USMNT goalkeeper competition wide open after Matt Turner starts vs. Belgium

· Yahoo Sports

ATLANTA — In a surprise to most, Matt Turner was back between the pipes for the Stars and Stripes. 

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On Saturday night in Atlanta, the U.S. men’s national team faced Belgium in the first of two friendlies at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For the first time in 12 matches, the U.S. XI didn’t include Matt Freese. Instead, Turner made his first start since June 10, 2025.

“I found out the day before the game,” Turner said. “There wasn’t much of a conversation. It was more of just, ‘Here’s the starting 11,’ and I was on it.”

A former fixture at goalkeeper with 29 wins in 52 caps, Turner started all four matches in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, head coach Mauricio Pochettino has leaned on New York City FC’s Freese for the majority of his tenure. On Saturday, he wanted to give Turner a chance to prove himself.

“Matt Freese was playing a lot in the last year with us,” Pochettino said. “We thought that it was necessary to provide the opportunity to another keeper.”

The USMNT ended up losing 5-2, but that scoreline doesn't tell the full story of the night for Turner.

The United States’ back line made Turner’s return a relatively comfortable one early on. Belgium had a handful of scoring opportunities, but Tim Ream and Tim Weah disrupted early chances, while Turner made a couple of mostly straightforward saves. It didn’t all go to plan though. 

In the 36th minute, Turner floated a pass off to the right side, which Belgium intercepted and advanced. The first shot was batted away by Turner, but it ping-ponged right back into the goal. To Belgium’s dismay, Charles De Ketelaere was called offside to nullify the goal.

Then the wheels fell off. 

In the 45th minute, Belgium’s Jérémy Doku sent a shot straight to Turner, who parried the shot out to the feet of Zeno Debast well outside the box. Debast launched a shot towards the bottom left corner that Turner couldn’t get back to, knotting the score at 1-1.

“I had a decent line of sight on the ball, but there’s a lot of bodies in the front,” Turner said. “I wish I could save them all, but unfortunately for me, I couldn’t save that one.”

It didn’t take long after the break for Belgium to strike again. Amadou Onana sent a largely uncontested shot to the bottom left corner to take the lead, 2-1, in the 53rd minute.

Turner nearly bounced back with what would’ve been two back-to-back saves, but what might have been his signature moment in the match got flipped on its head. Prior to the second save, Ream accidentally handled the ball in the box. Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere took and converted the penalty. 3-1.

“I don’t really know where Tim is supposed to put his hands in that moment,” Turner said. “But I’m not here to criticize that, because if I’m saying that was the turning point that decided the game I’d be wrong, because we have to be able to respond to calls that aren’t going our way.”

The U.S. backline’s woes continued in the 68th and 82nd minute. Dodi Lukébakio scored a stunner, cutting in on his left foot to curl a shot to the far post., He later added a second, much less stunning goal thanks to a poor clearance in the box from U.S. midfielder Sebastian Berhalter

Turner ended things on a high note with an impressive save in the 85th minute. Loïs Openda got behind the defense once again in close range, but Turner quickly got down low to prevent the scoreline from getting any uglier.

Turner couldn’t help but marvel at the Belgian attack, calling some of their goals “pretty spectacular.”

Though he conceded five times, Turner felt his overall performance was fairly positive.

“I felt like I did have some really good moments,” said Turner. “I was able to make some good saves, I just wish I could have one or two of them back because I don’t think the score really reflected the balance or flow in the game.”

Pochettino called the situation “difficult,” but championed Turner’s time with the program as an asset to take advantage of, as a starter or not.

“I think it’s good to see him perform after a long period.” Pochettino said. “We all know he has experience in the national team and in the previous World Cup and that is a point that we need to use, being in the starting XI or not.”

The U.S. hosts Portugal on Tuesday. Who starts at keeper seems anything but certain.

Jack Cooney is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USMNT vs. Belgium Matt Turner gets surprise start at GK

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