Alex Freeman scored twice and Sebastian Berhalter had a goal and an assist in the first half as the resurgent U.S. men’s national team ended 2025 with a bang by routing Uruguay 5-1 in a friendly on Tuesday in Tampa, Fla.
Berhalter made it 1-0 in the 17th minute and assisted Freeman in the 20th before Freeman extended the lead in the 31st. When Diego Luna scored in the 42nd for a 4-0 advantage, the U.S. was on its way to a five-match unbeaten streak (4-0-1) — all against opponents who have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Uruguay’s Giorgian de Arrascaeta made it 4-1 in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, but a red card to Uruguay’s Rodrigo Bentancur for his tackle of Berhalter in the 64th minute paved the way for Gio Reyna’s service to set up a header by Tanner Tessman in the 68th for a 5-1 score.
Berhalter, Freeman and Tessman all scored their first U.S. goals.
According to OptaJack, the USMNT scored five goals against a team outside CONCACAF for the fifth time and the first time against a CONMEBOL team.
Berhalter got the scoring started with a brilliant strike to the far right netting after a layoff by Sergino Dest. Berhalter then sent a free kick to the far post for a powerful header by Freeman, whose second goal was a slalom through three defenders.
The match was about more than trying to extend the unbeaten streak. Opportunities to make the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are narrowing, with the only remaining international windows in March and early June.
As such, coach Mauricio Pochettino made nine changes from the 2-1 victory over Paraguay on Saturday with only Dest and goalkeeper Matt Freese the holdovers.
The all-time series is tied 3-3-4 back to the first match in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.
–Field Level Media
