Three Players Scored Their First International Goals in a Thrashing Over Uruguay
The United States men's national team delivered a stunning performance, crushing Uruguay 5-1 in a friendly at Raymond James Stadium on Tuesday night. The emphatic victory showcased the team's depth as manager Mauricio Pochettino made nine lineup changes from Saturday's win over Paraguay, with only Sergiño Dest and goalkeeper Matthew Freese retaining their starting positions.
Sebastian Berhalter opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a curled effort from a set piece, finding the upper corner to notch his first international goal. Alex Freeman quickly doubled the advantage three minutes later, heading home from Berhalter's corner kick for his inaugural U.S. goal. The Orlando City defender then added a spectacular second in the 31st minute, weaving through multiple Uruguayan defenders before slotting home from close range, giving the Americans a commanding 3-0 lead.
Diego Luna extended the margin to 4-0 in the 42nd minute, calmly finishing a well-constructed team sequence down the left side. Uruguay finally found the net just before halftime when Giorgian de Arrascaeta converted an acrobatic bicycle kick. However, Pochettino expressed frustration about the lapse in concentration during his halftime interview with TNT.
The second half saw Uruguay reduced to ten men when Rodrigo Bentancur received a straight red card in the 64th minute for a dangerous tackle on Berhalter. Substitute Tanner Tessmann capitalized shortly after, heading home a cross from fellow substitute Gio Reyna in the 68th minute to complete the rout.
The victory represents the USMNT's third win over Uruguay in ten all-time meetings and their first since 2002. The result extends their unbeaten streak to five matches against World Cup-qualified opponents, providing tremendous momentum as they prepare to host the 2026 World Cup.
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