The process of trial and error, by its very nature, is an exercise in accepting that the results will not always be perfect, to the point that U.S. men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has preached patience at the start of a generational shift. Unevenness is to be expected and three days after a lopsided win against Peru, the growing pains began to show. As the USMNT navigated a chaotic match against Chile on Tuesday, though, they managed to keep the vibes high in a 4-2 win that threw a new series of challenges at a youth-focused version of the squad.
Tuesday's win was a grind in a lot of ways, particularly a first half in which the USMNT's lack of familiarity with one another was just as easy to spot as the youth in half of the starting lineup. Just four starters had 40-plus international appearances, while six only earned their first caps this year. It was a different balance than the one Pochettino struck against Peru, one that had its drawbacks – the play was very obviously disjointed, an attack-minded national team taking just three shots in the opening 35 minutes.
Chile's press, meanwhile, breezed through the U.S. midfield anchored by newcomers Adri Mehmeti and Brooklyn Raines, World Cup players Sebastian Berhalter and Gio Reyna playing ahead of them. From there, the USMNT defense was often frazzled – Neil Pierre and Miles Robinson lacked stability at center back, while Frankie Westfield was not as dominant on the right flank as he should have been. Goalkeeper Chris Brady, meanwhile, looked as shaky as anyone else.
For all of their faults, though, the USMNT had problem-solvers and true to form for this fall's friendlies, they came in different forms. Julian Hall was perhaps the lone fresh face in the starting lineup who truly showcased his potential in the first half, taking three of the U.S. team's five shots and doing what he could to create opportunities for a team that was struggling to string them together. His composure and confidence on the ball was a bright spot in an uneven first half for the team and when it came time for the game's opening goal in the 37th minute, his intelligence was also on display with a clever dummy in between Sergino Dest's assist and Sebastian Berhalter's strike.
Sebastian Berhalter scores again to make it 1-0 for USMNT.That Julian Hall dummy tho 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/CWp6s8ynr9 Chile, though, had earned an equalizer courtesy of Diego Ulloa before the break and then a go-ahead goal in the 49th minute from Maximiliano Gutierrez. Hall, though, came in clutch again – Gio Reyna's impressive cross in the 51st minute landed perfectly for the 18-year-old, who scored his second goal in his second appearance for the national team. He only bolstered his argument as an option for the USMNT in the present as much as the future, even if it is still too early for any players – experienced or otherwise – to try to lock down roster spots or starting roles in important games later in the four-year cycle.
Two minutes after Chile made it 2-1, Julian Hall equalizes for USA ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Jb7Mub2IZs Hall was not the only one who played with a sense of urgency, adamant on showing his quality regardless of the low stakes in a friendly that is almost as far away from a World Cup as it gets. During an international break that has been headlined by players a generation younger than him, Berhalter is quickly becoming the story of the week. He now has a goal and an assist in back-to-back games, showing his skill on set pieces with Chris Richards' game-winning goal in the 72nd minute.
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