Don't look now, but Mauricio Pochettin's new-look USMNT is off to a red-hot start with three wins in three games following a tremendous dos tres a cero victory over bitter rivals Mexico on Saturday.

USA 3-0 MEXICO — Recap, highlights | Player ratings

Eyebrows were certainly raised when the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun were left off the first roster of the 2030 World Cup cycle, but Pochettino's baby Yanks are coming of age right before our eyes. Perhaps they don't know what they don't know yet and that allows them to play without fear and pressure, or perhaps they are really that good and the future is really that bright

It's always tempting to think in terms of "how well did they play" when they face Mexico, because they are the USMNT's biggest rival and of course you always want to play your best against them, but the real measuring stick is "how hard did they play?" Did they back down, or did they leap headfirst into the fracas? Did they get bullied, or did they do the bullying? Did they come unstuck in a moment of madness?

There is no greater litmus test in American soccer, especially for a new group of players experiencing the rivalry for the first time. You played well against Peru and Chile? Cool, but it doesn't matter. Do it against Mexico, then we can talk.

That was the challenge that Pochettino put to teenagers Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall when he picked them to start against El Tri in just their third international appearance each. All they did was score a goal for the third straight game (Hall) and become the youngest-ever scorer for the USMNT (Sullivan). Only time will tell what their respective careers ultimately look like, but for the time being it's unfathomably fun to imagine the possibilities, not only for their obvious potential as players but for the way they met a massive challenge head-on and shone brighter than anyone reasonably thought they would.

"This was a great opportunity to see ourselves in a difficult game against a very good team," Pochettino said after the game. "[The game] was two different halves. The first half, Mexico started really well, they forced us to play back, we never connected, we were losing all of the duels. And then, we started to grow after 15 or 20 minutes. The first half was a good lesson, because we had to work together and suffer together. When you are not playing well and the way that you planned to play, I think it's so important to show maturity like a team, like a group of 11 players that suffers together."

This is the part of being a coach and manager that Pochettino loves, the part that he excelled at as a club boss, the part that makes me truly believe that his next four years in charge will be much better than the first two. He has an incredible eye for young talent and isn't scared to give them the chance to prove him right. He challenges and pushes his players every step of the way, and he fills them full of confidence when that's what they need, too.