Poch ‘so proud’ as 8 teens debut in USMNT rout

ORLANDO — United States manager Mauricio Pochettino said he was “so proud” of the performance turned in by his young side in its 4-1 triumph over Peru, and that the team’s play gave him goosebumps at times.

The USMNT got goals from a pair of debutantes in Justin Ellis and Julian Hall, as well as veterans Malik Tillman — via a controversial penalty won by Mathis Albert — and Sebastian Berhalter. Gianluca Lapadula equalized early for Peru before the U.S. eventually pulled away in the second half.

All told, 11 U.S. players made their national team debuts — eight of them teenagers — in what was a complete team performance.

“They deserve a big credit from the first to the last one,” Pochettino said about his players. “I think from Monday that we start to train, we start to perceive and to feel that good energy and good quality that all the players that arrive for first time are showing us. I think [we] start to feel that energy and the quality that they can add to our national team. So proud because I think we competed really well.”

Among those making their debut was 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan, who became the fourth youngest player to play a game for the USMNT and second-youngest starter, and went 62 minutes in an active display. Sullivan had garnered much of the pre-game attention given his age, and Pochettino was full of praise for the Philadelphia Union attacker.

“Sixteen years old and performing and fighting and playing with personality, with character. I think I am so happy with him,” Pochettino said. “Of course, he’s a kid that he absorbed a lot of pressure from all the environment, but I think now he’s with people [who are] like people in his club that we are going to do everything to protect, and to help, and to support him to keep him evolving. And there’s no doubt that he’s very smart.”

At that point, Pochettino named all of the 10 remaining players who earned their first caps with the national team. In addition to Hall, Ellis, Sullivan and Albert, that included Peyton Miller, Zavier Gozo, Diego Kochen, Brooklyn Raines, Neil Pierre, Frankie Westfield and Adri Mehmeti.

“I think after one week, and the way that we are going to continue is going to be, we are so excited now to continuously build that journey in the next few games and few weeks,” Pochettino said.

Pochettino was also quick to credit to the example set by the senior players in the team. There are currently 13 players who were on the World Cup roster last summer that made a run to the round of 16 before losing to Belgium.

“I think they were so comfortable on the field,” Pochettino said about the youngsters. “But that is credit to the senior players because all the senior players were fantastic in the way that they welcome and the way that they support and the way that they guide in the last few days, the new players. And I think it’s a credit to the senior players.”

After the final whistle, Pochettino listened to the now common refrain of “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” and observed how the players were interacting with one another, veterans and newcomers both.

“And after on the end, you go to the pitch and you were seeing players like Taylor Adams, our captain and how was mixed with this type of example,” Pochettino said. “That connection is the chicken skin [goosebumps] for me because coaching and staff like us, we love to see that and because it’s going to be very important for the future.”

The U.S. still has three friendlies left to play in the September/October international window, with matches against Chile, Mexico and Canada yet to come.