SANDY, Utah (AP) – Christian Pulisic scored early in the second half, defender John Brooks limped off with a leg injury and the United States struggled at the start of a 1-1 exhibition tie against Venezuela on Saturday night, a warmup for a pair of World Cup qualifiers next week.
Jose Manuel Velazquez put Venezuela ahead in the 29th minute, but the 18-year-old Pulisic tied it in the 61st with his fifth goal in 15 international appearances.
Brooks, who missed a pair of March qualifiers because of injuries, hobbled off in the 51st minute, rubbing the side of his right leg, and was replaced six minutes later by Matt Hedges.
The U.S. plays Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday at Commerce City, Colorado, then is at Mexico three days later. The U.S. is fourth in the final round of qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean with four points, ahead of Honduras on goal difference. Mexico leads with 10, followed by Costa Rica with seven and Panama with five. Trinidad is last with three.
The top three nations qualify for next year’s World Cup in Russia, and the No. 4 nation advances to a playoff against Asia’s fifth-place team.