US opens 2025 with 3-1 win over Venezuela in friendly missing regular starters

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — This camp for the U.S. men's national team is primarily about giving young players opportunities. And U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino liked what he saw on that front Saturday.

Patrick Agyemang and Matko Miljevic scored in their international debuts, Jack McGlynn got his first national team goal and the United States beat Venezuela 3-1 in a friendly between teams missing their regular starters.

McGlynn and Agyemang scored about two minutes apart late in the first half and Miljevic, whose third-minute penalty kick was saved, struck in the 64th minute.

''I think today not only we saw good players and good performance. ... We played like a team," Pochettino said. ''We respected some rules and concepts.''

McGlynn connected on a left-footed strike from about 30 yards in the 37th minute, Agyemang deflected a shot off goalkeeper Wuilker Faríñez not long afterward and the Americans were off and running. Milijevic scored on a counter, joining Agyemang to raise the total to 61 players who scored in their U.S. debuts.

Jorge Yriarte scored in the 68th minute for Venezuela, winless in eight games since it beat Jamaica in the group stage of the Copa America last June.

The U.S. won for the fourth time in five matches since Pochettino took over as head coach last year, including 3-0 at home.

''It was a big smile for me,'' McGlynn said of his first goal. ''It was a cool moment, definitely, to score your first goal for the men's team. To finally do that meant a lot.''

January camp could be a springboard toward consideration for the 2026 World Cup. Top players will return for the CONCACAF Nations League final four in March, but the roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June and July could include many of the younger players in camp this month hoping for larger roles.

DaMarcus Beasley, Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, DeAndre Yedlin and Landon Donovan are among the players whose national team careers were boosted by January camps.

The U.S. controlled much of the match and had a chance to grab the lead after Daniel Pereira's foul in the penalty area. Miljevic, a Miami-born forward, didn't have much on the spot kick he tried pushing past Faríñez's left side.

There was some confusion on the penalty kick, Pochettino said. Miljevic wasn't the first choice to take the shot, but the Americans evidently didn't go over a plan for that situation.

Six U.S. starters made debuts before a crowd of 18,008: left back Max Arfsten, central defender George Campbell, wingers Brian Gutiérrez and Carden Clark, along with Miljevic and Agyemang at forward. Emeka Eneli and Indiana Vassilev made debuts in the second half.

Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and midfielders Benjamin Cremaschi — an Inter Miami regular, playing on his usual home field — started in their second international appearances.

Venezuela gave debuts to four starters: left back Anthony Graterol, midfielder Bryant Ortega, winger Jovanny Bolivar and forward Gleiker Mendoza. Maurice Cova, Edson Tortolero, Thomás Gutiérrez, Edson Tortolero and Jorge Yriarte made their debuts as substitutes.

Up next

The U.S. plays Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday.