Sean Johnson makes a save during NYCFC’s 1-0 win at Minnesota United last Saturday. (Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

The hottest goalkeeper in Major League Soccer has gotten yet another opportunity to impress U.S. men’s head coach Gregg Berhalter.

Not part of the original roster selection on May 21, New York City FC’s Johnson was called into the team on Friday when Zack Steffen had to pull out of the June matches due to a family matter.

He joined Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath in camp.

“He’s a guy that was disappointed not to make the initial roster. Understandably so,” Berhalter said during a Zoom media conference call on Tuesday afternoon. “It was a tough decision for us to make it as a staff. But when the door opened for him, we’re happy to call him in.

“Hopefully, he’ll get an opportunity in this window. He’s not going to play [Wednesday]. Matt’s going to start. He’ll get an opportunity for sure.”

It’s no hyperbole that the 32-year-old Johnson is the hottest keeper in MLS. He has registered a club record six consecutive shutouts and hasn’t conceded a goal in 540 minutes, since the 90th minute of a 5-4 home win over Toronto FC on April 24.

Berhalter said he won’t make a decision on how will start in the World Cup in Qatar in November during the four games in June. Turner, who will join Arsenal from the New England Revolution, and Steffen, who is a backup for English Premier League champion Manchester City, shared goalkeeping duties during World Cup qualifying.

“We have time. A lot can change,” Berhalter said. “We have Ethan going into the Premier League. We have Zack in the Premier League. We have Matt going to the Premier League. We have Sean Johnson having an excellent season. Just let all this play out. And that’s the beauty of time in this case. What we can do is assess the situations, keep using these games to get the guys familiar with our game model and then just keep watching their progress as they as they move through the fall with their clubs.”

Horvath and Nottingham Forest earned promotion from the English Championship to the EPL last Sunday. He was a reserve keep with Forest.

Of the four USA keepers, only two – Johnson and Turner – are playing regularly and Turner’s status with his new club will be determined over the same perhaps into the fall.

If any goalie faced the choice of being a backup when the European season starts in August, Berhalter was asked whether he would encourage them to go play somewhere asked.

“That will be a conversation that will have to happen in August,” he replied. “I’m excited for Ethan in the Premier League. His club did a great job getting promoted. He got to play in the final minutes of that game. Matt Turner earned his way to move to Arsenal. I can’t wait to see how he competes. This is Zach’s fourth season for Man City you know the biggest club in the world. He’s won a number of Premier League titles since he’s been there. So, it’s just time to let this play out.”

 

 

FrontRowSoccer.com editor Michael Lewis has written a new book, ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. You can learn more about it or purchase it here:

www.Rochesterlancersbook.com

 

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.