International Break Continues: USMNT Youth Movement Shines, Plus AFCON & Concacaf Nations League

The gargantuan international break is in full swing, which means it is officially time to talk about the U.S. men's national team's next generation after a strong showing over the weekend. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a closer look at the USMNT's generational shift as the games come thick and fast.

📺 Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Monday, Sept. 28 🇪🇺 UNL: Belgium vs. France, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ FS2 🌍 AFCON qualifying: Tunisia vs. Botswana, 3 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports 🌎 CNL: Jamaica vs. Honduras, 8 p.m. ➡️ FS2

Tuesday, Sept. 29 🌍 AFCON qualifying: Lesotho vs. Morocco, 9 a.m. ➡️ beIN Sports 🇪🇺 UNL: Spain vs. Croatia, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ FS1 🌎 Friendly: USMNT vs. Chile, 8 p.m. ➡️ TNT

🇺🇸 Strong first impression for USMNT newcomers

The U.S. men's national team started a new era on a high with a 4-1 win over Peru on Saturday, 11 players, including two of the goalscorers, making their senior team debuts as head coach Mauricio Pochettino ushers in the next generation.

The first headline-makers of a new four-year cycle were Justin Ellis and Julian Hall, who each registered their first goals for the national team against Peru. Ellis, one of three newcomers who started alongside Cavan Sullivan and Peyton Miller, combined with Gio Reyna in the fourth minute for the game's opening goal. Peru had an equalizer courtesy of Gianluca Lapadula 11 minutes later but the USMNT were dominant throughout and picked things up in the second half, particularly after a range of substitutions Pochettino made around the hour mark. Substitute Mathis Albert won a penalty that Malik Tillman successfully converted, while Hall scored to make it 3-1 and then notched the assist on Sebastian Berhalter's 90th minute strike to wrap things up.

Pochettino naturally took pride in the new players' first senior team performances , their only task for the international break to show their natural talent without the burden of undue pressure . Saturday's game was the first example in the balance he will attempt to strike over the course of a new four-year cycle, mixing in an equal number of experienced players so the newcomers can lean on their guidance while also slowly living up to their own potential. In accordance, he was full of praise for the veterans who showed the newcomers the ropes in the first week of camp by creating a supportive environment. The head coach was hesitant to get too far ahead of himself despite the excitement of the occasion, praising specific players when asked but never singling anyone out by choice – instead,he would use questions about one player to compliment the group. His optimism about the USMNT's future, though, could not always be contained.

- Pochettino: "Look, the language of football is good players connecting. They don't need too much time together, and because they are good, they have quality, they connect so quick. They only need [a] few training sessions. If they don't have quality, it's difficult. You can train during one year, and maybe that connection never happens -- a natural, organic connection. It's because they have massive quality. They have massive talent. That is why they connect. The good players connect. They don't need time."

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/footy-fix-international-break-rolls-on-as-usmnt-youth-movement-is-in-full-swing/)._