Cavan Sullivan became the youngest goal scorer in the history of the U.S. men’s national team on Saturday night, and fellow teenager Julian Hall also found the net as the United States beat Mexico 3-0 in an international friendly in Glendale, Arizona.
Sullivan, a Philadelphia Union attacker, was 17 years and five days old when he scored in the 62nd minute at State Farm Stadium. He pressured Mexico goalkeeper José Rangel into a poor pass, intercepted it and lifted a long-range shot into the net to double the U.S. lead.
“This is what you dream of,” Sullivan said after the match, according to The Associated Press.
The record had changed hands quickly. Mathis Albert set it four days earlier, at 17 years and 131 days, in a win over Chile, ESPN reported. Before that, the mark had belonged to Christian Pulisic, who scored at 17 years and 253 days.
Hall stays hot as Kochen keeps a clean sheet
Hall, an 18-year-old forward for the New York Red Bulls, opened the scoring in the 28th minute. Gio Reyna’s cross from the right was blocked by Rangel, and Hall buried the rebound from close range. It was his third goal in his first three international appearances after he also scored against Peru and Chile last week. According to U.S. Soccer, only Eddie Johnson and Alexander Rae had previously scored in each of their first three games for the team.
Malik Tillman closed the scoring in the 84th minute, stepping in front of a Mexican back pass and finishing with his left foot.
Mexico finished with 10 men after defender Mateo Chávez was sent off for violent conduct in the 67th minute, U.S. Soccer said. The AP reported that Chávez struck U.S. midfielder Sebastian Berhalter in the face when Berhalter confronted him over a hard foul on Yunus Musah.
Diego Kochen, a 20-year-old making his first international start in goal, kept Mexico off the scoreboard. His biggest save came early in the second half, when he pushed a hard volley from Roberto Alvarado over the crossbar.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino hugged Sullivan when the teenager was substituted a few minutes after his goal. “He’s a fighter, he’s a warrior,” Pochettino said.
A turn in the rivalry
The win snapped a two-game losing streak against Mexico, ESPN noted, and was the first U.S. victory in the series since the 2024 Concacaf Nations League final. Mexico had won both meetings since then, including a 2-1 victory in the 2025 Gold Cup final. Mexico fans made up most of the crowd in suburban Phoenix.
The 3-0 result tied the second-largest U.S. margin of victory over Mexico and matched the score of the Americans’ win in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League semifinals, U.S. Soccer said. Mexico coach Rafael Márquez, who took over in September after the team’s round-of-16 exit from this summer’s World Cup, lost his first meeting with the U.S. as Mexico’s head coach.
What’s next
The U.S. closes the international window against fellow World Cup co-host Canada on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Americans have won their first three matches of the window, beating Peru 4-1 and Chile 4-2 before Saturday’s victory.
