By RYAN TOLMICH
With goalkeepers like Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tony Meola counted amongst the team’s ranks, the U.S. Men’s National Team has had their fair share of outstanding goalkeeping performances. However, it’s hard to remember one quite like the one put forth by current U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Howard was the only thing standing between the United States’ Round of 16 opposition, Belgium, and an absolute outburst of Red Devil finishes. Despite finally allowing Belgian scores in the 93rd and 105th minutes, Howard came up huge time after time to earn the U.S. a chance to test their luck in the game’s extra period.
Howard finished the game with 15 saves, the most in a single match in World Cup history, and he single-handedly kept the Belgium offense at bay, despite out-shooting the U.S. 39 to 16. Howard made save after save, many of the kick-save variety, to keep the U.S.’s chances alive to advance to their first World Cup quarterfinals since 2002.
Howard’s goalkeeping performance was more than enough to earn him SBI World Cup Man of the Match, beating out Belgium goalscorers Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku for today’s honors.
What did you think of Howard’s performance? Who stood out to you in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s loss to Belgium?
Share you thoughts below.