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Columbus Crew: Will Nicholas Hagen continue starting over Patrick Schulte in Leagues Cup?
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- Columbus Crew: Will Nicholas Hagen continue starting over Patrick Schulte in Leagues Cup?
During CONCACAF Champions Cup play earlier this year, the Crew relied on Patrick Schulte as their starting goalkeeper, playing him every minute of the tournament. For Leagues Cup , Columbus has started Nicholas Hagen in its first two games of the tournament, which included a matchup against the reigning Leagues Cup champion Inter Miami.
Columbus is now set to face New York City FC in a Leagues Cup quarterfinal on Saturday at Lower.com Field. And while Crew coach Wilfried Nancy avoided confirming who will start at goalkeeper, he has indicated that this tournament is an ideal time for Hagen to play, even with Schulte available.
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"The objective at the beginning of the year was to find a moment to give him (Hagen) minutes," Nancy said. "This is the moment to give him minutes. ... So, we'll see (who starts vs NYCFC). And I'm happy with the goalkeepers that we have."
Aug 13, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Crew goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen (1) stands in net during the Leagues Cup round of 16 game against Inter Miami CF at Lower.com Field. The Crew won 3-2.
Hagen started his first game for the Crew on July 17 against Charlotte FC , the first game the club was without Schulte during his time competing for the United States at the Paris Olympics. The 23-year-old spent nearly three weeks on international duty, opening the door for Hagen to gain consistent starting opportunities.
There was always a strong possibility that Schulte would be gone for the Olympics, but heading into the season the Crew were expected to have both Hagen and veteran Evan Bush to split minutes during that time. But when Bush broke his left arm during a match against Real Salt Lake in April , and then rebroke the same arm while rehab training, the responsibility was fell solely on Hagen.
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Schulte returned to the Crew on Aug. 7, , but Nancy stated ahead of t he round of 32 match against Sporting Kansas City that Schulte would be unavailable. For the Miami game, Nancy told Hagen he was getting the nod at "the last minute."
"I think this is a tactic to keep us all in the game, to keep us ready," Hagen said. "I'm always fighting for a start. And that day I was happy, of course. You're excited about the game, but your focused on the goal that is to win."
Aug 2, 2024; Paris, France; United States goalkeeper Patrick Schulte (1) in action against Morocco in a men's football quarterfinal during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Parc des Princes. Mandatory Credit: Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY Sports
According to Nancy, the reason he waited so long to tell Hagen he was starting is because Nancy himself was unsure if that would be the case with Schulte as an option in the round of 16.
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"I'm a present moment guy," Nancy said. "Sometimes I like to give the team (lineup) the day before, sometimes not. So, I don't have a recipe for that, this is about my feeling."
No matter if Hagen learns who's starting days or hours before a game, the 28-year-old claims his training and mindset remains the same. Referencing the Salt Lake game in which Bush went down with an injury and Hagen had to unexpectedly enter the match, Hagen believes he always has to be ready to play.
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In his five official appearances for the Crew, including his four consecutive starts since the regular-season match against Charlotte, Hagen has 16 saves and seven goals against. Against Miami, Hagen had two saves in Columbus' 3-2 comeback.
Crew goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen makes a save against Charlotte on July 17.
When Hagen does get the opportunity to start for the Crew, there is a fan base larger than Columbus' hoping he performs up to standard. As the Guatemala national team starting goalkeeper, Hagen says he feels the pressure of representing his country in every Crew appearance.
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"They want me to play every single game," Hagen said. "They have the most desire for me to succeed. Of course, that comes with a lot of responsibility and a lot of downfall if it doesn't happen. But I take the good parts, I take the responsibility as something like a challenge to keep working, keep improving and to put my country's name on top."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is Nicholas Hagen starting for Columbus Crew vs NYCFC in Leagues Cup?
