Three takeaways from USMNT's win over Venezuela

Matko Miljevic remains a puzzling inclusion

When Miljevic was announced in this USMNT squad, many experts called foul. The Argentinian dual national had his contract with CF Montréal terminated by MLS in 2023 after some truly bizarre violent conduct. (Miljevic, hoping to stay fit while not receiving minutes from Montreal, allegedly joined a Canadian indoor soccer league under a fake name and physically assaulted a fellow player while competing.)

Miljevic hasn't exactly set the world on fire since his ignominious departure from MLS; he returned to Argentina and promptly fell out with his coach at Newell's Old Boys. But USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, himself a Newell's graduate, seems to have heard good enough things from his Argentina contacts to warrant giving Miljevic a second chance with the USMNT.

If you watched this Venezuela game, you know precisely what became of this second chance: Miljevic had a rough night. He got one goal, but he also missed a woeful penalty and snubbed teammate Jack McGlynn in the process.

Second chances are great. If Miljevic has truly learned from his history of unprofessional conduct, then that's a boon for everyone connected to the USMNT. But nothing about Miljevic's performance tonight gave that impression... and that opens important questions about how he caught Pochettino's eye. 

We have no proof that this is a case of Newell's Argentina favoritism, but it certainly looks like it — and Pochettino had to have known that would be the case. Fans and journalists are right to be concerned.

Patrick Agyemang could be a great find

The USMNT hasn't had a go-to striker in years, but its problem isn't a lack of talent: it's too many options, each one slightly different than the last. Pochettino has a series of individual tools instead of a Swiss army knife. That makes it hard for him to predict which strikers will excel against which opponents.

Enter Agyemang, the young Charlotte striker who earned his first USMNT cap today against Venezuela. At 6-foot-4, he's big enough to win aerial duels, but he's got dainty, clever feet when he's on the ball. His off-the-ball vision is strong, and his positioning is consistently excellent. At 24 years old, he's still a raw talent... but this game proved that he's one worth developing for Pochettino. With a little help, Agyemang could join the USMNT's striker rotation. With a lot of it, he could become the Swiss army knife striker the USMNT has been looking for.

The USMNT will wrap up its January fixtures against Costa Rica on Wednesday, Jan. 22 in Orlando, Florida.