FRISCO - Oscar Pareja said his club needed a “refresh” after Tuesday night’s game in Pachuca, and that is why he turned to his Homegrown keeper against Minnesota United FC.
The fresh start was just what the doctor ordered as Jesse Gonzalez made five saves en route to his second clean sheet of the season.
“I was already mentally prepared and physically prepared,” Gonzalez said. “Through all these games we have, I knew my time was going to come and I had to make the best out of it.”
“It’s great to see Jesse with such a great performance today,” Pareja said. “His confidence is going to be raised so high and, for him, I am glad.”
Gonzalez got his call almost a month ago in Kansas City and took advantage of his opportunity there as well, a 0-0, shutout draw. But Pareja admired his young keeper’s stellar performance on such little repetition in recent months.
“I was talking with the coaches and some of the players after the game,” he said after the match. “That amazed me for not having too many games at that level [recently]. I like to see the players that prove to me they deserve to play.”
“As a goalkeeper, you want to take control of that position," Gonzalez said. "Chris [Seitz] has pushed me to work harder on and off the field, and I think I’m pushing him as well.”
Pareja was quick to say, however, that Gonzalez starting was not a slight to Seitz after Tuesday, who has carried them over the past two months.
“I don’t want us to think that based on one game I’m going to make a decision [on starting roles], but sometimes the game talks to us,” he said. “I have to say I have two very good goalkeepers.”