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Matt Turner Named U.S. Starter Over Freese for World Cup Group Match

Pochettino’s choice follows the team’s qualification and offers Turner a chance to reassert himself after limited recent national-team minutes.

Overview

  • Matt Turner will start in goal for the United States against Turkey in the Group D match, replacing Matt Freese in the lineup.
  • The change is a planned rotation after the U.S. secured advancement to the knockout stage, giving squad players competitive minutes.
  • Turner brings extensive experience, including his 2022 World Cup starts with back-to-back shutouts of England and Iran, an FA Cup win in 2025, and more than 50 international caps with a high shutout total.
  • Turner has seen little national-team time recently, with his last cited appearance in late March, while Freese had been starting in recent tournaments and friendlies.
  • The start could affect the goalkeeper pecking order going forward and gives Turner a chance to show form ahead of knockout-round selection decisions.