USMNT Beat Chile 4-2 as Albert, 17, Makes History

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USMNT Beat Chile 4-2 as Albert, 17, Makes History

USMNT Beat Chile 4-2 as Albert, 17, Makes History

Thu, Oct 1, 2026 ·

3 min read

Chile struck the woodwork twice before USMNT rally

Chile created the game's first real danger inside two minutes through Maximiliano Gutiérrez and kept finding space around Frankie Westfield's side. Darío Osorio hit the post after intercepting a Miles Robinson error, and Ben Brereton rattled the crossbar late in the first half. Despite the pressure, the U.S. broke through in the 37th minute when Sergiño Dest's low cross found an unmarked Sebastian Berhalter for 1-0.

Chile equalized almost immediately after the break, Diego Ulloa pouncing on a loose ball from a corner. Maximiliano Gutiérrez then put Chile ahead early in the second half, cutting inside after Westfield mistimed a header. The U.S. leveled again five minutes later when Julian Hall headed home a Gio Reyna cross for his second goal in as many games with the senior team.

Pochettino overhauled his back line at halftime, bringing on Alex Freeman , Tyler Adams , Chris Richards, Auston Trusty and Malik Tillman . The U.S. completed the comeback in the 72nd minute when Berhalter headed a corner toward Richards, who rose unmarked to make it 3-2 — Berhalter's second straight game with a goal and an assist. Substitute Mathis Albert sealed it in the 93rd minute, finishing off an Auston Trusty knockdown from an Antonee Robinson free kick. At 17, Albert became the youngest player in program history to score for the USMNT senior team.

The U.S. finished with 58.2% possession and 18 shots to Chile's 17, with Chris Brady and Brian Schwake combining for six saves between the posts.

Berhalter and Albert lead the way

Sebastian Berhalter was the standout for a second straight match. He scored, set up Richards' goal with a header, and created a big first-half chance for Julian Hall — two goals and two assists across two games this window. His set-piece influence was already known, but he's now breaking lines, running the box and shooting from range with real sharpness.

Mathis Albert made the most of 20-plus minutes, firing four shots, creating a chance and scoring the winner. He also drew a penalty against Peru. Lawrence Vigouroux kept Chile in it with several key stops, and Darío Osorio remained Chile's most dangerous attacker, just as he was against Canada.

Westfield and Pierre feel the step up

Chile hurt the U.S. more than Peru did, hitting the woodwork twice and taking a second-half lead — a response Pochettino's side didn't need in Orlando. Frankie Westfield and Neil Pierre struggled with positioning and game reading rather than individual quality. Westfield's aerial error led to Chile's second goal, and losing his usual attacking freedom to an overlapping Dest didn't help. Both are teenagers gauging where they stand; a return to youth national teams for further development wouldn't be a failure.

Miles Robinson is a different case. At 29 and with more than 40 caps, his buildup errors gifted Chile two dangerous chances. The gap showed clearly once Chris Richards and Auston Trusty entered — Richards scored, Trusty assisted, and Alex Freeman impressed again on the right. Brooklyn Raines also made his case with a composed 90 minutes protecting the ball and organizing midfield.