Soccer <\/p>\n
Matt Freese<\/a>\u2019s clutch saves in the penalty kick shootout that advanced the US men\u2019s national team<\/a> past Costa Rica in Sunday\u2019s dramatic Concacaf Gold Cup<\/a> quarterfinal made him the star performer at US Bank Stadium.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Yet as he fielded questions from media on Tuesday ahead of the USMNT\u2019s semifinal clash with Guatemala in St. Louis, head coach Mauricio Pochettino directed attention to another, more easily overlooked aspect of the New York City FC<\/a> goalkeeper\u2019s performance in Minneapolis: Freese\u2019s extended sprint into the attacking half to join the melee when his teammates confronted several Ticos looking to intimidate US playmaker Malik Tillman.<\/p>\n \u201cHe ran 100 meters to be in the fight, no? Did you see? And that was amazing,\u201d said \u2018Poch\u2019 with a grin ahead of Wednesday\u2019s big game at Energizer Park, home of St. Louis CITY SC<\/a> (7 pm ET | FS1, Univision, TUDN).<\/p>\n \u201cI’m an Argentino. We love to fight. That means a lot, because it means that we are connected, that we care about our teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If this version of the USMNT can extend their tournament run, Sunday may turn out to have been a watershed in that regard.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters<\/a> at the Yanks\u2019 morning practice session at CITY SC\u2019s training facility, veteran center back Tim Ream<\/a> told reporters of the squad\u2019s \u201ctogetherness,\u201d suggesting it was a silver lining in the humbling friendly losses to T\u00fcrkiye and Switzerland at the start of the current camp.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the two friendlies that we had, it could have been a not-great situation going into the Gold Cup,\u201d said the Charlotte FC<\/a> center back. \u201cI think everybody used it as a learning experience and a moment to understand what it would take to come together, take to play in the tournament, survive and continue to move on.<\/p>\n \u201cI watch, sit back and look at these guys in the games, in the changing room, at meals, and just the bonds that are being created in such a short amount of time is \u2013 I don’t think you can speak about it enough, and it’s something that maybe not necessarily we’ve had enough of in the past. To see guys just getting along and having fun is so good to see.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n When we needed a big stop on Sunday night, Matt Freese delivered three of ’em. ???????????? pic.twitter.com\/U357Ka1yCm<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) June 30, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Falling behind early, then spurning their first chance to level as Tillman missed a first-half penalty kick, surging ahead after the break before weathering Costa Rica\u2019s spirited rally, the US found themselves tested in a way they simply were not in the group stage \u2013 and surviving all that is a building block.<\/p>\n As former New York Red Bulls<\/a> midfielder Tyler Adams noted in Tuesday\u2019s press conference: \u201cI think when we look back on our performance, we’ll see a really resilient mentality \u2026 So many guys will gain valuable experience throughout that game, and it sets us up for success.\u201d<\/p>\n While Canada\u2019s upset loss to Los Chapines<\/a> earlier Sunday in Minnesota showed the risks of an overly pugnacious approach, with Jacob Shaffelburg\u2019<\/a>s second yellow card putting his team behind the eight-ball down the stretch, Pochettino\u2019s delight was evident as he discussed his side\u2019s rising levels of unity and bite, an aspect he\u2019s been unsatisfied with in the past.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can select 26 players, but for them to be a team is a different thing. You can have 26 players that play in an individual way, and it’s difficult,\u201d said the Argentine head coach, expressing pride in his group\u2019s deepening unity.<\/p>\n \u201cYou cannot force, you cannot push. Only we can create the platform and say, \u2018come on, yes,\u2019 \u2026 That is what we want. That is how we feel, how we want to represent our country, and we want to fight for our flag, for our shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The first international goal for Diego Luna had the squad fired up. ???? pic.twitter.com\/cEorfnKZ8Y<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) June 30, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n The Yanks expect to be tested again by Guatemala, who have made significant strides this year under the guidance of veteran Mexican manager Luis Fernando Tena, led by D.C. United<\/a> fullback Aaron Herrera<\/a> and ex-Real Salt Lake<\/a> striker Rubio Rub\u00edn, both of whom started their international careers with the United States before switching allegiance to their families\u2019 country of origin.<\/p>\n \u201cWe expect a very difficult match, a match with a very well-organized team with a great coach,\u201d said Poch in Spanish. \u201cThey deservedly made it to the semifinals \u2013 no, there is no discussion about that.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that football is growing a lot in Central America and now we are feeling it. Before, we saw it from afar in Europe, but now we are here with the coaches working, with structures that are growing, and with football players who have talent and quality.\u201d<\/p>\n The coach also lamented the exceedingly brief periods he\u2019s gotten to spend with his first-choice rosters during the tight turnarounds of standard in-season international windows, whereas this summer\u2019s tournament has provided a lengthy stretch of shared experience and familiarization.<\/p>\n San Diego FC<\/a> midfielder Luca de la Torre<\/a> alluded to the slow, steady nurturing of connections both on and off the pitch \u2013 and predicted they\u2019ll be necessary in order to reach their goal of hoisting Concacaf\u2019s top hardware in Houston this Sunday. The winner will advance to face Mexico or Honduras.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’ve seen the team get better every game. I think it’s normal,\u201d said de la Torre. \u201cBefore this, a lot of the guys had never played together, so, yeah, now I think things are a lot more fluid, especially in the attacking part of the game. Hopefully we can improve again tomorrow.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s going to be a very difficult game. I think it’s really clear, any time you play for the national team, you’re playing against 11 guys who know what they need to do, who are extremely motivated, and we have to want it just as much, if not more, than them if we want a chance of winning.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nRighting the ship<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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“Resilient mentality”<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Semifinal test<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n