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Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath put together a solid second season in Major League Soccer, his first as the team’s regular starter, and while his team’s season ended early, the young netminder’s education continues.
MacMath is in England, where he will begin a three-week training stint with English Premier League side Everton FC, sources told SBI. MacMath, who turned 21 in August, started 32 of 34 games for the Union in 2012, posting a 10-17-5 record and eight shutouts, with a 1.34 goals-against average.
A 2011 first-round draft pick, MacMath was thrust into the starting role before the 2012 season after the surprising departure of Colombian veteran Faryd Mondragon. After enduring some inconsistency and stretches of shaky form early in the season, MacMath eventually settled in and gave the Union a steady presence in goal through the second half of the season.
The youngest starting goalkeeper in MLS, MacMath will be training at Everton alongside U.S. national team starter Tim Howard, and under the tutelage of U.S. national team goalkeeper coach Chris Woods. The training stint is the second MacMath has had with Everton. He also trained with the Toffees in the summer of 2010.
(UPDATE– MacMath isn’t the only Union player going on a training stint. Homegrown player Cristhian Hernandez will be joining Spanish Premier League side Real Sociedad for a training stint as well.)