The U.S. men's national team is staring down a massive test against Australia in its second World Cup match, but the biggest storyline heading into the match isn't just the opponent its the fitness of Captain America himself. If Christian Pulisic is sidelined, the USA faces a massive tactical void on the wing. On "World Cup NOW," FOX Sports' Alex Scott, former national team manager Bob Bradley and veteran defender Walker Zimmerman weighed in on who gets the nod in a "next man up" scenario. While both agreed the roster boasts incredible depth, they offered two fascinating, distinct perspectives on how to solve the Pulisic puzzle. The Case For Tim Weah For Bradley, the answer is simple: You lean on proven experience and raw attributes. The former USA boss didn't hesitate to tag Tim Weah as the immediate successor to Pulisics spot on the pitch. "I probably would go with Tim Weah," Bradley said. "Thats just based upon the fact that I think hes shown in the past that hes going to step up. He competes, obviously. Hes got big experience and hes been part of that group. I think the other players trust him. Hes fast, so I think that would be the choice." Zimmerman pointed out Weah's lack of familiarity with the current squad. "I think the familiarity is what might concern me with Tim Weah," Zimmerman explained. "If you have him on the right, but then you have Sergio [Dest] and Antonee [Robinson] on the same side on the left and I like their abilities on opposite sides the way that they can get forward." Its a valid strategic question. The overlapping chemistry between the wingers and outside backs is crucial to the USAs attacking identity. Moving pieces around to accommodate Pulisic's absence could inadvertently disrupt the rhythm of stars like Dest and Robinson. Despite the tactical questions, Zimmerman was quick to point out Weahs resume, reminding fans of his World Cup goal against Wales in 2022. Plethora Of Options Ultimately, Zimmerman views Pulisic's potential absence as an opportunity for arguably the most talented USA roster, rather than a worst-case scenario. "The good news is there are a plethora of options of players who are hungry and theyre ready and theyre saying this is my chance to go make an impact" Zimmerman said. "They will be ready to go, whoevers name is called. Whether it's Weah or if Pulisic is healthy enough to go, the mentality remains the same. Whoever gets their name called against Australia will be lethal, prepared, and ready to roll.

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ATLANTA (AP) Bina Ramroop broke down in tears when she realized she wasn't going to get the World Cup tickets she had bought for her grandson's 13th birthday.As thousands poured into Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday to see Spain face Cape Verde in what turned out to be a remarkable scoreless draw, Ramroop stood outside, increasingly stressed as she went back and forth for hours between StubHub representatives on the phone and FIFA representatives in the ticket booth. Each blamed the other.No one could figure out why the tickets Ramroop bought months ago on StubHub for $485 apiece couldn't be transferred from the original seller to the FIFA ticketing app. StubHub offered her a refund and, as Ramroop heard the crowd roar for the start of the match, she knew she had no choice but to give up and take the offer.I didnt want a refund, I didnt want my money back, Ramroop said. I wanted to go to the game.The World Cup has delivered thrills on the pitch, but fans have flooded social media with complaints about tickets that never arrived, orders that were canceled at the last minute and hours they spent trying to sort out problems between FIFAs ticketing system and outside resale platforms. The vast majority seem to be about industry titan StubHub, but people who bought through competitors such as SeatGeek and Vivid Seats have also reported issues. Interviews with fans and industry experts show that some cases stem from technical glitches in the transfer process, while others could involve sellers who never had tickets to deliver in the first place, though StubHub denies such sales happen on its platform.A grandmother's disappointmentFIFA has urged fans to buy resale tickets through its own marketplace, where it slaps a 30% surcharge on every resold ticket 15% each from the buyer and seller. But many fans bought through other resale sites, either out of habit or because those sites have lower prices or are easier to navigate.Ramroop didn't realize she was taking a risk when she bought through StubHub, which she had used in the past without issues.As she and her grandson Elijah Gomes took the long, lonely train ride back to the Atlanta suburbs, Elijah followed the score on his phone. The match had ended scoreless, and he tried to cheer up his devastated grandmother by telling her they hadn't missed much after all (Cape Verdeans would beg to differ ).Hes telling me, Grandma, its OK, Grandma. And hes trying to console me, Ramroop said the next day.She was hardly alone. An Associated Press journalist witnessed more than a dozen frustrated fans at the match who said they were stuck in similar situations.StubHub blamed FIFA for the transfer problems that buyers like Ramroop have experienced. In a statement, it said FIFA has poor technology infrastructure, enacted last-minute transfer restrictions and didn't launch its new ticketing app until a few weeks before the tournament. The company also called out organizers that take anti-competitive actions that limit where fans can buy and sell tickets.Asked about the technical issues, FIFA on Wednesday reiterated that sales through its official site are guaranteed to go through.An industry's longstanding problemIndustry observers say the problems appear to stem from more than one cause. For some, it may indeed be technical glitches an issue that StubHub says is very, very rare and one that it is hard at work to solve. For others, they say it's likely a more longstanding scourge: speculative sellers.Scott Friedman, an industry veteran and co-founder of a consultancy called the Ticket Talk Network, said some sellers list tickets before they actually have them, betting that prices will fall closer to the event so they can buy the tickets at a better price later. But because World Cup ticket prices have surged since the tournament began, those sellers have been forced to either buy expensive tickets to fulfill their orders or cancel and accept penalties from resale platforms. StubHub's penalties are typically 200% of the ticket price, Friedman said.This is not new at all, said Friedman, pointing to other high-profile events where frustrated fans were left empty-handed, including Taylor Swift's Eras tour. This has been going on, but its making global news because its the World Cup.StubHub says it requires sellers to prove they have tickets before they list them.But regardless of the reason for the canceled sales, Friedman said StubHub should fill every single order to make sure fans get in the biggest global sporting event that happens every four years.Thats what many fans say they expected when they purchased through StubHub.StubHubs FanProtect Guarantee promises replacement tickets or a refund if tickets fail to arrive. But the policy repeatedly says those remedies are provided at StubHubs sole discretion, meaning the company can choose a refund instead of securing replacement seats.That is pretty explicit language, said Michael McCann, a sports law expert at the University of New Hampshire. McCann noted that a buyer could try to challenge the language under state consumer protection laws, but it would be an uphill battle.A father's regretsPape Ndaw is crestfallen that the high school graduation gift he got for his son tickets for them to see the Netherlands and Japan near their home city of Dallas never arrived.He bought the tickets for about $550 apiece in December. Then, two days before the June 14 match, he received an email from StubHub telling him, The seller cant deliver your original tickets.Ndaw accepted store credit rather than a refund, thinking he would use the funds to quickly get replacements, only to then realize that the cheapest last-minute tickets were going for more than $1,500 each. Not only were they not going to get to go to the game, but Ndaw said StubHub rejected his belated request for a refund instead of store credit.Breaking the news to his soccer-obsessed son was brutal, Ndaw said.It was a disastrous thing, he said. He had told all his friends that he was going to that game. He literally cried. I mean, he is a 17-year-old kid, but he cried.A family's attempt to make the best of itOthers fared somewhat better.Patrick ONeil of Pittsboro, North Carolina, traveled to Atlanta with his wife, son and relatives after purchasing five tickets through StubHub for the Spain-Cape Verde match. Two tickets transferred successfully, but three never arrived.ONeils 15-year-old son and his uncle ended up using the two tickets, while ONeil, his wife and another relative watched from a nearby bar.After local media caught wind of their ordeal, ONeil said StubHub contacted the family and offered tickets to another game. Since the family had already bought tickets to one, though, he and his wife asked the company to instead give the seats to local nonprofit Soccer in the Streets so they could go to people who otherwise might not be able to attend a match. StubHub is not evil, but theyre part of the whole system that makes it really hard for just normal kids and people who might want to see a match get to go, O'Neil said.On Thursday, a StubHub representative confirmed to the AP that the company would honor the ONeils request and send tickets to the nonprofit.___AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Mexico took advantage of a defensive blunder by South Korea to win 1-0 on Thursday and become the first team to advance to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.

