USMNT and Peru draw 1–1 in Orlando friendly

The USMNT and Peru drew 1–1 on September 26, 2026, in Orlando, with 19-year-old Justin Ellis scoring on his debut for the USA and Peru's Gianluca Lapadula equalizing. The friendly marked the USMNT's first match in a new cycle under Mauricio Pochettino following their World Cup elimination.

Quick Facts

International friendly match
Justin Ellis scored for USA in 4th minute
Gianluca Lapadula scored for Peru in 15th minute
Match ended in 1–1 draw
USMNT fielded youth-heavy squad

The United States Men's National Team and Peru drew 1–1 in an international friendly at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando on September 26, 2026, marking the USMNT's first match following their elimination from the 2026 World Cup in the round of 16.

Justin Ellis, a 19-year-old forward from Orlando City, scored for the USA in the fourth minute with a header off a cross from Gio Reyna. Peru equalized in the 15th minute when Gianluca Lapadula, a 36-year-old veteran, headed past goalkeeper Matt Freese after a quick restart caught the young US left back Peyton Miller out of position.

The match was part of the September–October international window and served as a testing ground for both teams. The USMNT fielded a youth-heavy squad under manager Mauricio Pochettino, with three debutants: Justin Ellis, Peyton Miller, and 16-year-old midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who became the fourth-youngest American in modern history to debut for the USMNT. Tyler Adams captained the squad for the first time since the 2022 World Cup. Peru's squad, coached by Brazilian Mano Menezes, included goalkeeper Pedro Gallese making his 128th appearance for his country.

The game was broadcast on TNT and Telemundo in English and Spanish, with streaming available on HBO Max and Peacock. The USMNT improved to 3–2–2 all-time against Peru, with both sides looking ahead to qualifying campaigns for the 2030 World Cup.

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#soccer #Peru #Mauricio Pochettino #Orlando #friendly #football #Gianluca Lapadula #Justin Ellis #USMNT #international match

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Why This Matters

The USMNT's opening match under new manager Mauricio Pochettino following World Cup elimination provides early data on squad rebuilding and youth integration before 2030 qualifying campaigns begin. Both teams are managing coaching transitions and squad development in the September–October international window; the result offers measurable performance baseline—USA youth debutants (Ellis, Miller, Sullivan) against established Peru side—affecting tactical planning and player selection for upcoming confederation qualifiers.

Timeline & Sources

Sep 26, 2026

Wire

Pre-game coverage begins on TNT, Telemundo, truTV, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock

Sep 26, 2026

Wire

Match kicks off at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando

Sep 26, 2026

Wire

Justin Ellis scores for USA in 4th minute with header off Gio Reyna cross

Sep 26, 2026

Wire

Gianluca Lapadula equalizes for Peru in 15th minute with header

Sep 26, 2026

Wire

Match ends 1–1 draw

Quick Facts

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Why This Matters

Timeline & Sources

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