Talk about a dream start.
Just four minutes into his US men's national team debut, Orlando City homegrown Justin Ellis opened the scoring against Peru on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium – his home field at the club level.
The breakthrough came from a Gio Reyna free kick, as the 19-year-old met Reyna's delivery and flicked his header inside the far post to give the USMNT an early 1-0 lead.
It was a storybook moment for one of MLS's brightest rising young talents.
Ellis earned his first senior USMNT call-up after a breakout 2026 campaign with Orlando, recording 3g/11a across all competitions entering the September/October international window.
Ellis signed a first-team homegrown deal with Orlando in February after progressing through the club's academy and Orlando City B. He was previously named the 2025 U-19 MLS NEXT MVP and also won the Golden Boot at the 2025 Generation adidas Cup with a tournament-high six goals as Orlando captured the U-18 title.
Four minutes into his first senior international appearance, in the stadium he calls home, Ellis scores his first USMNT goal.
