ASN: Zack Steffen Talks U-20 World Cup and Freiburg

The 19-year-old goalkeeper got here up massive when the U.S. under-20 staff wanted him to, and now the previous College of Maryland heads to Germany to make a reputation for himself with SC Freiburg.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
January 28, 2015
9:58 AM

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IF THERE WAS ONE MOMENT that shall be remembered from the US U-20 nationwide staff’s World Cup qualifying run in Jamaica, it got here within the 52nd minute when goalkeeper Zack Steffen was requested to protect a 1-0 lead.

Only a minute earlier than, the U.S. was whistled for a handball within the field and El Salvador was awarded a penalty. Needing a win to advance and put an inconsistent qualifying marketing campaign within the rearview mirror, the U.S. wanted Steffen to make a cease. In any other case El Salvador could be degree and have all the momentum.

With the strain palpable, Jose Villavicencio stepped up and unleashed a shot to his left. Steffen dove and made maybe the most important save of his profession.

The day earlier than, the US practiced penalties to be ready for a potential tiebreaker after 120 minutes of deadlocked soccer. Steffen was sharp in follow and he felt ready—however each keeper has his personal strategy. Some keepers merely guess, however for the Downingtown, Pa., native, it’s a psychological battle.

“I just watch the players as they walk up,” Steffen informed American Soccer Now. “I look to see if they are going to look one way. Usually if they look one way then they are going to go the other. I look at their body shape when they’re running up to the ball. It’s really just watching the player. It’s kind of a mind game at the same time.”

“We just went over the scouting,” he continued. “He went up the same way—went to my right—earlier in this tournament. That was kind of clue. At the same time he could have also gone to my left to switch it up. But I saw him look to my left so I thought he was going to try to trick me and go right—and he did.”

U.S. U-20 coach Tab Ramos got here away impressed with the younger backstop and sees Steffen as a rising star.

“With Zack in goal—we’re very fortunate in that way,” Ramos mentioned. “We have very good goalkeepers and Zack is definitely one of the next ones to come up. And so between the two center backs and the goalkeeper I think they did an amazing job throughout the whole tournament.”

Final month, Steffen elected to depart the College of Maryland after his second season and signal a cope with SC Freiburg. He’ll be part of up with the Bundesliga membership later this week and is hoping to get video games with its reserve staff this season.

Steffen’s path to knowledgeable profession was surrounded by query marks up till lately. He was eligible to signal a homegrown contract with the Philadelphia Union however the membership has made quite a few strikes to amass goalkeepers lately, together with drafting Andre Blake with the primary total choose within the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and buying Algerian worldwide Raïs M’Bolhi following the 2014 World Cup.

Steffen, nonetheless, mentioned that there was little likelihood for MLS as soon as Freiburg received concerned as a result of membership’s sizable supply and Bundesliga standing.

“I think everybody’s dream is to play overseas,” Steffen mentioned. “The offer they gave me, you can’t really turn it down. The whole offer and the setup, when I went over to check out the city, I just loved it. The whole team and the staff was just so welcoming and very professional. It was a no-brainer. “Obviously it’s going to be challenging going overseas on my own, playing with the reserves. Training is going to be tough. Hopefully I’ll get as many games as I can. But that is going to be tough adjusting to that lifestyle. I think the national team and Maryland have set me up with a good foundation.”

Whereas the remainder of this season shall be about Freiburg, Steffen has his eyes set on New Zealand for this summer time’s U-20 World Cup. For the U.S. staff to advance from group play and succeed, Steffen must have a formidable event.

Qualification was harder than anticipated for the U.S. however Steffen doesn’t essentially consider that that is a sign that the staff shouldn’t anticipate to succeed on the World Cup. New Zealand will possible characteristic higher subject circumstances and opponents preferring to play an open recreation. Jamaica was troublesome however Steffen believes the mentality of getting to struggle by means of 4 straight must-win video games and to not concede a aim in any of them is a sign of the staff’s psychological toughness—notably on the defensive and goalkeeping facet.

“There is always work to be done,” Steffen mentioned. “That will come when we get together next and leading up to the World Cup. But I do hope the conditions are a little bit better for our sake. But I am confident in this group. We obviously had to fight. So team unity and the bond we all share is just really strong. We all really believe in each other and have confidence in each other. It’s just a real tight group.”

Brian Sciaretta is an American Soccer Now columnist and an ASN 100 panelist. Observe him on Twitter.