Sebastian Berhalter scored and assisted Chris Richards’ go-head goal in the 72nd minute and Mathis Albert added a historic goal as the U.S. men’s national team defeated Chile 4-2 in a friendly in St. Louis on Tuesday.
Richards broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute, 10 minutes after entering, with a powerful header to the near post from Berhalter’s corner kick.
In his second match, Albert scored in the third minute of stoppage to become the youngest USMNT scorer at 17 years, 131 days. Moments later the benches cleared before order was restored but another skirmish broke out briefly at the final whistle.
Julian Hall tied it 2-2 for the U.S. in the 51st minute after Maximiliano Gutierrez’s strike from 22 yards two minutes earlier complemented Chile’s score just before halftime for a 1-1 tie.
Chile had the momentum, but Hall, who scored in his debut Saturday vs. Peru, put a glancing header inside the right post from a Gio Reyna service.
He is the 13th USMNT player to score in his first two matches and at age 18, the New York Red Bulls forward is the youngest.
“It means a lot,” Hall said in a postgame television interview of starring on this stage. “It’s been amazing.”
Berhalter put the USMNT ahead in 37th minute before Diego Ulloa equaled in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, although Chile probably felt they deserved a better fate.
Ben Brereton in the 34th and Dario Osorio a minute later each hit the framework, but the Americans took advantage of their good fortune to go ahead on Berhalter’s second goal in as many matches.
Sergino Dest maneuvered on the left side of the box and sent the ball to the middle where Hall dummied it and Berhalter to his right struck it in stride to the left corner.
The U.S. almost escaped the half, but Ulloa scored from a scramble off a corner kick.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino had just one holdover from a 4-1 victory against Peru on Saturday — Reyna.
While eleven players had their U.S. debuts vs. Peru, no one in the starting lineup against Chile made their debut.
However, goalkeeper Chris Brady, defenders Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield, and midfielders Adri Mehmeti and Brooklyn Raines made their first USMNT starts. Hall, who started against Peru on Saturday, came off the bench against Chile.
Brian Schwake replaced Brady to start the second half, but his debut got off to a rocky start when Gutierrez scored for the short-lived lead.
–Field Level Media
