Team News: Christian Pulisic starts for USA against Netherlands, Joshua Sargent absent

Christian Pulisic has been passed fit to start for the USA in their World Cup 2022 last-16 clash with the Netherlands at the Khalifa International Stadium.

The Chelsea attacker had been a doubt for the contest after suffering a pelvic injury while scoring his side's winner in their final Group B clash with Iran on Tuesday.

However, Pulisic remained optimistic that he would be fit for the match, and he has been given the green light to line up from the first whistle for the Stars and Stripes.

Gregg Berhalter must make do without Joshua Sargent due to an ankle injury, which has opened the door for Jesus Ferreira to start alongside Pulisic and Timothy Weah up top, as Haji Wright and Giovanni Reyna warm the bench.

Weston McKennie has also overcome a quadricep problem to form an unchanged midfield with Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams, who will wear the captain's armband against the Dutch.

Berhalter makes one change in the backline as Walker Zimmerman comes back in to replace Cameron Carter-Vickers, who started in the win over Iran but is now back among the reserves.

Matt Turner, Tim Ream, Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson all hold their places for the USA, who will face either Argentina or Australia in the quarter-finals should they claim a shock win over the Netherlands.

USA starting lineup: Turner; Dest, Zimmerman, Ream, Robinson; Musah, Adams, McKennie; Weah, Ferreira, Pulisic

Subs: Horvath, Yedlin, Carter-Vickers, Long, Scally, Johnson, Reyna, Aaronson, De la Torre, Morris, Roldan, Moore, Wright, Acosta