INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Christian Pulisic returned to the field for the United States on Thursday night just in time to warm up for the World Cup games that really matter starting next week.
Pulisic entered the Americans' 3-2 loss to Turkey as a substitute early in the second half to the soundtrack of an enormous roar from the sellout crowd at SoFi Stadium.
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United States' Christian Pulisic, left, and teammate Cristian Roldan arrive at the stadium ahead of the World Cup Group D soccer match between Turkey and the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States' Christian Pulisic, center, and Turkey's Ozan Kabak argue during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
United States' Christian Pulisic (10) kicks the ball during the World Cup Group D soccer match between Turkey and the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States' Christian Pulisic (10) reacts during the World Cup Group D soccer match between Turkey and the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States' Christian Pulisic walks off the field after a World Cup Group D soccer match against Turkey in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
He immediately looked comfortable in his first game action in 13 days, contributing to several strong attacks and coming awfully close to scoring a goal shortly after his entrance. Pulisic also had a lowlight when rising star Arda Güler nutmegged him — flicked the ball between his legs — to begin the sequence that ended with Kaan Ayhan's winning goal on the final kick of the match.
The loss didn't matter to the Americans, but the chance to prepare for next week was the important part. The U.S. faces Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32 on Wednesday.
“His goal was to get some minutes to be ready” for next week, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “I'm happy because I think he made a good impact when he was on the pitch.”
Pulisic played dynamically in the first half of the Americans' tournament-opening, 4-1 victory over Paraguay nearly two weeks ago, creating one goal and assisting on another — but he came off at halftime due to a calf injury he had picked up in training.
The AC Milan midfielder missed the Americans' next match against Australia, and he sat out the first half against Turkey before coming on as a substitute in the 58th minute to that massive cheer from the raucous Los Angeles-area crowd.
Pulisic didn't stop to speak to reporters in the mixed zone after the loss, but he thinks he'll be ready when the U.S. attempts to win a knockout-round World Cup match for only the second time.
"I felt good, so it was really nice to be back with the team and get some minutes,” Pulisic told Fox. “I felt good with the ball. It was a tough way to end for us, for sure. But at the end of the day, we win the group, and we just have to look forward to next week.”
Pulisic said this week that he was ready to play again, and he created a scoring opportunity only a couple of minutes after he entered the 2-2 game with a dynamic run down the left side.
Pulisic nearly scored in the 63rd minute, but his quick shot in traffic was deflected off the goalpost by Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.
“You saw his quality, and you saw when he came in the impact he had,” Sebastian Berhalter said. “He’s our guy. he’s a leader in his own right.”
Pulisic had another excellent pass to Ricardo Pepi in injury time, but his teammate couldn't get off a shot. The U.S. appeared to be headed to a draw — until Turkey pulled out an extraordinary late goal that began with a bit of magic from Güler, the 21-year-old Real Madrid star.
Boxed into the corner by two Americans, Güler flicked the ball perfectly between Pulisic's legs and ran around him, creating the space necessary to start the final sequence. Salih Ozcan kicked a long cross to Can Uzun got the ball in space on the back post slipped it under sprawling goalkeeper Matt Turner to Ayhan.
That sequence aside, Pulisic's presence energized the American attack and portended well for its next match, according to his teammates.
“(Pulisic) is a special player," U.S. captain Weston McKennie told Fox. "There’s no doubt that he adds something to the group. He adds his 1-on-1 qualities. Whenever the game might look dry or the game isn’t creative or something, he can come in and be that player to create something out of thin air. It was good to see him back on the pitch. Hopefully we’ll see him again in San Francisco.”
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here.
United States' Christian Pulisic, left, and teammate Cristian Roldan arrive at the stadium ahead of the World Cup Group D soccer match between Turkey and the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States' Christian Pulisic, center, and Turkey's Ozan Kabak argue during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
United States' Christian Pulisic (10) kicks the ball during the World Cup Group D soccer match between Turkey and the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States' Christian Pulisic (10) reacts during the World Cup Group D soccer match between Turkey and the United States in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
United States' Christian Pulisic walks off the field after a World Cup Group D soccer match against Turkey in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela (AP) — In cities across northern Venezuela, neighbors helped each other dig through rubble to search for loved ones on Thursday after back-to-back earthquakes that officials say killed more than 230 people and left thousands injured the night before.
The official death toll rose to around 235 late Thursday, with at least 4,300 people injured, Venezuela Health Minister Carlos Alvarado told state media. The number of casualties is expected to climb with thousands reported missing and frantic rescue efforts continuing.
The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck Wednesday evening were among the strongest in Venezuela in more than a century and was felt throughout the region.
The injured were pulled out covered in dust and blood, among them children and animals. Venezuelan state TV showed dramatic images of rescues, including a woman who was trapped under a cement slab with only a bare foot poking out before rescuers slid her out alive. But few government search teams were initially seen outside Caracas.
