“I’m kinda speechless to be honest.”
So were the rest of us, so Ethan Horvath is in massive company after a Hollywood-ending in his hometown of Denver.
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Horvath came off the bench for an injured Zack Steffen and made a number of incredible saves including the biggest one — a penalty stop to preserve a 3-2 USMNT lead over hated rivals Mexico deep in extra time of the first-ever CONCACAF Nations League.
“If you’re on the bench as a keeper you don’t expect to come in the game,” Horvath said. “It’s just a whole bunch of emotion. It’s a special moment for me in my hometown of Denver.”
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Horvath was asked what he was told by Steffen upon subbing into the game and also what USMNT captain Christian Pulisic told him before the penalsty.
“Zack and I have been on the national team together since we’ve been 14,” Horvath said. “He just said everyone believes in me. … [Christian] was just saying there was a lot of stuff going on and said don’t get into mental games.”
Horvath said he’d only be celebrating the win with soda, as he doesn’t drink alcohol.
Which is extra cinematic because his performance and his club’s performance left the rest of us far from sober.
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USMNT super duper sub Horvath on extra-time penalty save originally appeared on NBCSports.com