Matt Turner reflects on loss to Netherlands: 'We left something on the table'
During its three group stage matches at the World Cup, the United States men's national team conceded just one goal — a penalty that Wales star Gareth Bale converted in the 82nd minute. Then against the Netherlands in the knockout stage on Saturday, it conceded three, all of which came in the run of play.
With a day to process the loss that eliminated the Americans from the tournament, U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner appeared on FOX Sports' "World Cup Live" to give his thoughts on how the match went and what he and his teammates could have done to potentially get a different result.
"As a goalkeeper, you look back and think, ‘Could I have point guys in directions a little bit more?’" Turner said. "In stoppage time in the first half, could I have switched the guys on, so we didn’t concede from a throw-in? Little things that we did really well in the group stage that maybe the emotion of the game got to us, and we all went into a little bit of a shell.
"It’s frustrating, we definitely feel like we left something on the table, but you also have to give credit where credit is due. They have some great players, and they made us pay for our small mistakes."
United States goalkeeper Matt Turner discusses his 2022 FIFA World Cup Journey
Whether those mistakes were a result of the group's lack of experience, or just sheer of lack of quality compared to the Netherlands' squad, Turner and the United States will have to wait another four years to play in a game of that magnitude again. Until then, Turner says his team will use that heartbreak to grow closer as a group.
"I think we gained a lot," Turner said. "Belief back home and belief within ourselves that we could compete with some of the elite teams around soccer in the world. Overall, we’re proud of what we put forth, but we’re also disappointed and that’s also a good feeling to have — that disappointment; not feeling like what we achieved is enough."
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