USMNT Could Be Without Top Two GKs for Last World Cup Qualifiers

Turner and Zack Steffen are both facing a race to be fit for the upcoming March qualifiers.

U.S. men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter may have a problem in goal for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. 

On Tuesday, New England Revolution manager Bruce Arena announced that goalkeeper Matt Turner is expected to miss a couple of more weeks with a foot injury. With Manchester City keeper Zack Steffen also dealing with a shoulder injury, the USMNT may have to dig deep for its trip to Mexico on March 24, which will kick off the final three-match window of Concacaf’s Octagonal.

Steffen, who has appeared in 26 games for the U.S., has not made the matchday squad for Man City since Feb. 9. The former Columbus Crew star first missed time due to a back issue before sustaining a shoulder injury. 

Before the Revs confirmed his summer move to Premier League side Arsenal last month, Turner started the U.S.’s last three World Cup qualifiers as Steffen sat out with his back injury. However, he has not played since the U.S.’s 3–0 win over Honduras in Minnesota after suffering his injury in a closed-doors preseason friendly, according to Arena.

“A foot/ankle injury,” Arena said in a press conference. “Timeframe, probably a couple of weeks from now he’ll be available.”

Turner and Steffen have combined to start every qualifier for the U.S. through 11 matches. NYCFC’s Sean Johnson and 17-year-old Chicago Fire keeper Gabriel Slonina were the other goalkeepers on the roster for the last World Cup qualifiers, while Nottingham Forest’s Ethan Horvath also remains an option if Steffen and Turner are not fit. Horvath, after spending the vast majority of his first season at Forest as a backup, has been starting recently, getting the call in three straight league games and an FA Cup match. He famously came off the bench in the Concacaf Nations League final vs. Mexico last June after Steffen was injured and made the title-winning penalty save on Andrés Guardado in extra time.

After the trip to Mexico, the USMNT hosts Panama on March 27 before heading to Costa Rica for its final World Cup qualifier March 30. The U.S. currently sits tied for second with Mexico in the Concacaf standings, with both four points clear of fourth-place Panama. The top three teams automatically qualify for the World Cup, while fourth place goes to an intercontinental playoff against Oceania’s to-be-determined champion.