Matt Freese shined in his shootout moment, and the Americans are moving onto the Gold Cup semifinals
After losing a second-half lead to Costa Rica, this young US side was forced into a shootout with the daunting task of facing goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Matt Freese studied for this–literally. The late-blooming national team rookie, who made a costly mistake in the previous match, actually conducted an in-depth research project in college at Harvard about penalty kicks.
Freese spent the flight to Minneapolis reviewing his findings and examining Costa Rica's tendencies–time well spent that fueled his steely performance in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal victory on Sunday night. 'To be able to rely on that type of thing and deal with a lot of statistics and read the game and read their hips–things like that–is massive,' Freese said after making three saves in the six-round shootout won 4–3 by the Americans after a 2–2 tie in regulation.
The Americans play Guatemala in the semifinals on Wednesday in St. Louis. If the US can rely on Freese like this moving forward, that too would be an enormous boost. The twenty-six-year-old native of Pennsylvania, who has displaced–for now–2022 World Cup and 2023 Gold Cup starter Matt Turner, knocked away shootout attempts by Juan Pablo Vargas, Francisco Calvo, and Andy Rojas. Calvo scored on Freese in the 12th minute on a penalty kick.
Freese–a little-used backup for Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union before a trade to New York City FC in 2023 jump-started his career–has had little time with the national team for training. His path was only cleared this spring by injuries to Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen. But new coach Mauricio Pochettino has been determined to push his young players into the deep end during this biennial championship for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, with Freese at the forefront of the experiment. 'I've just got to be ready for whatever game I get, for whatever moment is there for me,' said Freese, who gave up one goal in three group stage matches. 'He's shown a lot of faith in me. That's something I'm really grateful for, and it's my job to repay him and help the team win.'
The goal Freese gave up during the group stage was quite a gaffe–a misfired clearing attempt against Haiti that set up the tying goal in a game the US won 2–1. But Pochettino and his staff had no problem sending Freese back to the net for the knockout rounds. 'It's an opportunity to show you can bounce back, an opportunity to learn and quickly move on to the next,' Freese said.
Turner played only three club matches in the recently ended season for Crystal Palace, all in the FA Cup and none since March 1. The critical position is wide open for Freese–or anyone–to seize it with the North American World Cup looming next summer. 'I think it's good for Matt, for the rest of the keepers to see that they can have the possibility and deal with the pressure,' Pochettino said. 'Because you never know what's going to happen in one year. Now is the moment to test or to give the possibility to show that they can deal with that stress and perform.'
Pochettino didn't directly answer a question about whether Freese has passed Turner on the depth chart. But the native of Argentina, who began his playing career with the same club that Navas stars for and briefly managed him with Paris Saint-Germain, was clearly pleased by the way his keeper stepped up with one of the best in the world during the dramatic shootout. After each save, Freese told himself he wanted another one. After the third diving stop, he became especially demonstrative–nodding his head and sticking out his tongue toward his cheering teammates at midfield. 'He's done extremely well. He's worked extremely hard,' said Diego Luna, who scored his first international goal for the US in the first half. 'These are the type of moments that we live for.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
From Basel to Zurich: Discover the Cities and Stadiums Hosting Euro 2025
The Women's European Championship will be played in eight cities across Switzerland. The 31 matches will be spread across Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lucerne, Sion, St. Gallen, Thun, and Zurich. The opening game features Iceland against Finland on Wednesday at Arena Thun. Four of the stadiums have held matches in the men's European Championship when Switzerland co-hosted the tournament with Austria in 2008. Here's a closer look at the cities and stadiums: For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Basel: Commonly considered to be the cultural capital of Switzerland, Basel boasts a rich history and is home to the oldest public art collection in the world, housed in the Kunstmuseum Basel since 1661. Basel is Switzerland's third-most-populous city and is situated in the northwest of the country, bordering both France and Germany. The Dreiländereck of Basel, also known as the tripoint, is a monument marking the exact point where the borders meet. Tennis great Roger Federer was born in Basel and is a big fan of its local soccer team. Stadium: St. Jakob-Park is Switzerland's largest soccer venue, with a capacity of 34,250. It will host five matches, including the final on July 27 and the home nation's opening match on Wednesday. It is the home of Swiss national champion Basel, so has regularly hosted Champions League matches, as well as Euro 2008 quarterfinals and a semifinal, and a Europa League final in 2016. The stadium is nicknamed 'Joggeli' by the fans–a diminutive of Jakob in the local dialect. It has also hosted many concerts. Bern: Switzerland's federal capital is located in the west-central part of the country. Bern city center is largely medieval and has been recognized by UNESCO as a Cultural World Heritage Site. The most famous sights are the Zytglogge, an elaborate medieval clock tower with moving puppets, and the Münster, an impressive 15th-century Gothic cathedral–the tallest in Switzerland. There is also a museum dedicated to Albert Einstein at his former residence. Stadium: Stadion Wankdorf is the country's second-largest soccer stadium, with a capacity of 29,800. It is the home of the Young Boys soccer team. The venue opened in 2005 and was built on the grounds of the stadium that hosted the 1954 World Cup final. Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, and Red Hot Chilli Peppers are among those to have played concerts in the stadium. It will host four matches at Euro 2025, including World Cup winner Spain's opening match against Portugal on July 3, as well as a quarterfinal. Geneva: The second-most populous city in Switzerland, Geneva is a center for international diplomacy and finance. It hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world–including the European headquarters of the UN, the World Health Organization, and the Red Cross. The city is located in southwestern Switzerland, almost encircled by the French border in a picturesque basin at the tip of Lake Geneva, and has a clear view of Mont Blanc, the highest Alpine peak. Stadium: Stade de Genève has a capacity of 26,750 and was completed in 2003 after three years of construction. It hosted three group stage games during Euro 2008 and held other international fixtures, notably a friendly between Argentina and Portugal in 2011–the first time Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo faced each other while playing for their countries. It regularly holds rugby matches and even ice hockey games. It will host five matches at Euro 2025, including a quarterfinal and semifinal. Lucerne: With a population of approximately 83,000 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in central Switzerland. It boasts the oldest covered bridge in Europe, built in 1333. It also has a colorful old town where the buildings are decorated with murals depicting village life and hunting scenes from the olden days. That adds to the picturesque quality of Lucerne, which is set on the shores of Lake Lucerne and the River Reuss. Stadium: Allmend Stadion Luzern, which opened in 2011, was completely rebuilt after the previous stadium was deemed no longer suitable for use in the Swiss Super League. It has a matchday capacity of 14,350 and will be used for three group stage matches–all involving the two tournament debutants Poland and Wales. Sion: Situated near the Italian and French borders, Sion is one of the driest and sunniest areas of Switzerland. Sion is one of Europe's most significant prehistoric sites, with the first settlements dating back to 6200 BC. The city is dotted with hills, the highest of which is Tourbillon, with the ruins of a castle. On the opposite hill stands the Basilique de Valère, which houses the oldest playable organ in the world, built in the early 1430s. Sion has had multiple bids to host the Winter Olympics but never won. Stadium: The Stade de Tourbillon is the smallest of all the venues for Euro 2025, as it has a matchday capacity of just 7,750. It has nevertheless hosted several men's international matches, including one of Switzerland's qualifiers for Euro 2020. It is named after the castle that overlooks the city. St. Gallen: Nestled in a northeastern valley between Lake Constance and the Appenzell Alps, St. Gallen is one of the highest cities in Switzerland. Its university is considered one of the best business schools in Europe, and its Abbey District, which includes a medieval monastic library, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stadium: Arena St. Gallen opened in 2008 and will have a capacity of 16,300 at Euro 2025, where it will host three group stage matches–including defending champion England's game against Wales. The city's largest solar-electric power plant was installed on the stadium roof in 2015. The system was expanded at the start of this year and will now generate enough solar power for the needs of approximately 288 four-person households. Thun: Thun is located about 30 kilometers southeast of Bern, where the river Aare flows out of Lake Thun. It has stunning views of the Bernese Alps. There is also a 12th-century castle with impressive turrets overlooking the old town. Stadium: Arena Thun is the second smallest of the venues, with a capacity of 8,100. It opened in 2011 and was built on the site of the old stadium. Natural turf will be laid over the existing artificial turf for the three group stage matches it will host during Euro 2025, including world champion Spain against Belgium. Zurich: Zurich is the most populous city in Switzerland and lies in the north of the country near the Alps. The Old Town stretches on both sides of the river Limmat, which flows out of Lake Zurich. It is an international hub for banking and insurance and also the home to FIFA. Stadium: Stadion Letzigrund has a capacity of 22,700 and is home to an athletics club and three soccer teams. Concerts have been staged there, as well as men's and women's international matches and three group stage games at Euro 2008. It will host five matches at Euro 2025, including two of defending champion England's group games and a quarterfinal and semifinal. In 1960, Armin Hary became the first man to run 100 meters in 10 seconds on the track at the old Letzigrund stadium, which was demolished and rebuilt, reopening in 2007. Many athletes have set world records at the Weltklasse Zürich, a track and field meeting that has been held at the stadium for nearly 100 years.
Al Arabiya
7 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Predators Acquire and Sign D Hague to 4-Year Deal in Trade That Sends C Scissons, D Lauzon to Vegas
The Nashville Predators acquired defenseman Nicolas Hague in a three-player trade that sent center Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon to the Vegas Golden Knights, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed to the Associated Press early Monday. In completing the trade, the Predators also agreed to sign Hague to a four-year, $22 million contract, the person added and spoke on the condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced. TSN first reported the trade taking place. The twenty-six-year-old Hague was a pending restricted free agent who had the right to go to arbitration after completing his sixth season. At 6-foot-6, he's a hard-hitting, defensive-minded player who had five goals and twelve points in sixty-eight games. Overall, he has twenty goals and eighty-three points in 364 games, all with Vegas. The trade comes as teams shuffle their rosters ahead of the NHL's free agency signing period, which opens Tuesday. The Predators are retooling their lineup after missing the playoffs for the second time in three years. The Golden Knights essentially freed up salary cap space by removing the uncertainty of what they stood to pay Hague for the cost-certainty of adding two players entering the final years of their respective contracts. Vegas has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who is regarded as the top free agent set to enter the market. The thirty-one-year-old Sissons leaves Nashville after spending his entire eleven-season career with the Predators. He has one year left on his seven-year contract and represents a $2.86 million cap hit. Sissons had seven goals and twenty-one points in seventy-two games last year and has ninety-five goals and 221 points in 691 career outings. Lauzon, 28, represents a $2 million cap hit. He has seven seasons of NHL experience and was limited to an assist in twenty-eight games last year before sustaining a season-ending lower body injury.
Al Arabiya
8 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Matt Freese shined in his shootout moment, and the Americans are moving onto the Gold Cup semifinals
After losing a second-half lead to Costa Rica, this young US side was forced into a shootout with the daunting task of facing goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Matt Freese studied for this–literally. The late-blooming national team rookie, who made a costly mistake in the previous match, actually conducted an in-depth research project in college at Harvard about penalty kicks. Freese spent the flight to Minneapolis reviewing his findings and examining Costa Rica's tendencies–time well spent that fueled his steely performance in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal victory on Sunday night. 'To be able to rely on that type of thing and deal with a lot of statistics and read the game and read their hips–things like that–is massive,' Freese said after making three saves in the six-round shootout won 4–3 by the Americans after a 2–2 tie in regulation. The Americans play Guatemala in the semifinals on Wednesday in St. Louis. If the US can rely on Freese like this moving forward, that too would be an enormous boost. The twenty-six-year-old native of Pennsylvania, who has displaced–for now–2022 World Cup and 2023 Gold Cup starter Matt Turner, knocked away shootout attempts by Juan Pablo Vargas, Francisco Calvo, and Andy Rojas. Calvo scored on Freese in the 12th minute on a penalty kick. Freese–a little-used backup for Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union before a trade to New York City FC in 2023 jump-started his career–has had little time with the national team for training. His path was only cleared this spring by injuries to Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen. But new coach Mauricio Pochettino has been determined to push his young players into the deep end during this biennial championship for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, with Freese at the forefront of the experiment. 'I've just got to be ready for whatever game I get, for whatever moment is there for me,' said Freese, who gave up one goal in three group stage matches. 'He's shown a lot of faith in me. That's something I'm really grateful for, and it's my job to repay him and help the team win.' The goal Freese gave up during the group stage was quite a gaffe–a misfired clearing attempt against Haiti that set up the tying goal in a game the US won 2–1. But Pochettino and his staff had no problem sending Freese back to the net for the knockout rounds. 'It's an opportunity to show you can bounce back, an opportunity to learn and quickly move on to the next,' Freese said. Turner played only three club matches in the recently ended season for Crystal Palace, all in the FA Cup and none since March 1. The critical position is wide open for Freese–or anyone–to seize it with the North American World Cup looming next summer. 'I think it's good for Matt, for the rest of the keepers to see that they can have the possibility and deal with the pressure,' Pochettino said. 'Because you never know what's going to happen in one year. Now is the moment to test or to give the possibility to show that they can deal with that stress and perform.' Pochettino didn't directly answer a question about whether Freese has passed Turner on the depth chart. But the native of Argentina, who began his playing career with the same club that Navas stars for and briefly managed him with Paris Saint-Germain, was clearly pleased by the way his keeper stepped up with one of the best in the world during the dramatic shootout. After each save, Freese told himself he wanted another one. After the third diving stop, he became especially demonstrative–nodding his head and sticking out his tongue toward his cheering teammates at midfield. 'He's done extremely well. He's worked extremely hard,' said Diego Luna, who scored his first international goal for the US in the first half. 'These are the type of moments that we live for.'
