COMMERCE CITY — It is one of the things that sets soccer apart from other American sports: Players consider it a high honor to play for the U.S. national team, and their club teams are happy to support their frequent absences, but sometimes important players are lost to injury.
Such as Tim Howard, arguably the best goalkeeper in U.S. history. The Rapids’ goalie was injured last Friday while playing for Team USA against Mexico in a 2018 World Cup qualifier. He will miss the remainder of the season. Next up for the Rapids are two games in the Western Conference finals against Seattle that begin next Tuesday.
In March, Colorado lost one of its other three high-priced “designated players,” striker Kevin Doyle, for a month after he was injured playing for Ireland in a “friendly” (exhibition) against Switzerland.
“Itap a part of the game, you have to take the good with the bad,” said Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni. “You’re so proud to see your players with their hands over their hearts for whatever country they’re representing. Sometimes itap a heartache to have them come home injured.”
Mastroeni made 65 appearances for the U.S. national team, including World Cups in 2002 and 2006.
“Having been an international player, I think there’s no greater privilege as a soccer player in this country than to represent the United States of America at the international level, whether itap a friendly, a competition, and most importantly at World Cup where all eyes are fixed on the most prestigious tournament in the world,” Mastroeni said. “I worked extremely hard for my club teams to put myself in a spotlight to be selected to play for the national team. As a coach, I’m very cognizant of how important it was for me as a player.
“When you send players away, you feel happy for them because you remember how it made you feel going to represent your country. There’s also that concern, you hold your breath a little bit.”
Howard will be replaced by Zac MacMath, who started the first 16 games of the season before Howard took over on July 4 following the expiration of his contract with Everton of the English Premier League. MacMath has played in only one game since, in early September when Howard was away on national team duty.
“I feel great,” MacMath said. “I’ve been training as hard as I have the whole year. Obviously not playing on the weekends has been tough, because game action and practice are a lot different. Physically I feel good, I feel strong, and mentally, having 10, 12 days of knowing I’m going to play is going to be a huge help.”
It’s not like Howard was brought in to replace a struggling goalkeeper. MacMath led MLS in goals-against average (0.76) when Howard took over. That gives MacMath confidence for what awaits him in Seattle on Nov. 22 when the playoffs resume.
“I’m very comfortable with the guys in the back four and the team in general, being with them the whole year,” MacMath said. “They know my tendencies and I know their tendencies. That’s going to be a big advantage in this unfortunate situation.”
