U-21 USMNT Overpowers Venezuela in JPAC Matchup
SANTIAGO, Chile – Following a slow start, the No. 29 U.S. U-21 Men’s National Team had a comfortable 8-0 shutout win over Venezuela at the 2026 Junior Pan American Cups. Scoring was led by Sekayi Charasika with four and highlighted by two first-time career goal scorers in Jasper Pouw and Oliver Shindler.
"We came out a bit flat today, but started to pick up the pace each quarter and make some nice connections," commented Paul Singh, U-21 USMNT Head Coach. "It is nice to get the win and now have a day to reset and focus on our next opponent, Mexico."
It took most of the first quarter until USA found a positive result. After Rory Bleeker earned the Junior Wolves’ their first penalty corner, Charasika converted a low drag into the right corner.
The second frame saw a lot of action between the 25-yard lines and neither team able to record a shot or penalty corner.
USA came out of the break with a renewed vengeance and earned a set piece just 45 seconds inside the third quarter. The initial one led to a sequence of five and on the final attempt, Pouw easily put in the rebound off the goalkeeper’s pads to make it 2-0.
Seconds later, USA resumed control of the restart and Mehtab Grewal got inside the circle and fired a backhand into the far net to extend the lead.
Ten minutes passed before the Junior Wolves got on the board again when a great right side build up went from Charasika to Tobias Whittaker and was finished by Shindler to bring it to 4-0.
Charasika recorded his hat trick by producing in the 48th and 51st minutes – both off penalty corner drag flick goals.
To close out the scoring, Bleeker added another off a penalty corner and Charasika put in one more in the final minute off a set piece.
Player of the Match: Jasper Pouw (USA)
Next Up: The Junior Wolves take on No. 36 Mexico on Tuesday, April 14 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Fans can stream it live for free on PanAm Sports Channel.
Key Moments:
- 3’ Oliver Shindler with the first shot
- 5’ Close range shot by Sekayi Charasika, saved by the goalkeeper
- 7’ Close chance for Venezula was tipped just wide
- 13’ Breakaway by Sekayi Charasika led to a backhand that went inches past the post
- 14’ Off USA’s first penalty corner, Sekayi Charasika scored to put USA ahead 1-0
- 31’ Five consecutive set pieces for USA
- 32’ Off the fifth chance, Jasper Pouw puts in the rebound to go up 2-0
- 32’ Mehtab Grewal scored a backhand goal to make it 3-0
- 41’ Great passing on the right side went from Tobias Whittaker to Oliver Shindler on the finish to bring it to 4-0
- 48’ Sekayi Charasika scored a penalty corner goal, 5-0
- 51’ Sekayi Charasika with another set piece goal, 6-0
- 52’ USA with two penalty corners in a row
- 54’ Rory Bleeker converted on a penalty corner, 7-0
- 59' Sekayi Charasika scored off a set piece, 8-0
Noteworthy Numbers:
- Jasper Pouw and Oliver Shindler both scored their first international junior goals
- Sekayi Charasika has scored in all four JPAC matches (13 total goals)
- This is the first recorded meeting between the U-21 USMNT and Venezuela
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