Again, rotation is expected. There’s no need to risk key players in a game that, ultimately, does nothing tangible to help the U.S. going forward. But are there tangible benefits for someone like Matt Freese if he retains his spot in goal?
Freese’s ascendancy to the starting role, coincidentally, began against Turkiye last summer. Now, just over a year later, he has 17 caps to his name, two of which have come in this summer’s tournament. He has experience, for sure, but, in the grand scheme of things, Freese is still so new to the international game.
There would be reasons to give the other two goalkeepers in camp a start, of course. Matt Turner deserves it, both for being a good soldier and for his general performances in MLS. Chris Brady, meanwhile, is the only member of the goalkeeping trio not to appear in a World Cup yet, and an opportunity to see the field would surely be a dream come true.
This isn’t quite the time for feel-good stories, though. If Pochettino believes starting Freese will better prepare him for the knockout stage, then you can expect to see the NYCFC shot-stopper in net for a third-straight World Cup game.
“It’s the coach’s decision, obviously,” Freese said this week. “We’ve got 26 guys here who all want to play and who all are ready to play, and working hard every day in training. We, as a group, have full confidence in all 26 of us, so we’re really just focused on continuing to prepare, work hard in training, and be ready for whatever.”
