Pochettino’s United States wins and convinces

The selection of USAwith an unprecedented eleven and full of young people, beat 3-1 this Saturday against Venezuelaalso with many rotations, in a friendly played at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (Florida), the home of Leo Messi’s Inter Miami. Pochettino fielded up to six debutants in his starting lineup and two of them took the opportunity to celebrate their first goals as American internationals.

Patrick Agyemang, Charlotte forward, and Marko Miljevic, Huracán forward, excited Pochettino’s team, which fielded the youngest eleven of his management with an average of 23 years and 277 days. Jack McGlynn, Philadelphia Union playmaker, also scored for the first time with the United States senior international against Venezuela, whose only goal of the afternoon came at 3-0 already in the light, with a header from Real Murcia defender Jorge Yriarte.

Fernando Batista’s Vinotinto went out to compete in Fort Lauderdale without many references, including Salomón Rondón or Yeferson Soteldo, and paid for its defensive fragility. He was able to receive the first after less than three minutes and it was Wuilker Fariñez’s credit if that did not happen. The Venezuelan goalkeeper got the angle right and easily stopped Miljevic’s weak low shot. He avoided the goal, but it was only a matter of time. In the 37th minute, McGlynn unleashed a powerful shot from 25 meters that struck down Fariñez and put the United States ahead.

Emotional blow for Venezuela

It was a psychological blow for Venezuela, which just two minutes later would once again grant defensive space to its rival. Agyemang, a fast and powerful striker, took advantage of them and once again beat Fariñez to make it 2-0. On the offensive level, Venezuela created some good situations, but failed to take advantage of them. They closed the first half well, getting close to the goal with a shot by Gleiker Mendoza that ended up narrowly missing.

But at 64 minutes of play came the virtual sentence on the match, from the hand of Miljevic. The Huracán player made a great personal move when starting from his half of the field, he freed himself from the pressure of two rivals and spoke with McGlynn, before celebrating his first international goal with a cross shot from the edge of the area.

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Venezuela managed to close the gap four minutes later in an action that originated from a corner kick, when Yriarte hit with an authoritative header to make it 3-1. The United States had no trouble managing its advantage and defended an authoritative victory at Chase Stadium. Pochettino’s team is now preparing to face Costa Rica next Wednesday in a new preparatory friendly.

TECHNICAL SHEET

3 – United States: Schulte; Moore, Campbell, Robinson, Afsten; Cremaschi, McGlynn, Clark, Miljevic, Gutiérrez; Agyemang. Also playing: Eneli, White, Jones, Luna, Vassilev and Zimmeman.
1 – Venezuela: Fariñez; Graterol, La Mantia, Vivas, Rosales; Bolivar, Pereira, Ortega, Juanpi; Mendoza, Hurtado. Also playing: Tortolero, Yriarte, Guarirapa, Cova, Gutiérrez and Gallardo.
Goals: 1-0, McGlynn (m. 37); 2-0, Agyemang (m. 39); 3-0, Miljevic (m. 64); 3-1, Yriarte (m. 68)
Referee: Warren Madrigal (Costa Rica). He showed yellow card to Cremaschi (m.18) and Moore (m.94), from the United States
Incidents: Friendly match played at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (USA) in front of nearly 20,000 spectators.