After a crushing World Cup exit, 11 debutants and two teenage scorers are giving the program renewed verve

The fans who witnessed the United States’ 4-1 thrashing of Peru in Orlando on Saturday did not have to wait long to get their flashbulb moment. It came just four minutes into the match, only moments after 19-year-old Orlando City attacker Justin Ellis headed home the US opener.

Ellis, making his first appearance for the US, sprinted toward the near corner to celebrate, then turned and faced the US supporters in the north end of Inter.co Stadium – a supporters’ section nicknamed “the wall”. Quickly, he was joined by Villarreal defender Alex Freeman, himself an Orlando City product. For a moment, the two former teammates posed arm in arm, gazing up at the home crowd. Then they embraced, laughed, and attempted to run back to the center circle. Gio Reyna, who’d assisted on the goal, shoved him back toward the fans.

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