Young U.S. men's soccer team has ups and downs in 4-2 victory over Chile

ST. LOUIS — Amid all the excitement about his young U.S. soccer team, a wide-eyed crew that started the new World Cup cycle with an enlightening performance over the weekend, Mauricio Pochettino warned there would be ups and downs along the way.

After all, almost half the roster had never played at the senior level and, as a whole, the group hadn’t spent much time together.

Tuesday’s 4-2 victory over Chile at bubbly Energizer Park reinforced the coach’s admonition.

There were highs, such as:

The gorgeous build-up on the first goal.

Sebastian Berhalter and Gio Reyna putting their stamp on another match.

Teenager Julian Hall’s second goal in two appearances, and teenager Mathis Albert scoring his first.

Chris Richards’ 72nd-minute tiebreaking goal as part of a second-half comeback.

Sebastian Berhalter (14) of the United States controls the ball while defended by Marcelo Morales of Chile during an international friendly at Energizer Park on Sept. 29, 2026, in St Louis.

(Bill Barrett/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

All in all, it was another good result and fun outing for a program returning from the World Cup with the second of four friendlies over 11 days. For the second time in four days, the Americans scored four goals and flexed their muscles against a South American foe.

There were troubling moments, as well, particularly in the first half, when the Americans conceded numerous scoring opportunities and made many mistakes. They were fortunate to be tied at intermission.

But they showed resilience in the second half and, coupled with the 4-1 thumping of Peru last Saturday in Orlando, continued building momentum heading into this Saturday’s showdown with rival Mexico in greater Phoenix. They will also play Canada on Oct. 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In a pregame ceremony in his hometown, World Cup captain Tim Ream was honored for 16 years and 86 appearances with the national team. The Charlotte FC center back, who will turn 39 on Friday, announced moments earlier that he has retired from international soccer and won’t weigh his club future until after the MLS season.

“The kids are getting younger and younger,” he said. Ream was talking about the U.S. roster, not his own three kids.

“I actually got a text message last night [that] I was a senior at Saint Louis University when [17-year-old forward Cavan Sullivan] was born,” Ream said. “I was like, ‘He’s only four years older than my oldest.'”

Ream was not selected to the current roster.

The starting lineup Tuesday averaged just over 23 years old, including teenagers Hall, Neil Pierre and Adri Mehmeti. The other young starters were midfielder Brooklyn Raines, 21, and right back Frankie Westfield, 20.

At almost 6-foot-7, the 18-year-old Pierre was unmistakable on the backline. Like Sullivan, he is enjoying a breakout club campaign with the Philadelphia Union.

Reyna was the only holdover starter from the Peru match. Like Saturday, Pochettino started six 2026 World Cup players: Reyna, Berhalter, goalkeeper Chris Brady, wingers Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest, and center back Miles Robinson.

Brady, 22, made his first international start after debuting as a sub in a World Cup tuneup.

Chile — which has missed three World Cups since winning the 2016 Copa America — was without captain Gabriel Suazo and Lucas Cepeda, La Liga-based players red-carded in the 1-0 loss to Canada on Saturday in Toronto.

As they did against Peru, the Americans threatened early off a Reyna set piece. His free kick from 25 yards met Miles Robinson for a point-blank header that Lawrence Vigouroux slapped aside in spectacular fashion.

The U.S. was organized and energetic at the start but not always precise. In the 18th minute, a miscommunication between Berhalter and Mehmeti led to a Chilean threat. A minute later, Berhalter’s tasty through ball sent Hall in alone, but after rounding Vigouroux, his off-balanced, angled bid missed high and wide.

Brady was shaky, sitting back when he should’ve come forward and allowing Victor Méndez to test him. Then, on shots a minute apart, he also got lucky as Ben Brereton’s screamer dinged the crossbar and Darío Osorio’s low bid hit the far post.

Against the run of play, the match took an unforeseen turn.

Two minutes after Osorio’s scare, the Americans went ahead in the 37th on a wonderfully constructed goal. They won the ball in midfield. Dest and Reyna played a sharp combination. With quick and clever footwork, Dest danced into the box. He crossed to Hall, who dummied the ball with the smarts of a veteran, allowing Berhalter to bury a 12-yarder into the far post.

Brady’s problems continued. On the last act of the half — a Chilean corner kick — he punched the ball up, then backward. A mad scramble ensued. Finally, from inside the six-yard box, Diego Ulloa’s side-volley caromed off Westfield’s arm and into the net.

Brady’s night — or nightmare — was over. As he did against Peru, Pochettino changed his goalkeeper at halftime: FC Cincinnati’s Brian Schwake made his first appearance, becoming the 12th debut in this camp.

He couldn’t do much about Maxi Gutiérrez’s go-ahead goal in the 49th minute. Westfield’s misstruck header in midfield allowed Gutiérrez to glide into the U.S. end. Berhalter failed to shut him down, and the Chilean forward whistled a 23-yard shot into the far corner with pinpoint accuracy.

Two minutes later, the U.S. answered. Reyna lifted a gentle cross into the box, where Hall rose from eight yards and headed it into the far side.

Pochettino turned to his bench and made seven subs, including five veterans. Vigouroux made a fine foot save on Antonee Robinson, but on the ensuing corner kick, Berhalter delivered a perfect ball to Richards for a powerful header from the edge of the six-yard box.

Chile threatened to pull even. The U.S. extended the lead on Albert’s stab off the underside of the crossbar from close range. The announced crowd of 21,680 loved it.

Just before the final whistle, a benches-emptying scuffle broke out after a Chilean player tapped the fallen Schwake on the arm with his foot. Play resumed, but at the final whistle, another brief incident broke out.

“Take Me Home, Country Roads” boomed over the speakers.

U.S. notes

Winger Cole Campbell, a first-time camper held out of the Peru match for an undisclosed ailment, and goalkeeper Diego Kochen, who played the second half Saturday, were not in uniform. Kochen was healthy, but Pochettino chose to dress 26 players again.
In his 60th appearance, Antonee Robinson captained the team for the first time.
Sullivan replaced Berhalter in the 83rd minute.
The Americans are 11-1-3 in greater St. Louis, including 5-0-0 at Energizer Park, which sits 1.3 miles directly west of the Gateway Arch and opened before the 2023 MLS season.