‘Penalties Are My Factor’: Matt Freese’s Stardom Rises In USA’s Win at Gold Cup

Matt Freese saved three penalty kicks and Damion Downs scored the decisive penalty because the U.S. males’s nationwide staff beat Costa Rica 4-3 in a dramatic six-round penalty shootout. Now, the Individuals will advance to the Gold Cup semifinals, the place they are going to face Guatemala on Wednesday, July 2 in St. Louis (7 p.m. ET on FS1).

The USMNT confirmed depth, character and confidence in victory – traits the squad had not portrayed in fairly a while. After Costa Rica’s Francisco Calvo scored an early purpose – on a penalty kick no much less – within the eleventh minute after a foul by U.S. defender Max Arfsten, the Individuals responded when Diego Luna scored his first worldwide purpose minutes earlier than halftime. 

The U.S. took the lead when Arfsten scored within the first jiffy of the second half, basically making up for the error he made within the first. However later, he bought beat and Costa Rica equalized 2-2 within the 71st minute on Alonso Martinez’s nifty purpose. The match went on to penalties following a impasse on the finish of regulation. 

And due to Freese, the USMNT got here out on prime to maintain its Gold Cup hopes alive. Listed here are takeaways from the match:

Win once more. That’s the one solution to construct. – Goalkeeper Matt Freese, after stepping up in the course of the penalty shootout

Matt Freese or Matty Ice?

There was some dialogue getting into the knockout spherical of this event that possibly supervisor Mauricio Pochettino would elect to start out the extra veteran Matt Turner in purpose over Freese, who has began each recreation for the USMNT within the Gold Cup up to now.

However when the lineups had been launched an hour earlier than kickoff, there was Freese in purpose once more. 

Pochettino may be happy together with his choice, particularly after the best way Freese stepped up in the course of the penalty shootout. The 26-year-old goalkeeper guessed proper 5 straight occasions and saved three pictures to assist ship the U.S. to the semifinal.

“Penalties are my factor,” Freese informed the FOX Sports activities broadcast after the sport. He mentioned he studied Costa Rica’s PK tendencies on the flight to Minneapolis and gave credit score to his goalkeeping coach.

“I used to be prepared,” Freese mentioned.

Freese posted consecutive clear sheets to start out this event, then overcame a mistake that led to a purpose towards Haiti and redeemed himself additional together with his efficiency on this quarterfinal. Is he now the favourite to be the USMNT’s beginning goalkeeper at subsequent summer time’s World Cup?

“It’s not on the forefront of my thoughts,” Freese mentioned forward of the quarterfinal. “What I’m centered on is that every new recreation is one other alternative and we have now a giant recreation arising this weekend that we’re centered on.”

USMNT’s Matt Freese discusses game-winning efficiency vs. Costa Rica: ‘Penalties are my factor’

Matt Freese mentioned his game-winning efficiency throughout penalty kicks for the USA vs. Costa Rica.

A younger American staff responds

The USMNT discovered itself in a gap early when Costa Rica transformed a penalty within the eleventh minute after Arfsten lunged towards Kenneth Vargas, tackling him within the field. Francisco Calvo stepped as much as the spot and nailed his shot previous Matt Freese into the underside proper nook to provide his staff a 1-0 lead.

This was Costa Rica’s first assault of the day and so they made probably the most of it. The query instantly turned to how the U.S. would reply after an early mistake.

Within the thirty second minute, the Individuals had been awarded a PK of their very own, however Malik Tillman hit the publish as a substitute of leveling the rating. Issues bought chippy after the miss, and U.S. gamers defended one another – Freese even ran all the best way down the sector to place his arm round and console Tillman. 

Over the subsequent jiffy, the USMNT put the strain on and created a number of scoring alternatives. Finally, Luna took a shot that deflected off Alexis Gamboa and sailed previous veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas to tie the sport, 1-1. 

In fact the sport wasn’t over at that time. The U.S. went up 2-1 early within the second half earlier than Costa Rica equalized, which finally despatched the match right into a shootout.

Now that the USMNT has superior to the semis, what does it must do to maintain its momentum?

“Win once more,” Freese informed the printed afterward. “That’s the one solution to construct.”

United States vs. Costa Rica Full Penalties | 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Quarter Finals | FOX Soccer

Take a look at each penalty kick on this matchup between the USA and Costa Rica within the Concacaf Gold Cup Quarter Finals.

Guatemala pulls off upset vs. Canada 

Penalty kicks had been the theme of the day. Earlier than the U.S. and Costa Rica’s tense end, Guatemala pulled off an enormous upset over Canada after a seven-round penalty shootout within the first recreation of the day.

Canada’s Luc Rollet’s shot flew off the crossbar after which Jose Morales buried the game-winner to ship Guatemala to the semifinals. 

Earlier than the sport bought to that time, the Reds held a 1-0 lead following Jonathan David’s conversion from the spot within the thirtieth minute. However proper earlier than halftime, ahead Jacob Shaffelburg was ejected after he was proven his second yellow card, forcing his squad to minimize a person within the second half. Canada held on for some time, till Rubio Rubin scored the tying purpose with a header within the 69th minute.

Now, Guatemala will face the U.S. within the semifinal on Wednesday, July 2 in St. Louis.

Laken Litman covers school soccer, school basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand wrote for Sports activities Illustrated, USA Right now and The Indianapolis Star. She is the creator of “Robust Like a Girl,” revealed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Comply with her at @LakenLitman.

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