Cavan Sullivan, who just celebrated his 17th birthday on Monday, didn’t just play in Saturday’s 3-0 demolition of Mexico; he etched his name into the history books as the youngest goal scorer in U.S. history. He absolutely smashed a record set just days earlier by Mathis Albert, who also hit the back of the net at 17. You gotta be kidding me, right? What a moment in a game that, despite being a friendly, always feels like a World Cup final against El Tri.
Youth Movement Is REAL for the Red, White, and Blue
This wasn’t some fluke, either. Mauricio Pochettino is clearly building something special for this new World Cup cycle, and his young Americans absolutely stepped up in the boiler of this savage regional rivalry. The atmosphere at State Farm Stadium was electric, packed with a crowd disproportionately decked out in Mexican green, but our guys showed up to play. Two attackers with a combined age of 35 found the net, showing the future is now. Julian Hall, at a mere 18 years old, continued his unbelievable run, becoming the first U.S. player since Eddie Johnson 22 years ago to score in his first three appearances. The kid had already snagged two goals and an assist, plus a beautiful dummy, in just 99 minutes over two matches before this one, proving he’s earned that striker job. And then there’s Sullivan, who had freedom on the right flank, looking to combine with Hall all night. When he picked Mexico’s pocket and sent it in from “wayyyyyy downtown,” as the USMNT’s own tweet put it, the stadium just erupted. Malik Tillman, a two-goal scorer from the World Cup, put the icing on the cake with the third goal, making Mexico’s defensively ragged side look completely lost. They’re still looking for their first win since the World Cup, by the way. Ouch.
Pochettino’s Master Plan Unfolds
Pochettino’s second term is on a stirring path with a third consecutive victory, and you can see his vision for molding this roster over the next three and a half years. He’s not afraid to test the young talent, and that includes Diego Kochen in goal. The 20-year-old former Barcelona prospect went the distance between the sticks and pulled off a terrific reflex save when the U.S. was up by just one. Kochen got the nod over World Cup starter Matt Freese, who honestly hadn’t done anything glaringly wrong in the 4-1 Peru win. But with Kochen’s stock absolutely soaring in U.S. circles ahead of the 2028 Olympics, Pochettino wanted to see him under intense pressure. He didn’t blink. The backline held firm too, with Chris Richards and Auston Trusty anchoring central defense, while Antonee Robinson and Alex Freeman owned the wing-back spots. Captain Tyler Adams and Sebastian Berhalter controlled the midfield alongside Gio Reyna and Tillman, giving the young attackers the support they needed to shine. Mexico, under new coach Rafa Márquez, trotted out a veteran squad with eight players boasting at least 30 caps, and almost every starter between 24 and 32 years old. Defender Jesús Gallardo alone had 128 caps, more than seven U.S. starters combined. But experience didn’t matter when facing our young fire. It’s a bummer Gilberto Mora, Mexico’s 17-year-old star, missed out with an ankle injury, spoiling what could’ve been an epic teenage showdown with Sullivan.
Next up, the Americans close out this international window on Tuesday against Canada in St. Paul. You know what’s at stake: keeping this insane momentum rolling, continuing to build these connections, and watching these young studs prove they belong on the biggest stages. Don’t miss it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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