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The memory of American soccer fans is short, and after USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese made a myriad of mistakes at the World Cup, it doesn’t seem the public is set to forgive him any time soon.
Freese made his first appearance with club side New York City FC since the United States was knocked out in the Round of 16 against Belgium.
In that match, Freese made multiple mistakes that led to goals – including the third goal, where he tried dribbling with the ball before getting dispossessed and watching the Belgians score.
On Wednesday night at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio, boos rained down on Freese from Columbus Crew supporters.
He was jeered every time he touched the ball throughout the evening, which seemingly had nothing to do with NYCFC’s eventual 2-1 victory.
The boos came with Freese’s first touch of the ball in the third minute.
NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese was relentlessly booed by Columbus Crew fans in his first game back playing for his club since the World Cup
Freese made a series of errors in the Round of 16 against Belgium leading to the US’ elimination
On the broadcast, Columbus fans could be audibly heard chanting ‘Shame!, Shame!, Shame!’ at Freese.
The Apple TV broadcast even showed a Columbus fan who was giving the keeper a thumbs down.
Freese was able to shake off the jeering and made three saves on the night to secure a sixth win of the season.
Manager Pascal Jansen defended Freese, telling the New York Post that his performance on the evening ‘speaks for itself.’
‘He’s not worried about these things. He has to go through it,’ Jansen said. ‘Everybody is apparently still very disappointed either with the performance from the national team as one, and maybe in particular Matty’s performance, given the last game that he played, and what happened in that game.
‘But that is something that Matty has to deal with, and he’ll get through that with the support of everybody around him, but especially the locker room. We’re not worried one bit.’
Freese has previously expressed his desire to not let the mistakes at the World Cup ‘define my career.’
