Young U.S. men’s soccer team experiences ups and downs in 4-2 win against Chile

ST. LOUIS — Excitement surrounds the young U.S. soccer team after a promising start to the new World Cup cycle, but coach Mauricio Pochettino cautioned that there will be challenges ahead.

Nearly half of the players had little experience at the senior level, and the team hasn’t spent much time playing together.

Tuesday’s thrilling 4-2 win over Chile at vibrant Energizer Park highlighted this point.

There were standout moments, including:

A beautiful sequence leading to the initial goal.

Sebastian Berhalter and Gio Reyna making significant impacts throughout the match.

Teenager Julian Hall scoring his second goal in as many games and 17-year-old Mathis Albert netting his first, making him the youngest scorer in U.S. history.

Chris Richards’ critical 72nd-minute goal that contributed to a comeback in the second half.

Overall, the match was a positive outing for a program rejuvenated after the World Cup, following this friendly with only two more scheduled within 11 days. Once again, the Americans demonstrated their offensive prowess by scoring four goals against a South American opponent.

However, there were some concerning moments, especially in the first half, where the Americans allowed several scoring chances for Chile and were fortunate to be level at halftime.

In the second half, they displayed determination and, following a 4-1 victory over Peru in Orlando, built momentum heading into their upcoming match against rival Mexico in greater Phoenix on Saturday. They also face Canada on October 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Before the match, World Cup captain Tim Ream was celebrated for his 16-year tenure and 86 caps with the national team. The 39-year-old center back announced his retirement from international play, emphasizing the youth emerging in the U.S. squad.

“The kids are getting younger and younger,” he remarked, referring to the current players rather than his own children.

“I actually received a text that I was a senior at Saint Louis University when 17-year-old forward Cavan Sullivan was born,” Ream noted, highlighting the generational shift.

Ream, who was not part of the current squad, watched as the starting lineup averaged just over 23 years old, including teenagers Hall, Neil Pierre, and Adri Mehmeti, along with younger starters like 21-year-old Brooklyn Raines and 20-year-old Frankie Westfield.

The nearly 6-foot-7 Pierre, just 18, stood out on defense and is having a breakout season with the Philadelphia Union, similar to Sullivan.

Reyna was the only starter who carried over from the Peru match, as Pochettino deployed six players from the 2026 World Cup in this game: Reyna, Berhalter, goalkeeper Chris Brady, wingers Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest, and center back Miles Robinson.

Goalkeeper Brady, 22, made his first start for the national team after debuting as a substitute in a World Cup warm-up match.

Chile, missing key players like captain Gabriel Suazo and Lucas Cepeda due to red cards, fell short in this fixture.

The U.S. threatened early with a Reyna set piece, leading to a dramatic save from Chilean goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux. At the start, the U.S. displayed energy and organization but lacked precision. An 18th-minute miscommunication led to a threat from Chile, and soon after, Hall’s chance went awry.

Brady had shaky moments early on, including nearly conceding a goal when a shot hit the crossbar and another pinged off the post.

In a turn of events, the U.S. took the lead in the 37th minute with a beautifully crafted goal, culminating in Berhalter scoring from a perfect setup.

Brady’s issues continued as he mishandled a corner kick that led to a conceded goal right before half-time.

Pochettino replaced him during the halftime break with Brian Schwake, marking the 12th debut in this camp.

Schwake faced immediate pressure as Chile scored shortly after halftime. The U.S. swiftly responded with Hall leveling the score with a great header.

Pochettino made a flurry of substitutions, and the U.S. surged ahead with Richards’ connecting header and Albert’s follow-up goal, thrilling the 21,680 attendees.

A brief fracas occurred on the field, but the atmosphere remained celebratory as the game concluded.

Highlights from the match

• Winger Cole Campbell did not play due to an undisclosed ailment, while goalkeeper Diego Kochen was healthy but left out of the game.

• Antonee Robinson wore the captain’s armband for the first time in his 60th appearance.

• Sullivan took Berhalter’s place in the final minutes of the match.

• The U.S. boasts an impressive record of 11-1-3 in greater St. Louis and remains undefeated in five matches at Energizer Park.