Brad Guzan Making His Case at Gold Cup to Be USMNT's No. 1 Goalkeeper Full-Time

On Monday, word came down that Brad Guzan would reclaim the No. 1 role for his team at club level. On Wednesday, he'll continue to make his case to do the same on the international stage.

Guzan, a 30-year-old goalkeeper from Evergreen Park, Illinois, has spent most of his career with the United States men's national team as a backup. But with reigning No. 1 Tim Howard taking a sabbatical from the international game, Guzan is auditioning for the lead role this summer at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Through four matches, Guzan is making his case well. Throughout the group stage, especially in the opener against Honduras and again in the final group game against Panama, Guzan made a number of key saves at crucial times for the U.S. His steadiness has been critical at times, with the American back line struggling for consistency.

At ESPN FC, Jason Davis named Guzan one of the "standouts" for the U.S. against Panama. At Sports Illustrated, Brian Straus noted the following about the Honduras game:

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Little did the [U.S.] know that they would wind up being out-possessed and badly out-shot, or that Honduras would earn nearly twice as many corner kicks. Los Catrachos completed nearly 80 more passes in the attacking third. The opening minutes of the game were rough, and the last 20 minutes or so simply were about survival. The U.S. was under considerable pressure and had to scramble to preserve its lead. It won thanks to Clint Dempsey's clinical finishing, a couple of nice saves from Brad Guzan and a bit of luck.

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Along with Dempsey, Guzan has been the team's most consistent performer during the Gold Cup. His timing could hardly be better. With the U.S. goalkeeping situation in transition as Howard takes his yearlong break from the team, the time is now for Guzan to make an impression on coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

At the club level, he faces a somewhat different situation, though it's one that includes the same objective of securing a starting spot. After being benched at Aston Villa late last season following an error against Manchester City, Guzan will enter the new Premier League campaign—which begins next month—as the team's No. 1, according to comments manager Tim Sherwood recently made to the Birmingham Mail.

Nick Wass/Associated Press

With Villa, Guzan is the veteran incumbent trying to hold off a younger competitor. For the U.S., the 30-year-old is the opposite—the youngster trying to unseat Howard. Whether or not Howard returns from his sabbatical in 2016, it's unlikely he'll remain the team's starter at the World Cup in 2018, when he will be 39.

Having served as a backup for most of a decade with the U.S.—he made his international debut in 2006—Guzan knows what he's up against in Howard, who turned in a memorably strong performance last year at the World Cup. But at the same time, he's ready to make his mark on the team, as his performances this summer are showing.

"What Tim did at the World Cup last summer was just fantastic," Guzan told ESPN FC in January. "The whole nation got behind him and appreciated that he was putting in some incredible performances, but I feel ready to step into that role now."

He added: "Hopefully, I have worked hard enough over the years to prove I am worthy of a pick now."

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