The coastal region of La Guaira, north of the capital Caracas, suffered some of the heaviest damage and casualties. The country’s main airport is there and was closed due to damage, complicating aid efforts.
Many were stunned Thursday morning as they saw buildings reduced to skeletons, furniture hanging out of windows and helicopters circling overhead. Buildings were flattened and streets cracked open.
Families posted missing-person flyers with photos of loved ones while others shared handwritten lists of names as they searched. Venezuelans abroad struggled to make contact with relatives due to interrupted phone service in the country.
In downtown Caracas, hundreds spent the night huddled in parks, parking lots and other open spaces.
Mother of three Dayana Delgado asked where the heavy machinery was that government officials had promised and said residents were the ones digging through crumpled buildings.
“I want to know where my child is, if he’s trapped or in a shelter,” she said of her missing 8-year-old son.
One mother sobbed and collapsed in grief as the bodies of her 3- and 10-year-old children were wrapped in blankets and carried away. Others screamed the names of the missing. Some stood in silent shock.
Venezuelan authorities said they were diverting rescue teams from other parts of the country to La Guaira, which is no stranger to natural disasters: A 1999 mudslide killed thousands and is considered one of the country’s worst natural disasters.
In La Guaira, Cristian Carreño stared at his charred apartment building tilting precariously to one side.
“I lost everything,” he said. “There are people still inside, I imagine, that couldn’t get out. It’s incredibly devastating.”
Retired schoolteacher Juan Alberto Mendaño climbed through wreckage in La Guaira and past a dead body when he spotted a woman who was trapped and signaling with her hand for help.
“May God rescue her as quickly as possible,” Mendaño said. “When we heard the scream, there was nothing we could do.”
The natural disaster is the latest challenge for acting President Delcy Rodríguez, the former vice president who took office in January after the capture and removal from power of then-President Nicolás Maduro by the United States. Venezuela has been facing economic disarray for more than a decade and many people reject the legitimacy of the political movement Rodríguez represents.
Rodríguez declared a state of emergency in an address to the nation late Wednesday. She said the government was creating a $200 million reconstruction fund for damaged hospitals and homes.
She appealed to businesses Thursday to make heavy construction equipment available for rescue operations.
“We hope to rescue as many living people as possible,” Rodríguez said.
While Venezuela sits near multiple fault lines, its position straddling the South American and Caribbean plates makes strong earthquakes much less common than in other parts of Latin America.
The U.S. Geological Survey said both earthquakes were centered near Moron on the Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometers (105 miles) west of Caracas.
The one-two punch of the quakes, combined with the shallow seismic movements, amplified the destruction, said Marcos Ferreira, a geophysicist and researcher at the Geological Survey of Brazil.
“It is as if I am screaming and then someone starts screaming, too. That amplifies the vibration and adds to the potential hazard,” Ferreira said.
Shortly after United Nations officials in Venezuela called on the government to lift social media restrictions so people can get potentially life-saving information, Venezuelans in the country were able to access X. The site had been blocked by Maduro since August 2024 in an attempt to suppress the exchange of information among those who rejected his claim of victory in the July presidential election.
Leaders from Mexico, Qatar, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Canada vowed to send aid. A number of shipments were already on the way Thursday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who spoke to Rodríguez following the quake, said the United States was immediately deploying assistance, though he acknowledged the closure of Venezuela’s main airport created logistical challenges.
“We have a whole-of-government response. It’ll be big; it’ll be fast; and it’ll be effective,” Rubio said.
Rescue teams from Mexico, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic arrived in Venezuela on Thursday, along with an aid flight from Mexico.
“No country is prepared to provide the response that’s needed. That’s what neighboring countries are there for,” Dominican Air Force Major Carlos Olivares said.
The Venezuelan diaspora also was helping. In Ecuador, Félix Rodríguez said his store was receiving donations from his fellow Venezuelans as well as Ecuadorians.
“My business is always ready for whatever Venezuela needs,” he said.
Gabby Graham said she regularly sends money from Spokane, Washington, to Venezuela using a peer-to-peer payment to a local business that gives cash to her family. But since the earthquakes they can't locate the business owner and she is unable to share funds for food, water, medication and toiletries.
“I think it hasn’t been easy for them for years. Just now it’s just even worse because it’s about finding these things,” Graham said.
Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Associated Press journalists Gabriela Molina in Quito, Ecuador, Regina Garcia Cano in Bogota, Colombia, Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo, Anna-Catherine Brigida and India Grant in Mexico City, Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Clara Preve in Buenos Aires, Alexandra Olson in New York, Julie Watson in San Diego and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.
People attend a mass to honor the victims of the earthquakes in Venezuela, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
A man walks over the fallen walls of his home in Moron, near the epicenter of two earthquakes that struck Venezuela the day before, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacinto Oliveros)
Residents walk among the rubble of building damaged in earthquakes the previous day in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)
People camp in the street the night after the earthquake struck Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Neighbors carry a man rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building the day after earthquakes struck La Guaira, Venezuela, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)
