Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield earn their first USMNT starts in a 4-2 win over Chile
Two more of this U.S. team's young prospects scored goals, including Julian Hall and Mathis Albert capping off the scoring.
The U.S. men’s soccer team made it two wins in two games to start this season’s stretch of friendlies, beating Chile 4-2 on Tuesday in St. Louis.
Union defenders Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield were in the U.S. starting lineup, earning their first national team starts after making their debuts as substitutes in Saturday’s win over Peru.
Both played just over an hour, and while they weren’t perfect, they showed their potential. Pierre had 74 touches, four clearances, one tackle, and four defensive recoveries, and completed 60 of 68 passes. Westfield had 46 touches, two interceptions, one tackle, and three recoveries, and completed 27 of 34 passes.
As with the Peru game, U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino mixed young and old players. But with 10 changes to the starting lineup, it wasn’t surprising that there was a lack of chemistry early on.
Chile looked better, forcing U.S. goalkeeper Chris Brady into four saves before Ben Brereton Díaz hit the crossbar in the 34th minute. Barely a minute later, Darío Osorio hit a post.
» READ MORE: Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield’s USMNT debuts vs. Peru weren’t forgotten amid Cavan Sullivan’s hype
The U.S. scored first, though, in the 37th. After Gio Reyna and Sergiño Dest combined down the left, Dest uncorked some fancy footwork on a charge forward, then squared for Julian Hall. But the striker deftly let the ball run between his legs, and an onrushing Sebastian Berhalter slammed it home.
Chile equalized in first-half stoppage time off a second straight corner kick that the U.S. failed to clear. Nearly a dozen players combined from the teams piled into each other in the six-yard box, and Diego Ulloa got the decisive touch.
The teams agreed to use nine substitutes each. Pochettino made his first at halftime, removing Brady and sending in Brian Schwake of MLS-leading Nashville SC.
That ensured each of the four goalkeepers on this U.S. roster would have a half of action under their belts heading into Saturday’s showdown with rival Mexico in Glendale, Ariz. (10 p.m., TNT, Telemundo 62).
» READ MORE: For Cavan Sullivan, ‘the dream is reality’ in a successful USMNT debut
Schwake got a rough welcome. Within four minutes, Maxi Gutiérrez beat a high-pressing Westfield on the flank, then raced away, cut in, and curled a superb 20-yarder around Pierre.
The U.S. answered just over two minutes later. After a nice passing sequence, Reyna lofted a header from the left flank and Hall jumped to head it in.
Pochettino made five changes at the hour mark, and all the entrants were veterans: Tyler Adams for Adri Mehmeti, Alex Freeman for Westfield, Chris Richards for Pierre, Auston Trusty for Miles Robinson, and Malik Tillman for Dest.
Two more swaps came in the 71st: Damion Downs for Hall and Mathis Albert replaced Reyna.
» READ MORE: A look back at the USMNT's win over Peru
But for all the attacking moves, a centerback gave the U.S. the lead. Richards was unmarked when Berhalter’s corner arrived in the box, and had a wide-open lane for a thumping header.
The last substitute was Cavan Sullivan for Berhalter in the 83rd, earning the Northeast Philadelphian native his second cap a day after celebrating his 17th birthday.
Albert, another 17-year-old, capped off the scoring in the 93rd by getting on the end of a free kick play. Robinson served it, Trusty headed it from the end line into the middle of the box, and the Borussia Dortmund winger charged forward to slam it off the bar and in.
Mathis Albert slams the door shut 🇺🇸✅ @usmnt.ussoccer.com
— Soccerwise (@soccerwisehq.bsky.social) September 29, 2026 at 10:13 PM
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Chile took out its anger over the night after that when Leandro Hernández kicked at Schwake after he had picked up the ball. Richards took exception, and within seconds there was a full-scale melee including the benches — even the coaches. Pochettino ended up right in the middle of it.
