The United States men's national team opened its 2030 World Cup cycle in emphatic fashion, defeating Peru 4-1 at Orlando's Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday in a match dominated by first-time contributors under head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
The headline moment came before kickoff, when 16-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan was named in the starting lineup, becoming the youngest player to represent the senior national team in more than 20 years. Sullivan justified the selection with an energetic 60-minute performance, linking up well in the final third before being substituted. His involvement wasn't without incident, however, as a collision with Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese in the 23rd minute earned him his first caution in a US shirt.
Orlando City forward Justin Ellis, playing in front of his home crowd, opened the scoring in just the fourth minute. Ellis had been part of the buildup that won a free kick some 25 yards from goal following a slick exchange with midfielder Malik Tillman. Gio Reyna delivered a precise free kick that Ellis met with an awkward but well-directed header to beat the Peruvian goalkeeper at the far post.
Peru, managed by former Brazil boss Mano Menezes, responded swiftly. In the 14th minute, midfielder Yoshimar Yotun picked out Universitario striker Gianluca Lapadula with a low cross into the box. Lapadula slipped away from defender Peyton Miller and finished from close range to level the score.
Despite the early setback, the US dominated proceedings for large stretches, with Peru's 60th-ranked side largely limited to sporadic counterattacking opportunities. The visitors, who have missed the last two World Cups and are undergoing a squad rebuild, could not match the energy and cohesion of Pochettino's rotated lineup.
The Americans regained the lead in the 65th minute after Crystal Palace forward Zavier Gozo, another debutant, was fouled inside the penalty area. Tillman stepped up and converted calmly from the spot. Moments later, Red Bull New York attacker Justin Hall—who has reportedly attracted interest from both the US and Poland—added a fourth with a diving finish from close range. Middlesbrough's Sebastian Berhalter completed the scoring in stoppage time, rounding off a comfortable win.
In total, 11 players earned their first senior caps for the United States on Saturday, with Sullivan, Ellis and Miller all included in the starting XI. It was the largest group of debutants since 2024, when the US also fielded 11 new caps in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Slovenia. The all-time American record stands at 12 debutants in a single match, achieved against Poland in 1973 and again versus Guatemala 15 years later.
Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, who captained the US at the 2022 World Cup, wore the armband for the first time under Pochettino's leadership during the fixture.
Sullivan's inclusion continues a breakout stretch for the teenager, who has racked up six goals and eight assists for Philadelphia Union since the conclusion of the World Cup. His performance against Peru offered an early glimpse of the potential that has made him one of the most closely watched young talents in American soccer.
The US squad will now travel to St Louis for a Tuesday clash with Chile at Energizer Park, before continuing their run of friendlies with matches against Mexico in Phoenix and Canada in Minneapolis.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.