Matt Turner Sees Limited Action in USMNT’s Loss to Belgium
ATLANTA — Saturday was an important day for Matt Turner, who, after being the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper in 2022, only made one appearance last year and subsequently lost his No. 1 position to Matt Freeze.
Despite being a regular member of the U.S. team and eligible for the match against Belgium, it’s hard to say Turner really made a significant impact.
Now, it’s important to clarify: Turner wasn’t the primary cause of the 5-2 defeat against Belgium. Even the toughest critics wouldn’t pin all the blame on him, especially with a shaky defense. Manager Mauricio Pochettino mentioned that Tim Weah needed more support when facing Jeremy Doku.
Yet, conceding five goals is still conceding five goals.
“I think it was tough for him after letting in five goals,” Pochettino noted. “But ultimately, we all share responsibility—first and foremost, me and then the team.”
Turner saved five out of ten shots from Belgium. He didn’t feel that any of the goals were entirely his fault, save for Zeno De Basto’s first goal which caught him off guard from outside the box amidst traffic.
“We really needed to be tougher defensively,” he said. “I’d love to have made one or two more saves. We all need to take a hard look at ourselves. You can’t avoid that reflection.”
If it comes down to whether Turner’s performance hurt his chances of reclaiming his position as Freeze’s primary backup, it seems unlikely. But did he do anything to surpass him? Nope, not really.
“I’m always going to evaluate myself honestly,” Turner remarked. “I’ve been critical of myself before, but there were some good moments tonight. We made a few solid saves. Sure, I wish we could have pulled back one or two, but honestly, the score doesn’t reflect how the game flowed.”
Pochettino also shared that Johnny Cardoso’s substitution at halftime was planned, as he had been dealing with some discomfort for most of the week.
Finally, he mentioned that Tanner Tessman “should be able to contribute more,” highlighting the defender’s limited impact during the match.
