Skip to content

LEAGUES News

Pochettino: Turner not guaranteed to be No. 1 goalkeeper for Gold Cup

John Dorton/ISI Photos / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Matt Turner isn’t assured of remaining the United States’ starting goalkeeper for the CONCACAF Gold Cup after failing to play for Crystal Palace for the past two months.

Turner has started 14 consecutive competitive matches for the U.S. and 23 of 24 dating to the 2022 World Cup, the lone exception a Gold Cup group stage game against St. Kitts and Nevis in 2023.

“Of course, until now Matt was our number-one choice but that can change,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Tuesday during a Zoom news conference. “In our mind it’s open for another player maybe to challenge.”

Turner is among six goalkeepers on the 60-man preliminary roster, joined by Zack Steffen, Matt Freese, Patrick Schulte, Diego Kochen and Chris Brady. Pochettino intends to pick four for his training camp ahead of games against Turkey and Switzerland that precede the tournament.

Turner, who turns 31 next month, has played just four matches for Crystal Place this season, one in the League Cup and three in the FA Cup. Dean Henderson was in goal when Palace beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final last weekend for its first major trophy.

Turner’s last game was on March 23, the Americans’ 2-1 loss to Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place game. His last club match was on March 1.

Since leaving Major League Soccer’s New England for Arsenal in the summer of 2022, Turner has played just 31 club matches in three seasons for the Gunners, Nottingham Forest and Palace. Regaining a starting club job is essential if Turner is to be the U.S. starter at next year’s World Cup.

“We were talking with him,” Pochettino said. “In one year time, I think he needs to find a way to compete every week.”

The U.S. plays Turkey on June 7 at East Hartford, Connecticut, and Switzerland three days later at Nashville, Tennessee, then meets Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti in the first round of the Gold Cup.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

RELATED NEWS

VJ Edgecombe in his #NBA2KSummerLeague debut: 🔔 15 PTS 🔔 ...
No. 3 pick Edgecombe inefficient but scores 15 in return from thumb sprain
407 feet off the bat of Brent Rooker! #AllStarGame
A's Rooker gets AL on the board with 3-run HR off Giants' Rodríguez 💣
POLAR BEAR GOES YARD IN ATLANTA!
Alonso gets Atlanta on his side for once with 3-run HR to break All-Star Game open 🐻‍❄️
Freddie Freeman gets a standing ovation in Atlanta as he exi...
Freeman exits All-Star Game to nice ovation from Braves fans 👏
Clayton Kershaw exits at the #AllStarGame 👏
Kershaw lifted from potential final ASG to standing ovation from fans, teammates 🫡
GAS. Skenes with back-to-back Ks to start this All-Star Gam...
Skenes opens 95th All-Star Game with consecutive Ks ⛽️
Welcome back to Atlanta, Freddie Freeman! 👏 📺: FOX
Freeman gets emotional after loud ovation in All-Star return to Atlanta 🥹
😅 @Braves fans with a "warm" welcome to the Mets and Philli...
Braves fans boo Mets, Phillies All-Stars during intros 😂
RELEASE: Blackhawks Sign Anton Frondell to Three-Year, Entry...