The first round will conclude early with second-round tee times delayed just 15 minutes

SEATTLE Before the U.S. training session began in earnest Thursday, coach Mauricio Pochettino walked by himself onto a grass hill overlooking his players and staff working inside Husky Soccer Stadium.With Union Bay shimmering under a blue sky on the University of Washington campus, he took it all in.I wanted to see how everything looks without me, he said with a smile, drawing laughter at a Lumen Field news conference on the eve of the World Cup Group D match against Australia.Pochettino likes what he is seeing, up close and from a vista. Well, except for Christian Pulisics calf ailment, which has cast doubt on his availability Friday.The U.S. arrived in the Emerald City with the wind at their backs following a 4-1 victory over Paraguay last week in Greater Los Angeles. Momentum has gathered off the field as well, with the exceptional performance creating a groundswell of support across the country.Another home victory would do wonders not only for the team, but further elevate the excitement around the 48-nation competition.We're still all hungry, right wing Sergio Dest said. It's the beginning. We had a great game against Paraguay, but we want more. We are hungry to show all the opponents in the group and the world what weve got.Not since the 1930 inaugural World Cup, however, has the U.S. won consecutive matches. There have been several unbeaten streaks, sure. But not a winning streak.And if that were to occur Friday, the Americans would all but secure passage to the knockout stage and, by the end of the night, could clinch first place in the group. (That hinges on the Paraguay-Trkiye match in Santa Clara, California.)World Cup schedule | Group schedule, results | StandingsOur confidence and trust is there, Pochettino said. The challenge now is to keep that level that was so high. I have no doubt I think we can show [it] again.The big personnel issue is whether Pulisic will be available after aggravating a soft-tissue injury in the Paraguay match. His status remains day to day after working on his own all week.He's evolving. He's much better from Friday, Pochettino said. We'll see if [hes] not available for tomorrow, he will be available for the next game, but he's doing a massive effort trying to be ready.The star attacker has not spoken to reporters this week.Teammate Weston McKennie offered insight and humor.I know he really wants to be [in the match] and he's doing everything he can, and the staff is doing everything that they can as well, the midfielder said. That's also another question that's probably better to ask him rather than me. I'm in my own La La Land.Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT regroup in Seattle ahead of Friday's pivotal Group D clash with Australia.John Dorton/USSF via Getty ImagesPulisics absence would open a number of options for Pochettino.Would he go back to Sebastian Berhalter, who replaced Pulisic last Friday, and push Malik Tillman higher in the formation again?Would he opt for Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson or Alex Zendejas?Pochettino did not offer any clues Thursday.At the moment we are evaluating all the possibilities, just in case, and then we will decide when we have the confirmation in one or another direction tonight, he said.Pulisics influence is immeasurable, though. And should Pochettino let him rest, his team would need to find different ways to create the abundance of opportunities Pulisic played a hand in against Paraguay.Aside from Pulisic, the U.S. is healthy and confident. It will also carry the experience of facing Australia in a friendly last fall in the Denver area a 2-1 comeback victory marred by Pulisics first-half exit with a leg injury.Given the feistyness of that match Pochettino on Thursday called it a street game the U.S. coach might want to avoid exposing Pulisic to further issues ahead of the group finale June 25 vs. Trkiye in LA.That first meeting with Australia was also a rallying point for the U.S., which, at halftime, received a fiery message from Pochettino.That was a tough, tough conversation but necessary, Pochettino said Thursday. We all need sometimes to wake up.For sure, Pochettino has had their full attention since the 26-man squad gathered for World Cup training camp last month. In the tuneups, a victory over Senegal was followed by a narrow loss to Germany. Then came the fabulous performance against Paraguay a U.S. record for World Cup goals and a share of the record for margin of victory.All week, the U.S. has carried itself with a growing sense that something special is brewing.Nevertheless We're grounded, midfielder Cristian Roldan said. We understand it was just one game, but what excites me is the entire nation is behind us. They enjoyed watching us play, and what we want to do is inspire and motivate the next generation. But we have to build off it, and that's a truth where we can't just talk about it. We have to show it.They will try to show it in one of Americas best soccer cities one that Roldan, a Sounders midfielder, has called home since enrolling at the University of Washington in 2013.It means a lot to play soccer here, and I'm excited for the world to see what the city is all about, he said. They're going to energize our group. I fully expected the city of Seattle to come out and show out, and I think the guys are going to feel that type of energy.

