US keeper Matt Turner says the team ‘left something on the table’ but can compete with the best

The trip to Qatar ended much sooner than many in the United States expected, and USMNT goaltender Matt Turner took time to reflect on his game.

The New Jersey native spoke to a FOX Sports panel about what the team took away from this tournament and how they feel now that they know they are going home.

‘I think we won a lot. To believe at home, to believe within ourselves, within our group, that we can compete with some of the most elite teams in soccer and in the world,” Turner told the panel.

“So, I think overall, we’re proud of what we’ve put out, but we’re also disappointed and that’s a good feeling too — to have that disappointment and not feel like what we’ve accomplished was enough.”

USMNT goalie Matt Turner says there are good and bad takeaways from World Cup 2022

The Arsenal goalkeeper did not concede a goal from open play until this weekend’s game

Turner was asked how the team came together as a group and what they did to become a cohesive unit.

“I think during World Cup qualifying definitely… that’s where it went to another level,” Turner explained.

‘It was a different kind of World Cup qualifying that we had never seen before. It was a pressure cooking environment. You had to trust so many different guys in so many different places: hot weather, cold weather, losses, wins, three games in a window, short results.

‘And the staff, the sacrifices they’ve made, I’m talking about the athletic trainers, physios all of that. The sacrifices to be away from their families, the long hours, the kitmen who had to take things apart and put them back together. It really created a great unity and respect among the entire organization.’

Against the Netherlands, Turner made four spectacular saves, but defensive errors allowed three goals

Despite the positives, Turner says the team isn’t naive enough to be happy about this result.

“100% the most frustrating,” Turner said. “As a goalkeeper, for me, then you look back and, in fact, that was the first time I really saw the best moments.

“I like to try to let things simmer in my mind so my memory doesn’t become a replay of the video.

Despite the positive takeaways, Turner says the team feels they ‘left something on the table’

“Just looking back, could you have pointed the guys in the direction a bit more…in stoppage time in the first half, could you have switched the guys around so we don’t concede a throw-in?

‘Little things that maybe we did very well in the group stage that maybe the emotion of the game got to us and we all went a little crazy.

‘So, it’s frustrating, we definitely feel like we left something on the table, but you also have to give credit where it’s due. They have great players and they definitely made us pay for our little mistakes.’