Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson earned his first US national team cap last weekend, playing the second half of the US’s 1-1 draw with Chile at the Home Depot Center.
The 21-year-old, who made 14 league starts as a rookie in 2010, said he was thrilled to play in the game – despite the fact that he was in net for Chile’s lone tally by Esteban Paredes in the 52nd minute.
“There’s definitely a bunch of positives to take away from the game,” Johnson told MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday. “Coming back from 1-0 down and getting a result is a special thing. It showed a lot of character, so I think it was a good outcome for us. It was definitely a good experience.”
Always a confident presence in the Fire’s net, Johnson said his nerves didn’t flare up on Saturday.
“Once you get into the game, all that stuff kind of goes away,” he said. “You just immediately get into the rhythm of the game. You’re always a little anxious, but once you cross the line, I think all the anxiety goes away and you’re ready to play and immediately get into the game.”
With his busy offseason almost over – he went on a Generation adidas trip to Spain before January camp opened up – Johnson is looking ahead to the 2011 MLS season. He’s hoping for more consistent performances – both from himself and from his team.
“It’s my second year, so I think it’s definitely time for me to develop a good level of consistency throughout the whole season,” he said. “I want to be a consistent goalkeeper day in and day out and help my team get wins so we can improve on last season’s record. … It’ll be important to set the tone right away. Hopefully we’ll have a good season.”
Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @samstejskal.
