Mauricio Pochettino entered his post-match news conference Saturday with a broad smile, and understandably so. His young, MLS-heavy U.S. men's national team had just taken down Venezuela 3-1, perhaps exceeding expectations in the process. It was a fantastic performance, one that felt like it rewarded all of the behind-the-scenes work at the annual January camp.
Pochettino wasn't the only one with a reason to smile. Most members of the USMNT earned the same - and even so, there were some clear winners on the pitch in Fort Lauderdale.
Jack McGlynn is the big one, and it's the Philadelphia Union star who is perhaps best positioned to take that win and apply it to the senior USMNT. McGlynn's skillset is easy to see, particularly his ability to shift a game with one strike of the ball. He had multiple versions of those game-bending strikers, none bigger than his stunning opening goal to kickstart the USMNT win.
Patrick Agyemang and Matko Miljevic joined him on the scoresheet, and both will feel good about the impressions they made. Most players will, to be fair. That's what happens when you win 3-1 in a game that, realistically, wouldn't have been that close if not for one bad moment. For Pochettino, his team gave him plenty of reasons to be happy in this first January camp game.
GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Chase Stadium.