The United States men's national team ended a difficult run of form with a 4-1 friendly victory over Peru on Saturday. Goals from Justin Ellis, Malik Tillman, Jackson Hall and Sebastian Berhalter secured the win for Mauricio Pochettino's side, which had lost its previous four matches.

The result snaps a streak that included defeats to Belgium and Türkiye, moving the team's recent record to one win and four losses from its last five outings. Ellis gave the US an early lead in the fourth minute, finishing a move assisted by Giovanni Reyna. Peru's Gianluca Lapadula equalized eleven minutes later, but the hosts dominated possession and created the clearer chances throughout.

Penalty turns the tide

Malik Tillman restored the American advantage from the penalty spot in the 66th minute after a foul in the box. Six minutes later, substitute Jackson Hall made it 3-1, converting a pass from fellow substitute Sebastian Berhalter. The pair combined again in the final minute, with Hall setting up Berhalter to complete the scoring.

Pochettino made six changes at once just after the hour mark, introducing Hall, Berhalter and others to great effect. The US controlled 70 percent of possession and limited Peru to few clear opportunities after the equalizer. The match saw seven yellow cards, with Cavan Sullivan and Giovanni Reyna booked for the hosts in the first half.

With the win, the team builds momentum ahead of its next fixture, a home match against Chile on Wednesday. The performance offered a positive response to recent setbacks and provided several players with valuable international experience.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed the scale of the team's refresh, stating, "11 players made their senior team debuts on the afternoon." The USMNT's last result was a 4-1 win over Peru on 2026-09-26. Among the debutants were 19-year-old Justin Ellis and 18-year-old Julian Hall, who both scored. The team next faces Chile at home on 2026-09-30.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan became the youngest USMNT player in over two decades by starting the 4-1 win over Peru. The Philadelphia Union midfielder was one of 11 debutants, a group Pochettino said included three starters. Sullivan earned a yellow card in the 23rd minute. The team's last result was a 4-1 win over Peru on 2026-09-26.