Orlando, FL — The United States Men’s National Team beat Peru 4-1 in Orlando, Florida, to open a fresh World Cup cycle with a statement win.
Goals from hometown debutant Justin Ellis, World Cup veteran Malik Tillman, teenage sub Julian Hall and rising star Sebastian Berhalter helped the team prove that its next act under coach Mauricio Pochettino may well be more dominant—and more fun—than its first.
Here are the key takeaways from the team’s breathlessly promising return to action:
The debutants held their collective nerve
Three debutants started in this match for the USMNT: defender Peyton Miller, midfielder Cavan Sullivan and striker Justin Ellis. All three asserted themselves well in their senior debuts, but it was Ellis—playing in front of his hometown fans in Orlando, FL—who made the biggest splash. He sent a perfectly timed header to Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese’s left to open the scoring for the USMNT in the fourth minute of play…