The United States beat Mexico 3-0 in an international friendly at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday, October 3, equaling the three-goal margin that stands as the largest the USA has ever recorded over El Tri in an official match. Julian Hall, Cavan Sullivan and Malik Tillman scored, and Mexico finished with 10 men after Mateo Chavez saw a straight red card in the 67th minute.
Result: USA 3-0 Mexico
Goals: Julian Hall 28′; Cavan Sullivan 63′; Malik Tillman 84′
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Mexico vs USA Match Recap
The opening half ended 1-0 to the United States after Hall struck in the 28th minute, finishing off a Giovanni Reyna cross that goalkeeper Raul Rangel fumbled. In the 63rd minute, Sullivan intercepted a Rangel pass roughly 30 yards out and chipped the stranded keeper to double the lead. Four minutes later the night went from bad to worse for El Tri: substitute Mateo Chavez, on the field since halftime, was shown a straight red card in the 67th minute for a hard foul on Yunus Musah followed by a double-hand slap to Sebastian Berhalter’s face in front of referee Selvin Brown.
Mexico played the final 23 minutes with 10 men and conceded again in the 84th, when Tillman pressed Alvaro Fidalgo’s errant back-pass to Diego Campillo and smashed it home to complete the 3-0 scoreline. The USMNT’s attack did its damage through its youngest options: Hall and Sullivan, the two teenage starters, both scored before making way for Yunus Musah and Justin Ellis in the 65th and 66th minutes. Mexico offered almost nothing in attack: one shot on target all night from five attempts. Gilberto Mora did not start for Mexico because of an ankle injury. The USA was coached by Mauricio Pochettino, Mexico by Rafael Marquez.
Highlights
Telemundo Deportes’ extended highlights of the USA’s 3-0 friendly win over Mexico at State Farm Stadium — goals from Julian Hall, Cavan Sullivan and Malik Tillman.
Match Stats
Stats via Sportradar.
| Stat | Mexico | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 5 | 8 |
| Shots on target | 1 | 4 |
| Possession | 52% | 48% |
| Corners | 3 | 2 |
| Saves | 1 | 1 |
| Fouls | 9 | 18 |
Starting Lineups
Mexico (4-4-2): Raul Rangel; Jesus Gallardo, Johan Vasquez, Israel Reyes, Diego Campillo; Erik Lira, Luis Romo, Santiago Sandoval, Orbelin Pineda; Santiago Gimenez, Roberto Alvarado. Coach: Rafael Marquez.
USA (4-2-3-1): Diego Kochen; Alex Freeman, Auston Trusty, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter; Cavan Sullivan, Giovanni Reyna, Malik Tillman; Julian Hall. Coach: Mauricio Pochettino.
Yellow cards: Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter (USA); Luis Romo (Mexico). No penalties were awarded.
Three Takeaways From Mexico vs USA
1. The 3-0 margin matches the USA’s heaviest in an official match against Mexico
Soccer America noted after the June 15, 2023 Concacaf Nations League semifinal, which the USA won 3-0 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, that it was “the USA’s largest margin of victory over Mexico in an official match (46 games)”. Tonight’s 3-0 equals that mark. It is the first time the USA has beaten Mexico by three goals since that night, and it is not the all-time USA record margin: that remains the 4-0 friendly win on June 18, 1995 in the U.S. Cup at RFK Stadium, so there is no “largest ever” claim to make here, only an equaled benchmark.
2. Chavez’s red card compounded a deficit that was already two goals deep
The straight red came in the 67th minute, four minutes after Sullivan made it 2-0. Chavez had entered at halftime for Jesus Gallardo, so his dismissal ended his night less than 25 minutes after it began. Down a man, Mexico conceded the third goal in the 84th and never generated a threat: with 52% of possession, El Tri still produced only five shots and one on target.
3. The USA’s young attackers decided it while Mexico barely troubled Kochen
Hall, Sullivan and Tillman scored the three goals, and the teenage starters Hall and Sullivan were withdrawn within three minutes of each other in the second half. Mexico’s five shots and single on-target effort tell the story of a team that held the ball without turning it into chances. The fouls column, 18 committed by the USA to Mexico’s nine, also fits the night: the USMNT pressed and fouled, and Mexico could not make the resulting opportunities count.
What the Result Means
In rivalry terms, the 3-0 snaps Mexico’s two-game win streak in the series: El Tri won the most recent meetings, 2-1 in the Gold Cup final on July 6, 2025 at NRG Stadium in Houston and 2-0 in a friendly on October 15, 2024 at Estadio Akron in Zapopan. The last USA win before tonight was 2-0 in the Nations League final on March 24, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Tonight is the USA’s first three-goal win over Mexico since the June 2023 Nations League semifinal, and it equals the margin the USA set as its largest in an official match.
Keeping the stakes in proportion: this was a friendly, not a competitive fixture. Both teams are World Cup co-hosts, and the autumn games are preparation first and rivalry second. But a 3-0 defeat, with a red card and one shot on target, is the heaviest version of this loss Mexico has suffered against the USA in an official-match context since 2023, and that is the verified benchmark this result matches. For more on El Tri’s autumn slate, see the where-to-watch guide for this match and the Mexico vs Peru stream page from September.
What Comes Next
Mexico vs Chile: Tuesday, October 6, 2026, LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, 7:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM CT / 10:30 PM ET, international friendly. El Tri stays in California with a quick turnaround.
USA vs Canada: Tuesday, October 6, 2026, Allianz Field, St. Paul, Minnesota, 7:00 PM CT / 8:00 PM ET, international friendly. The USA follows up against a Concacaf rival; see the USA vs Chile where-to-watch page for context on the USMNT’s September form. For Liga MX viewing options, visit the FutnSoccer Liga MX viewing hub.
