Matt Freese won goalkeeper battle as NYCFC player started for USMNT at World Cup | OneFootball

Over the last few weeks, there was a huge question about who would start as the goalkeeper for the United States men's national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The battle was between the New England Revolution's Matt Turner and New York City FC's own player, Matt Freese. And in the end, after fighting for the spot throughout the year, Freese won out.

The goalkeeper started for the USMNT against Paraguay in the first match of the group stage at the World Cup. NYCFC fans can be proud of their player, and ideally, they will see him throughout the rest of the tournament. And while he did not end the night with a clean sheet, he was a part of the Stars and Stripes' 4-1 win to start the tournament.

NYCFC can be proud of their player and former academy player

There is not too much to speak about when it comes to Freese's performance. Paraguay barely threatened him, and part of the reason was due to the strong work of the backline in front of him. The inclusion of Chris Richards was night and day compared to the Germany match, and this helped the goalkeeper.

Of course, the one goal the USMNT allowed occurred when the backline, and really the entire team, switched off. Paraguay's goalkeeper, Orlando Gill, started the sequence of events in his national team's own half, and Maurício finished it off with a powerful shot that went beyond the NYCFC goalkeeper.

Nevertheless, the US did well to limit the shots on target for Paraguay, which it was just one. But despite the lack of saves, Freese still had important moments where he pushed or punched the ball out of harm's way. He also knew when to go for the catches and secure the ball before putting it back in play.

On the other side in the attack, Folarin Balogun, who is not related to NYCFC in any way, scored a brace in the first half. He was, however, born in New York City, so fans can relate to that. Alas, his time stateside was brief before moving to England.

But there was someone who was related to club, for he played in the NYCFC academy, and that was Gio Reyna. The player came on as an impactful sub in the second half. And, in the final minute of the match, he put the cherry on top of what was mostly a brilliant first game at the World Cup.

Reyna did not need to score when it came to the three points. But everyone knows that goal differential can be influential in where a team finishes in the group round. So, he decided to take his shot, and powered the ball past Gill. It was a brilliant way to end the game. Moreover, he is officially the first player who played for the academy to have scored at the World Cup.

In the end, it was great to see NYCFC's Freese get the start in the biggest tournament in the world, and the USMNT won 4-1. Fans could not have asked for a better start.