The choice of USAwith an unprecedented eleven and full of youngsters, lost 3-1 this Saturday against the Venezuelawith many twists, in a friendly played at 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, are excited about Pochettino’s team, who fielded the youngest eleven in his management with an average of 23 years and 277 days. Jack McGlynn, Philadelphia Union playmaker, also scored for the first time with the senior international of the United States against Venezuela, whose only goal of the afternoon came 3-0 in the light, on a header from Real Murcia defender Jorge Yriarte.
Fernando Batista’s Vinotinto came out to compete in Fort Lauderdale without many references, including Salomón Rondón or Yeferson Soteldo, and paid for its defensive fragility. He got the first less than three minutes later and credit Wuilker Fariñez if that didn’t happen. The Venezuelan goalkeeper got the angle and easily stopped Miljevic’s poor low shot. He dodged the goal, but it was only for a moment. In the 37th minute, McGlynn unleashed a powerful shot from 25 meters past Fariñez to give the United States the lead.
Emotional blow for Venezuela
It was a psychological blow for Venezuela, which two minutes later would once again give its rival defensive space. Agyemang, a quick and powerful striker, took advantage of them, beating Fariñez again 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 Gleiker Mendoza’s shot that almost missed.
But with 64 minutes of play came the virtual sentence of the match, from Miljevic. The Huracán player made a great personal move when starting in his half of the field, he freed himself from the pressure of two rivals and spoke to McGlynn, before celebrating his first international goal by a cross shot from the edge of the area.
Venezuela managed to close the gap four minutes later with an action that came from a corner kick, when Yriarte hit a powerful header to make it 3-1. The United States had no problem managing its lead and defended an authoritarian victory at Chase Stadium. Pochettino’s team are 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.
Objectives: 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 cards to Cremaschi (m.18) and Moore (m.94), from the United States
Events: Friendly match played at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (USA) in front of nearly 20,000 spectators.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
