USMNT Start 2025 With Win Over Venezuela
A trio of impressive goals from two debutants and an Olympian staked a young USMNT to a resounding 3-1 win over Venezuela in Saturday’s friendly in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
USA 3 Venezuela 1
Report by USSoccer.com
A trio of impressive goals from two debutants and an Olympian staked a young U.S. Men’s National team to a resounding 3-1 win over Venezuela in Saturday’s friendly in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The USA opened its annual January camp with a confident and decisive performance before 18,008 fans at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium. Eight Americans earned their first cap, and coach Mauricio Pochettino got a look at several prospects and rising stars while earning a fourth victory in his fifth match in charge. Midfielder Jack McGlynn (an Olympian with one previous senior appearance) and forwards Patrick Agyemang and Matko Miljevic (the debutants), each scored their first USMNT goal.
This month’s camp will conclude in Orlando with a Jan. 22 match against Concacaf rival Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium. Kickoff time is 7 p.m. ET and the broadcast will be available on TNT, TruTV, Universo, Max, Peacock and Fútbol de Primera radio.
Since the start of the 2002 World Cup cycle, 30 men who earned their first or second USMNT cap during a winter camp went on to make a World Cup squad. Pochettino embraced January camp’s purpose and potential in Fort Lauderdale, starting eight first or second timers against Venezuela.
Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, a 2024 Olympian and a 2023 MLS champion with the Columbus Crew, earned his third USMNT nod and backstopped a starting XI that featured a half dozen debutants: Agyemang, Miljevic (a Miami native), wingers Caden Clark and Brian Gutiérrez, left back Max Arfsten and center back George Campbell.
Nineteen-year-old midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi, playing on his home turf, and McGlynn earned their second caps, while veterans Miles Robinson (the captain) and Shaq Moore offered some seasoning in defense.
Venezuela’s lineup was slightly more experienced. Four international debutants were scattered through an XI anchored by 36-year-old defender Roberto Rosales (96 caps) and goalkeeper Wuilker Feríñez (41 caps), who earned the shutout in Venezuela’s 3-0 defeat of the USMNT in a June 2019 friendly in Cincinnati.
First Half
Feríñez, who returned to hometown club Caracas FC from France’s Lens last year, showed his savvy in the opening moments. The USA earned a penalty kick when Agyemang was bundled over in the box by Venezuela’s Daniel Pereira. Miljevic stepped to the spot for the hosts, but Feríñez read the third-minute shot perfectly and dropped to his left to make the save.
The disappointment didn’t last long for the Americans, who rediscovered their footing quickly and demonstrated an ability to build through midfield and threaten on the counter during the first quarter hour. The U.S. continued to maintain an advantage in first-half possession but failed to find its way through, while La Vinotinto were left to test Schulte from long distance.
The visitors’ shots didn’t fall, but McGlynn’s did. In the 37th, the USA did well to win back possession after a turnover in the Venezuelan end, and Moore drew the defense toward him as he dribbled in from the right. The ball bounced to Clark, who cut it inside to McGlynn. The 21-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder took one touch and unleashed a 30-yard, left-footed blast that beat Feríñez at the right post.
The gates had opened. Less than two minutes later, Agyemang had doubled the lead. The Charlotte FC striker ran onto a clearance that had bounced off Miljevic and raced toward the Venezuela net. He timed his shot perfectly and beat Feríñez as the netminder left his line. The Americans were buzzing and had several more good looks before halftime. Venezuela’s Pereira, who plays for Austin FC, cleared the ball off his goal line in the 42nd.
Second Half
The U.S. onslaught continued after intermission. Feríñez denied Miljevic again in the 52nd, this time on a smart toe-poke that followed some excellent American interplay. He then used his knee to block a goal-bound header from Robinson.
Miljevic finally got his goal in the 64th. The lone non-MLS player on the U.S. roster— Miljevic just signed for Buenos Aires club Huracán—intercepted a pass in his own half, deftly dribbled through two Venezuelans, crossed midfield and then sent McGlynn through on the left. McGlynn lofted the ball back toward the penalty area, where Miljevic brought it down and rifled a low shot to the goalkeeper’s right.
Pochettino made a rash of substitutions in the 65th, giving USMNT debuts to Real Salt Lake midfielder Emeka Eneli and St. Louis City forward Indiana Vassilev. La Vinotinto then pulled a goal back in the 68th as substitute midfielder Jorge Yriarte scored on his international debut, cleanly heading home a corner kick.
The young Americans calmly saw the game out (and nearly added a fourth through substitute Brian White), lifting the USMNT’s overall record against 47th-ranked Venezuela to 4W-1L-2D. The USA is now 2W-0L-0D at Chase Stadium and 9W-12L-8D all-time in South Florida.
Line Up
1-Patrick Schulte; 15-Max Arfsten (5-DeJuan Jones, 65), 12-Miles Robinson (Capt.), 20-George Campbell (3-Walker Zimmerman, 88’), 18-Shaq Moore; 16-Jack McGlynn, 6-Benjamin Cremaschi (14-Emeka Eneli, 65); 17-Brian Gutiérrez (19-Indiana Vassilev, 73), 11-Matko Miljevic (10-Diego Luna, 65), 23-Caden Clark; 7-Patrick Agyemang (8-Brian White, 65)
Substitutes not used: 21-Matt Freese, 22-Zack Steffen, 13-Tim Ream
Next Game
Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s side will next travel to Orlando to face Costa Rica on Wednesday, Jan. 22 (TNT, TruTV, Universo, Max, Peacock, FDP Radio) in the conclusion to the team’s annual January camp.