United States goalkeeper Matt Freese stated he was effectively ready and had studied up for penalties after offering three saves in a dramatic 4-3 shootout win over Costa Rica in Sunday’s Gold Cup quarterfinal.
“Penalties are my factor,” Freese stated after the knockout spherical match went to a shootout following a 2-2 attract regulation. “[On] the aircraft trip over right here to Minnesota. I used to be finding out the penalties. I have been finding out all of them week and was prepared for it if we wanted it, and the one which I did not transfer on [was a] suggestion from my goalkeeper coach Toni Jimenez.”
The quarterfinal was a forwards and backwards conflict at U.S. Financial institution Stadium in Minneapolis, that originally noticed the People go down 1-0 after a twelfth minute aim from Costa Rica’s Francisco Calvo. The USMNT responded with targets from Diego Luna and Max Arfsten, earlier than permitting a late equalizer from Costa Rica’s Alonso Martínez that despatched the match to penalties.
“I am so joyful, so happy for them. They confirmed at this time, nice character, I believe it is good for this group of participant to have this kind of expertise,” stated U.S. supervisor Mauricio Pochettino after the sport. “It is priceless, as a result of that’s the actuality while you’re in an enormous match, that factor can occur, and it is necessary that they begin to construct the expertise collectively.”
Pochettino additionally praised the “superb” response for the aspect that not solely handled taking place 1-0 early on, but additionally had a missed thirty seventh minute penalty from Malik Tillman.
“We get the penalty, we miss a penalty, after which the staff preserve going and preserve believing in the way in which to play,” Pochettino added.
Freese, who was incomes simply his fifth worldwide cap, made three saves within the shootout to assist the USMNT safe its spot within the semifinal due to a game-winning shot from Damian Downs.
Regardless of Freese’s heroics, Pochettino implied that the race for the beginning goalkeeper place stays open, notably citing present bench possibility and presumptive starter previous to this yr’s Gold Cup, Matt Turner.
“I believe we’ve loads of good gamers and good keepers,” Pochettino stated. “I believe Matt Turner [has] the expertise as a result of he performed within the World Cup in 2022. He is a terrific keeper, however the one downside on this match was that Matt did not play in the entire season, and for various causes, we needed to see one other keeper.”
Turner’s enjoying time was restricted all season whereas on mortgage at Crystal Palace, however he was the beginning goalie for the U.S. on the 2022 World Cup. Pochettino’s feedback made it clear that the goalkeeper place for the 2026 World Cup was large open.
“I believe possibly one of many few or the one participant that proved to cope with this kind of accountability and stress was Matt enjoying in a unique competitors within the World Cup,” Pochettino added. “I believe it is good for Matt Turner, for the remainder of the keepers, to see that they will have the chance and cope with the stress since you by no means know what will occur in a single yr.
“Now could be the second to check, or to offer the chance, to indicate that they will deal additionally with that stress and carry out.”
With the win in hand, the U.S. has now earned its seventeenth Gold Cup semifinal look and thirteenth in a row. On Wednesday at St. Louis, Missouri’s Energizer Park,
Up subsequent for Pochettino and the U.S. is a semifinal match in opposition to Guatemala on July 2 at Energizer Park in St. Louis.
Data from The Related Press was used on this story.