Sebastian Lletget's Brace Helps Lead USMNT to Win over Jamaica in 2021 Friendly
March 25, 2021
The kids are all right.
A young and exciting United States men's national team roster took the field for a friendly against Jamaica on Thursday and didn't disappoint, pulling off a 4-1 win at Austria's Stadion Wiener Neustadt.
Barcelona wunderkind Sergino Dest and Red Bull Salzburg's Brenden Aaronson—both 20 years old—scored cracking goals for the USMNT in the win:
Sebastian Lletget posted a late brace to erase any chances of a Jamaica comeback.
Jamal Lowe scored the lone goal for the Jamaicans.
In total, the USMNT played 11 players who are 23 years old or younger: Dest, Aaronson, Aaron Long (23), Yunus Musah (18), Christian Pulisic (22), Josh Sargent (21), Gio Reyna (18), Nicholas Gioacchini (20), Chris Richards (20), Antonee Robinson (23) and Lucas de la Torre (22).
The future is extraordinarily bright for the USMNT.
Pulisic provided his usual spark and threat going forward. Musah was incredibly composed in the midfield, showing the poise and positioning of a much older player. Reyna's creative ability and impetus going forward are impressive. Dest is a difference-maker at fullback. Sargent looked very solid as the tip of the attacking spear, setting up Aaronson's goal beautifully.
This wasn't even the United States in their final form, with players like Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah not in the squad for the team's friendly.
Granted, this wasn't a full-strength Jamaican team, and it's important not to make sweeping generalizations about a team after a friendly. But while Jamaica hardly rolled over, the USMNT's young players mostly controlled this game, showing the upside and potential that has so many of the team's supporters very excited about the future.
The next generation of USMNT stars has arrived. If they continue to develop their potential and develop chemistry together, they very well could lead the United States to new heights. Thursday was a sneak peek of what's to come.