Jeff Fenech says Tim Tszyu is now generating the same type of punch power that made his Hall of Fame father, stressing: People always talk about Kostyas power Im telling you his son has it too.

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Isis has issued a terror threat to fans attending the World Cup, urging its terrorists to set stadiums on fire and start stampedes.Followers of the Islamist group have been encouraged to visit stadiums throughout the US and inflict pain upon football fans.The message read: "You, O mujahid, have a full month to monitor gatherings and launch attacks, for the unbridled hordes of infidels throng the streets and stands teem with them."Wherever you strike, you will inflict pain, and wherever you plant, you will cause harm."TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour SayThey were also called to cause chaos within stadiums through fires or car rammings."You knife has drawn blood, and wherever you have hit with your car, you have caused a stampede," it continued."Imagine that you have succeeded in starting a fire in the stands to cause a massive stampede that will kill hundreds of people from the nation of the Trinity and atheism? It is an idea worth implementing."The chilling message followed a graphic posted by a pro-Isis group which threatened American Pope Leo XIV and called on football stadiums in Mexico to be targeted.This year's tournament has been one of the most fortified in the history of the World Cup.England's training camp, for example, is said to have been protected by several layers of security.This includes a strict no-fly zone, enforced to guard against potential drone attacks, with security monitored around the clock.Armed police officers, security personnel and private guards regularly patrol the Three Lions' home base in Prairie Village, Kansas.MORE ON WORLD CUP:Somali referee barred from US over 'links to suspected terror group members', White House revealsGary Lineker makes admission following England's World Cup win against CroatiaFormer Tottenham midfielder issues apology after saying Japanese players 'all look alike'One member of federal law enforcement admitted to The Guardian the scale of the tournament "alarmed" security officials."It will be hard to control, given the environment and the number of locations of matches and watch parties across the United States. There is a very real possibility that something bad will happen," they admitted.This year's World Cup, the largest in history, spanning six weeks, has required an unprecedented level of security.Despite that, only the final - played in what has been renamed the New York New Jersey Stadium for the duration of the World Cup - will be designated a "national special security event" (NSSE).This designation puts the US Secret Service directly in control of planning, coordination, and implementation of security operations, with the FBI in charge of intelligence and counterterrorism operations, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) readied for evacuations.Some games in Mexico have also had a unique security feature in place - robot dogs.The artificial canines are assist with patrolling operations, and were manufactured by tournament sponsor Hyundai Motor Company.Footage of the machines has shown them moving on all fours, with some even dancing during demonstrations.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

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