USMNT's new generation may not be polished yet, but it already knows how to beat Mexico

Cavan Sullivan made USMNT history as Mauricio Pochettino's new-look side produced a statement win

Oct 4, 2026 at 12:15 am ET • 3 min read

GLENDALE, Ariz. – No matter the context or the stakes, four touches in 27 minutes makes for a quiet outing and Julian Hall was in the midst of one. To be fair, he was far from the only one who had room for improvement; Hall just one of 11 U.S. men's national team players who struggled to respond to Mexico's early intensity. It was hardly the start any of them wanted for the latest edition of one of soccer's most storied rivalries, especially the USMNT's three starters who were experiencing the duel for the first time at the senior level.

There is an art to being in the right place at the right time, though, and Hall is as well-known as an 18-year-old can be for boasting that kind of ability. As Gio Reyna rushed towards goal to his right, Hall knew exactly what to do – dart towards the goal line and wait for his teammate to send the ball his way. There was a small disruption to the plans, an attempt at a stop from Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel. It did not quite matter since Hall was exactly where he needed to be to make contact with the ball and with only his fifth touch of the game, slot it into the back of the net.

The USMNT were uneven over the course of a 3-0 win over Mexico on Saturday, unsurprisingly so for a team that lacks chemistry as head coach Mauricio Pochettino oversees a generational shift at the start of a new four-year cycle. Hall's headline-making contribution, though, was an example in an exciting trend three games into the road to the 2030 World Cup – imperfect as things may be, the new-look USMNT are finding solutions to their problems and making the opportunities in front of them count.

Hall's goal was not a clear-cut turning point as much as it was an example in the U.S. team refusing to waste their chances, rare as they might have been. The young-skewing USMNT are destined to fit Pochettino's intense, attack-minded philosophy well and have shown glimpses in wins over Peru and Chile over the last week but against Mexico, the approach was markedly different. They were not particularly great at absorbing El Tri's pressure even after Hall's goal and did not look like a version of the team onlookers enjoyed watching at the World Cup until after the halftime break. The entertaining style of play only came in flickers, neither side mustering more than seven shots over the course of the game.

Three games remain a small sample size but so far, the young-skewing USMNT have an admirable survival instinct that allowed them to overcome the intensity of a determined Mexico team and a crowd cheering them on fervently. It helped that their opponents were their dramatic foils throughout – El Tri saw their clear-cut opportunities come and go over the course of the opening hour, barely forcing 20-year-old goalkeeper Diego Kochen to respond. When the time finally came through Roberto Alvarado's shot in the 58th minute, Kochen was up for the challenge.

Then came the natural progression once the survivor's mentality kicks in – confidence. The USMNT's outing had been grueling for the better part of an hour but four minutes after Kochen's save, Cavan Sullivan had an opportunity of his own he was unwilling to waste. Rangel made it easy, gifting Sullivan the ball and with a wide-open goal and an easy but stylish decision ahead of him. The 17-year-old offered the clearest reminder yet that he was in the midst of a breakout season, registering his first international goal with a flair that makes you believe a teenager can actually have a trademark.

Finally, the USMNT were in cruise control and had the right to be. Mateo Chavez ensured Mexico's day went from bad to worse with a red card in the 67th minute and not to be outdone by his younger teammates, Malik Tillman continued his impressive run of form in a U.S. jersey with his latest goal off, yes, another error from Rangel.

The stakes were hardly high on Saturday; the game was ultimately the latest in a series of exercises in acclimating a group of newcomers to senior national team careers they hope will live up to their potential. The young USMNT were under no obligation to make a statement but over the course of a game that asked many things of them, they did just that. The U.S.' rivalry with Mexico will likely ebb and flow over the course of their careers, much as it has for the players that came before them. So far, though, they seem up for the challenge – and the demands that await them.