The United States men’s national team stunned error-prone Mexico in a 3-0 friendly match-up of CONCACAF rivals in front of a loud pro-Mexican crowd in — checks notes — Arizona.
MORE — USMNT vs Mexico player ratings | What did USMNT learn?
Malik Tillman capped the scoring started by teenagers Julian Hall and Cavan Sullivan as Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT are flying high with three-consecutive wins over this international break. They beat Peru 4-1 last weekend with kids all over the score sheet and were nearly as young at midweek in a 4-2 win over Chile.
STREAM: USMNT v Mexico (en Espanol)
Rafa Marquez and Mexico were already down two when halftime sub Mateo Sanchez was sent off in the 67th minute, and have added a loss to a pair of friendly draws on U.S. soil vs Colombia and Peru.
What’s next?
The Yanks meet Canada on Tuesday in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the same day Mexico match wits with Chile in Los Angeles, California.
USMNT vs Mexico final score: 3-0
Julian Hall 28', Cavan Sullivan 63', Malik Tillman 86'
A nightmare for Rafa Marquez, who will start a new gratitude practice on account of this only being a friendly and not the last fixture of this international break.
Another brilliant, multi-goal night for Pochettino.
He earned it.
Tillman’s been busy all day and set the tone early and now he’s on the score sheet.
His press turns one Mexico error into another and the Bayer Leverkusen man slams his seventh international goal home.
Mateo Chavez takes down Yunus Musah with a yellow-worthy foul, then puts his hands in the face of angry responder Sebastian Berhalter.
Dos a Cero may not be for long as Mexico go down to 10 men in the 68th minute.
🚨🇲🇽 ¡¡MATEO CHÁVEZ SE VA EXPULSADO Y DEJA A MÉXICO CON 10!!
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) October 4, 2026
😱🟥 El mexicano vio la roja tras una dura falta sobre Yunus Musah y un golpe a Sebastian Berhalter. ⚽
¿Fue justa la expulsión? 👀
🇺🇸 Estados Unidos 2-0 México 🇲🇽
📺 Telemundo, Peacock y Telemundo APP ➡️… pic.twitter.com/YPOgVQKQeL
Another mistake from Rangel, as Sullivan is gifted the ball 40 yards out from goals as swirls a shot into the goal from distance just before subbing out of the game.
Kid’s got spirit.
How about this? Sullivan broke a record that was only four days or so old. Matthis Albert broke Christian Pulisic’s mark last time out.
Orbelin Pineda’s mazy dribble win a dangerous free kick and Kochen’s first proper save is a beauty on a hammered chance from just inside the 18.
Still 1-0 at the hour mark.
Off goes the influential Romo, who was on yellow, and Jesus Gallardo.
AZ’s Mateo Chavez and Dinamo Moscow’s Luis Chavez are the new faces as Mexico pursue an equalizer.
Absolutely worth the watch: Welcome back CONCACAF rivalries!
But the visitors — in front of a loud and pretty-partisan visiting crowd — kept more than 60% of the ball and out-attempted the U.S. 5-2.
The Americans have committed seven fouls to Mexico’s five but only Romo’s seen a yellow card.
This could erupt in attack, scrappiness, or both in the second 45.
Romo leaps to stab a loose ball cross into the six and Kochen only gets a piece of it.
Gimenez should absolutely make it 1-1 but misses the far post. It’s kinda the story with him — so talented but often lacks end product.
Reyna fouls Gimenez in a message-sending move, and the Porto man does not like the treatment.
Chris Richards get involved and the foul does not earn Reyna a yellow.
The clipped free kick service is headed out for a corner by Reyna.
Diego Campillo gets a shot from outside the box off the set piece but Tyler Adams blocks it and Tillman is fouled in pursuit of a counter attack.
The Yanks make some good times in the Mexico half and it pays off with a goal.
There’s some good fortune here but Alex Freeman chops a through ball to Giovanni Reyna, who pursues the ball and pushes it toward the end line.
His cross from the right isn’t handled well by Rangel, and teenage forward Julian Hall is there to smash the ball into the gaping goal.
Antonee Robinson’s throw-in gets to Malik Tillman, who gets into a group of three defenders and somehow works the ball free for an off-balance shot in the 18 that is blocked out for a corner.
Sebastian Berhalter’s well-hit service is slapped away at the back by Raul Rangel.
The next corner is cleared and Cavan Sullivan makes a mistake in not properly challenging the second ball. Mexico go the other way but Tillman flies down the center of the pitch to knock the ball away. Looked clean but Tillman is called for a foul.
The Chivas veteran is everywhere.
The clearly pro-Mexican crowd is roaring as he arrives outside the box and hammers the ball with a power that was always going to be difficult to keep under the bar.
Moments later Mexico are into the box but Diego Kochen is quick to fire forward and slide onto the loose ball.
0-0, 13'.
A long ball opens up the U.S. at the back and Antonee Robinson’s desperation clearance leads to a good fourth-minute chance for Mexico.
Chris Richards clears after Auston Trusty puts off the would-be El Tri scorer.
The Yanks are in their flag-striped red and white shirts with blue shorts and white socks.
El Tri have green tops, white shorts, and red socks.
Let’s do this.
Fell for some faulty info... Here’s Mexico’s lineup!
Gilberto Mora does not start after his ankle injury.
Jose Rangel is in goal behind Diego Campillo, Johan Vasquez, Israel Reyes, and Jesus Gallardo.
Influential Erik Lira runs the midfield with Luis Romo, Santiago Sandoval, and Orbelin Pineda.
Santi Gimenez and Roberto Alvarado are up top.
This should be a beauty
Very few surprises here, though Cavan Sullivan over Sergino Dest is a bit of a surprise and young Diego Kochen going in goal a minor stunner.
Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, Auston Trusty, and Alex Freeman make up a strong back four.
Tyler Adams and Sebastian Berhalter will bring fire in the middle, with Sullivan next Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman behind young Julian Hall.
Mexico still has bragging rights in the history of this remarkable rivalry, but the Yanks might argue with who should have them given the state of affairs since the USA got a foothold in the series.
Tonight is the 80th meeting of the USMNT and El Tri, and Mexico have 38 wins compared to 24 for the Yanks.
The U.S. actually won the first ever meeting in 1934 — with a future NFL coach scoring four goals — but Mexico went 21 matches in the ‘derby’ without a loss between 1937-1980.
Since a 1980 World Cup qualifier in Florida — 2-1 to the Yanks — the U.S. are 23W-15D-20L in the series. Mexico have won the last two meetings.
The U.S. have also won three of the last four trophy scraps, though Mexico claimed the most recent final in the 2025 Gold Cup.
There’s no question that Mexico, the United States, and Canada are the top three teams in CONCACAF right now.
Who’s No. 1, though, and who has the best chance to showcase the confederation at the 2030 World Cup?
I’d argue that it’s 1A and 1B between the USMNT and Mexico. Canada’s top group is electric but depth is more of a challenge for Jesse Marsch.
This will be the first USMNT game since Mauricio Pochettino announced that Tyler Adams is the new captain of the national team.
“It’s well deserved,” Pochettino said. “We’ve built a very good relationship in the last two years…he knows what I expect and he’s a perfect role model for everyone in the way he can translate the philosophy and the culture and represent the amazing country.”
Kick off time: 10pm ET Saturday (October 3)
Venue: State Farm Stadium — Glendale, Arizona
TV Channel: Universo, Telemundo
Stream link: Peacock en Espanol
