification hopes? Enter Pulisic.

In the 52nd minute, Darlington Nagbe orchestrated a beautiful attacking sequence, exchanging passes with Dempsey at the top of the box. Nagbe played the ball to DeAndre Yedlin along the right edge of the area, whose low crossing pass found Pulisic sliding in at the goal mouth. The teenager's clinical finish broke the deadlock and sent waves of relief through the stadium.

Just ten minutes later, Pulisic doubled the advantage. After receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from Altidore, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder raced in alone on Williams. With composure beyond his years, Pulisic hesitated momentarily before curling a shot inside the near post. In ten electrifying minutes, the teenager had removed all doubt from the contest.

"Just being out there, it's like a dream of mine to wear the USA crest, just to be playing for the country," Pulisic said afterward. "The fact that these goals are coming is a little bonus. I still can't believe I'm out there."

The brace placed Pulisic in elite American company, joining Eric Wynalda and Jozy Altidore as the only USMNT players to score multiple goals against Trinidad and Tobago, at the time. More impressively, it brought his World Cup qualifying goal total to five, all scored in the second half of matches, demonstrating his ability to deliver when the pressure intensified.

"He's having fun," Arena observed simply after the match. "I just think he's a natural for the game."

The victory moved the Americans into third place in the hexagonal at the halfway point with seven points from five matches. With the top three teams qualifying automatically for Russia 2018, the win provided crucial breathing room ahead of their trip to Estadio Azteca.

"Because we won tonight, I think we can go there a little more relaxed," Arena said, looking ahead to the Mexico challenge. The Americans had never won a World Cup qualifier at the intimidating venue. Still, now they could approach the match without the desperation that would have followed a disappointing result against Trinidad.

Just three months after his Champions League breakthrough with Borussia Dortmund, Pulisic was cementing his status as the new face of American soccer. From academy prospect to European club standout to national team talisman, his ascent had been breathtaking. And at just 18 years old, the most exciting chapters of his story still remained to be written.

What had been clear in Germany was now undeniable in America: Pulisic wasn't merely a promising talent for the future—he was already the player his country turned to in its moments of greatest need.