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Ryder Cowan knew he was playing good golf coming into the U.S. Open.Midway through his round Thursday, the leaderboard showed that the amateur was playing the best golf of anyone at Shinnecock Hills.Cowan, a 21-year-old who will be a senior at Oklahoma, briefly held the lead in his first major championship before finishing with a 2-under 68, matching the lowest round by an amateur at Shinnecock. He was tied for second when the first round was suspended because of darkness.Through nine, I looked up and I was 3-under par, Cowan said. I definitely looked at that leaderboard, and I saw it up there.A couple bogeys on his second nine knocked him back, but with the sun setting, Cowan finished strong shortly before play was stopped for the day. Playing the ninth hole, he hit his approach to 5 feet and knocked in the putt for his fourth birdie of the round. Starting on the back, he had three of them in his first eight holes, moving to 3-under and into the lead after his birdie at the par-3 17th.I feel like I started well. I got some momentum from that, Cowan said. "I knew, if I could get through those holes, I had a couple easy holes coming in."I hit it good all day, put myself in good positions throughout the day. Cowan was four shots behind Wyndham Clark, in position to be the first amateur to finish a U.S. Open round in the top five since Brian Campbell was tied for fourth after the first round in 2015. The group he is tied with includes past U.S. champions Dustin Johnson, Matt Fitzpatrick, Gary Woodland and Jon Rahm. Cowan earned his trip to Shinnecock through a qualifier at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, shooting 6-under 138 and then surviving a three-man playoff for two spots. The other was earned by 17-year-old Miles Russell, who also played well Thursday and finished at 2 over while playing in a group with three-time major champion Padraig Harrington, 54.Cowan said the practice he did to prepare had him believing he would play well. But playing on his home course looks and sounds much different than what he faced at Shinnecock.I think that Ive really just been trying this week to focus on each shot, especially today. One at a time, not worry about whats going on in the crowds or everything, Cowan said. Im not used to all these crowds. We dont ever really play with a lot of crowds.If he can keep up his strong play, he might have a big one following him around on the weekend.I feel like all the work I put in every single day gives me that belief that I can come out here and play with anyone and the guys that I surround myself with, Cowan said.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Ryder Cowan knew he was playing good golf coming into the U.S. Open.Midway through his round Thursday, the leaderboard showed that the amateur was playing the best golf of anyone at Shinnecock Hills.Cowan, a 21-year-old who will be a senior at Oklahoma, briefly held the lead in his first major championship before finishing with a 2-under 68, matching the lowest round by an amateur at Shinnecock. He was tied for second when the first round was suspended because of darkness.Through nine, I looked up and I was 3-under par, Cowan said. I definitely looked at that leaderboard, and I saw it up there.A couple bogeys on his second nine knocked him back, but with the sun setting, Cowan finished strong shortly before play was stopped for the day. Playing the ninth hole, he hit his approach to 5 feet and knocked in the putt for his fourth birdie of the round. Starting on the back, he had three of them in his first eight holes, moving to 3-under and into the lead after his birdie at the par-3 17th.I feel like I started well. I got some momentum from that, Cowan said. "I knew, if I could get through those holes, I had a couple easy holes coming in."I hit it good all day, put myself in good positions throughout the day. Cowan was four shots behind Wyndham Clark, in position to be the first amateur to finish a U.S. Open round in the top five since Brian Campbell was tied for fourth after the first round in 2015. The group he is tied with includes past U.S. champions Dustin Johnson, Matt Fitzpatrick, Gary Woodland and Jon Rahm. Cowan earned his trip to Shinnecock through a qualifier at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, shooting 6-under 138 and then surviving a three-man playoff for two spots. The other was earned by 17-year-old Miles Russell, who also played well Thursday and finished at 2 over while playing in a group with three-time major champion Padraig Harrington, 54.Cowan said the practice he did to prepare had him believing he would play well. But playing on his home course looks and sounds much different than what he faced at Shinnecock.I think that Ive really just been trying this week to focus on each shot, especially today. One at a time, not worry about whats going on in the crowds or everything, Cowan said. Im not used to all these crowds. We dont ever really play with a lot of crowds.If he can keep up his strong play, he might have a big one following him around on the weekend.I feel like all the work I put in every single day gives me that belief that I can come out here and play with anyone and the guys that I surround myself with, Cowan said.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Ivan Toney and Morgan Rogers are among the scorers as England record a 5-1 win over MLS side Sporting Kansas City in a practice match on Thursday.

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