CINCINNATI—Matt Turner told his American teammates not to worry when their match against Canada went to penalty kicks.
“He had the last word before we went out to the field,” U.S. interim coach B.J. Callaghan said. “It’s just encouraging the guys to stay calm, stay committed to what they’ve practiced.”
Turner stopped two penalty kicks, and the Americans beat Canada 3–2 in the shootout after a 2–2 draw Sunday night, July 9, for a berth in a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal against Panama.
“A lot of the penalties that I had seen on my sheets or in my preparation, most of those guys were off the pitch by the time the pens were there,” Turner said. “I just trusted my instincts, really, and typically when I do that, I find myself having a lot more success.”…