The U.S. U-23 men's soccer team doesn't have many connections to the failed qualifying squads of tournaments past, but Walker Zimmerman's guttural yell after scoring the second goal in a 4-1 win over New Zealand on Saturday in Paris might as well have come from the collective program, a celebratory mix of release and relief.

This win, however expected, was as sweet as long-awaited for U.S. Soccer.

The Yanks had piled embarrassment upon embarrassment in failing to reach three straight Olympics in men's soccer, an achievement nearly as difficult as winning the competition given the American status as a power in CONCACAF, the confederation that governs soccer for North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

There was the qualifying group stage exit behind Canada and El Salvador in 2011 under the then-chosen son of U.S. soccer Caleb Porter. Then it was a 2-0 semifinal loss to Alberth Elis and Honduras in 2015 and the wasted home second leg in the CONMEBOL-CONCACAF playoff under Andi Herzog. 2020? Honduras again at the same stage, just this time in Mexico.

The Americans got their way to Paris through the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, and did it in style. Mikey Varas' men won its group then won all four knockout games to win the crown. Its quarterfinal win put them in France, ensuring its Olympic participation wait would end at 16 years.

But how would they fare?

The 4-1 win over New Zealand was controlling and well-deserved, and should've done plenty to ease the fretting of those who saw a 3-0 loss to hosts France on the first day as some harbinger of sporting tragedy in Paris.

What's more important, however, is what it does for the men's team heading into the final group game against Guinea and hopefully, a first knockout round game at the Olympics since 2000's run to the bronze medal match against Chile (a 2-0 loss).

Just look at that U.S. roster to see what an Olympics can do for the future of a national team's generation. USMNT veterans Brad Friedel, Frankie Hejduk and Jeff Agoos helped guide future World Cup heroes like Tim Howard and Landon Donovan to big-time experience on a massive stage.

You think the Olympic semifinal experience in a loss to Spain didn't help build the wisdom of Howard and Donovan toward their monumental full senior beatdown of the Spanish at the 2002 Confederations Cup? Spain's 2000 Olympic team featured Carles Puyol and Xavi. The Yanks also stared down future international stars Samuel Eto'o, David Pizarro and Geremi at those Olympics.

Carlos Tevez led the Olympics in scoring at the 2004 Olympics when Argentina won gold and some kids named Messi, Aguero and Di Maria helped them repeat four years later (Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato took bronze with Brazil).

Mexico's 2012 gold (over Brazil) was a tremendous building block for its senior team's 2014 World Cup run out of a group with Brazil, Croatia and Cameroon, and El Tri only exited to the Netherlands in controversial fashion or it might've had a quarterfinal date with Costa Rica on its docket.

Stars of the 2016 and 2020 Games, both golds for Brazil, became some of the biggest stars in the sport: Neymar, Heung-min Son, Gabriel Jesus, Serge Gnabry, Marquinhos, Richarlison, Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal.

There are no guarantees that a deep Olympic run over the next two weeks would guarantee status for Kevin Paredes, Caleb Wiley, Gianluca Busio, Griffin Yow, Paxten Aaronson or Tanner Tessmann.

And a fine result against Guinea would likely mean a match-up with Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi and mighty Argentina in the quarterfinals. What an opportunity that would be for these young Yanks, led by a veteran centerback pairing of Miles Robinson and Zimmerman. Win there and you're 90 (or 120) minutes from playing for a medal.

That's not "one game at a time" talk, and Zimmerman will make sure the young U.S. men are focused on Guinea. But American fans would surely note the names of the men who captured their imaginations in Paris, an experience neither young players nor fans have had in decades.

This is a great opportunity, and something worth a good — and cathartic — scream.