Steffen’s Stellar Return: A Boost for USMNT
In a thrilling display of goalkeeping prowess, the United States men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino couldn’t help but sing praises for Zack Steffen after his remarkable performance against Costa Rica. The match, held at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, saw the Colorado Rapids goalkeeper make a triumphant return to the field, marking his first appearance with the USMNT since March 2022. Steffen’s three crucial saves were instrumental in securing a clean sheet and a 3-0 victory for the team.
Pochettino was effusive in his praise, stating, “Today, he performed really, really well. A few saves that were amazing and showed the quality of the keeper. Because for me, and for us, I think the keeper needs to save on the goal. And today he was great.” The coach emphasized the importance of a clean sheet, adding, “In this type of situation, the keeper needs to save and he showed his quality, so I’m happy for him…today, with his opportunity, I think it is good for us the coaching staff to feel that we can trust him.”
Steffen’s journey back to the national team has been anything but easy. He was a key player on the road to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, participating in six qualifying matches with a record of 4W-1D-1L and earning two clean sheets. However, he was left out of the roster by former head coach Gregg Berhalter. Since his senior team debut on January 28, 2018, against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Steffen has accumulated 10 shutouts in 29 appearances.
Reflecting on his return, Steffen shared, “It’s been a couple of years, a hard road man. A hard road, mentality. I am happy to get out on the field, first and foremost…my teammates and coaching staff gave me great confidence and I am glad I could do my part and keep the team in it when I was called upon and finish the camp well with a shutout.” He added, “It’s great, it gives me confidence and hopefully gives my teammates a lot of confidence that they can rely on me. It’s great to end the camp with a three-goal win and a shutout, it’s been a while since I had a shutout so very good night.”
Meanwhile, Matt Turner has been the go-to goalkeeper for several tournaments, including the recent 2024 Copa America. He also played in the friendly against Mexico during one of Pochettino’s initial matches as manager. The Argentine coach expressed satisfaction with Turner’s performances but reiterated that competition for the position is beneficial for the team.
Pochettino remarked, “I think Matt was great. We played with Matt in our previous game. He played a few weeks ago in the Carabao Cup in England with his team, Crystal Palace. I think he’s working really hard. We had the opportunity to visit the training ground of Palace and see how they work. Yes, I think it’s a thing that we are going to evaluate every single camp and then make the best decision. I think today Matt deserved the credit because in the last two games against Jamaica he was fantastic.”
He continued, “Today was Zack, and that is good to increase the competition. We are very honest and transparent and we always go with the truth and in the way that we don’t hide anything and that is why they know that through the performance they can, you know, be fighting for the position in different places in the same way.”
- The USMNT concluded the January window with two victories: a 2-0 win over Venezuela and a victory against Costa Rica.
- The team will now shift focus to prepare to face Panama in the Concacaf Nations League semifinal during the upcoming FIFA window in March.
As the USMNT looks ahead, the competition between Steffen and Turner promises to keep the team sharp and ready for the challenges that lie ahead. With Pochettino at the helm, the emphasis on performance and transparency is clear, setting the stage for an exciting future for the team.
Originally Written by: Lizzy Becherano
