New Delhi, Nov. 19 -- After struggling in its first nine months under coach Mauricio Pochettino, the United States headed into a World Cup year with a five-game unbeaten streak and its most one-sided win over an opponent from South America's confederation.

"We wanted to make a statement. We wanted to show what U.S. soccer's about," Sebastian Berhalter said after the Americans scored four goals in a 25-man span of the first half and routed Uruguay 5-1 on Tuesday night. "We had a chance to go out here and give everything we had and show that we're ready."

Berhalter, Alex Freeman and Tanner Tessmann all scored their first international goals and Freeman - a son of former NFL All-Pro receiver Antonio Freeman - added his second while Diego L...