US goalkeeper Zack Steffen injures knee and will miss CONCACAF Gold Cup
CHICAGO (AP) — Zack Steffen injured a knee and became the second goalkeeper dropped from U.S. training camp ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Steffen was hurt during training Tuesday, returned to the Colorado Rapids for more exams and will miss the tournament, the U.S. Soccer Federation said Wednesday.
Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte injured an oblique on May 24.
Matt Turner, the No. 1 American goalkeeper for the past three years, remains in camp along with Chris Brady and Matt Freese, who both have never played for the national team.
Turner, who turns 31 on June 24, played just four matches for Crystal Place this season, one in the League Cup and three in the FA Cup — the last on March 1. Turner’s last game was on March 23, the Americans’ 2-1 loss to Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place game.
“I don’t see myself as the number one No. 1 all the time,” Turner said Wednesday, referring to a goalkeeper’s frequent jersey number. “I think that’s my mindset going into every camp right now, is that every inch, every opportunity needs to be fought for and every opportunity that I’ve had under this current staff I’ve earned by my performances within training and the opportunities that I had this past season with Crystal Palace.”
Turner hinted a club change is possible. Dean Henderson started all 38 Premier League matches this season.
“Hopefully I’ll have some news for you in terms of my future this summer,” Turner said.
The Americans have friendlies against Turkey on Saturday at East Hartford, Connecticut, and Switzerland three days later at Nashville, Tennessee, then meet Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti in the first round of the Gold Cup.
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