Young Stars Shine as USMNT Cruises Past Venezuela in 3-1 Win
A trio of first-time scorers led the U.S. Men's National Team to a 3-1 victory over Venezuela on Saturday at Inter Miami's Chase Stadium, giving head coach Mauricio Pochettino his fourth win in five matches since taking charge.
In a match featuring numerous new faces, Philadelphia Union midfielder Jack McGlynn broke the deadlock in the 37th minute with a spectacular long-range strike. The 21-year-old seized his opportunity when finding space outside the box.
"I found myself in a good pocket with a lot of space in front of me, and thought, why not? I have a good shot," McGlynn explained after the match. "I tried it, and thank the Lord it went in."
Charlotte FC forward Patrick Agyemang doubled the lead just two minutes later, marking his international debut with a clinical finish past Venezuelan goalkeeper Wuilker Faríñez. Matko Miljevic, who had earlier missed a penalty in the second minute, redeemed himself with a spectacular individual effort in the 64th minute, becoming the first Argentina-based player to score for the USMNT.
Venezuela's Jorge Yriarte pulled one back with a header in the 68th minute, but it wasn't enough to spoil an encouraging performance from the American side, which dominated possession and put nine of their 13 shots on target.
"Today, not only did we see good players and a good performance, we played like a team," Pochettino said. "We are so happy."
The match, played outside the FIFA international window with a roster comprised mainly of MLS players, gave Pochettino valuable insights into his player pool. The coach estimates he's expanded his selection options from 25-30 players to nearly 50 for the upcoming year, crucial information ahead of the Nations League finals in March and this summer's Gold Cup.
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