USA vs Peru player ratings — Teenage debutants star in crushing win for Mauricio Pochettino’s side

USA thrashed Peru 4-1 in a friendly on Saturday. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Teenage debutants Justin Ellis and Julian Hall both found the net as Mauricio Pochettino’s USA comfortably defeated Peru 4-1 in a friendly in Orlando on Saturday.

Ellis was one of three teenagers named in the starting XI by Pochettino along with 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan and 19-year-old Peyton Miller as USA looked to bounce back from its 4-1 Round of 16 defeat to Belgium at the World Cup.

He made a dream start to life in a USA jersey as he headed in an inviting free-kick from Gio Reyna four minutes into the match.

“I’ve probably been dreaming about this day, like, 500 or 1,000 times in my life since I was five years old,” Ellis said afterwards. “I can’t even describe. It’s just crazy.”

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Peru levelled things up through veteran striker Gianluca Lapadula’s header, but USA reclaimed the lead from a Malik Tilman penalty after Mathis Albert was fouled (though replays showed he was outside the box).

Substitute Hall added to the lead by bundling home a cross from Sebastian Berhalter, who turned goalscorer to complete the rout with a thunderous effort from just outside the area in the dying minutes.

(With inputs from AFP)

USA vs Peru player ratings

USA: Freese (6.2), Freeman (7.3), Campbell (6.7), Trusty (7.3), Miller (7.4), Musah (6.7), Adams (7.7), Sullivan (6.8), Reyna (7.8), Tillman (8.4), Ellis (7.9); Subs: Kochen (6.1), Albert (6.9), Robinson (6.8), Berhalter (8.2), Gozo (6.1), Hall (8.1), Westfield (6.1), Raines (6.4).

Peru: Gallese (5.5), Lopez (6.5), Garces (6.2), Araujo (5.7), Sonne (5.9), Yotun (7.4), Cartagena (6.2), Vidales (6.3), Velez (6.2), Magallanes (6.7), Lapadula (7.3); Subs: Pretell (5.7), Valera (6.4), Soyer (6.2), Concha (6.3), Mora (6), Vilca (6.4).

Published on Sep 27, 2026

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