Sebastian Berhalter, Luna, USMNT Shock Fans with 4 1st-Half Goals in Win vs. Uruguay

The United States Men's National Team secured a decisive 5-1 victory over Uruguay in an international friendly on Tuesday night behind two goals from Alex Freeman.

The USMNT erupted for four goals in the first half, starting with Sebastian Berhalter's strike in the 17th minute and capped by Diego Luna's finish in the 42nd. 

Freeman delivered the biggest spark of the opening frame, scoring twice just 11 minutes apart to help send the U.S. into halftime with a commanding 4-1 lead.

Tanner Tessmann added a goal in the 68th minute for the lone strike of the second half, capping the convincing score.

After the statement win, head coach Mauricio Pochettino was asked about fielding a starting lineup that featured mostly backups, noting he "hates" the mindset of "missing regulars":

"I don't want to start negative (but) 'no regular players'. What does that mean?...," Pochettino said, via The Athletic's Tom Bogert. "It's so disrespectful."

He added when asked about the players missing from the lineup: "This is the United States national team."

In head-to-head meetings with Paraguay, the U.S. is 1-1-2 since 2019, including a 1-0 loss in Copa America.

The USMNT has been on a strong run in international friendlies, winning three of its last four matches and drawing the other.

Fans reacted to the USMNT's dominant first half and big win over Uruguay.

Each player was eager for action on the scoreboard, and with just a handful of months left before the FIFA World Cup in June, every match has become a proving ground for players fighting to solidify their spot on the roster.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has emphasized that "no one can feel safe" about their place on the team — not even stars like Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams.

"For me these are the players that today, they deserve to be here and are the players that we want to see, are the players that are our choice, our selection," Pochettino said, per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle. "And then no one can feel safe or no one can feel that it's going to be [on the roster], even the names that you say: Pulisic or Tyler Adams. I think the federation is bigger than the names that [are in] the national team."

"It's a great opportunity in the moment that we decide to pick another player to choose for another player," Pochettino continued. "That player needs to show up and step up and say, 'Yes we have also the opportunity to be part of the roster for the next World Cup.'"

Until then, the USMNT will turn its attention to its next international friendly on Nov. 28 against Italy in Orlando.