'For a national team goalkeeper, that's not great' - Alexi Lalas, Landon Donovan raise concerns about lack of consistency in the Gold Cup from USMNT's Matt Freese

Just three days after being labelled a star after his heroics against Costa Rica in the USMNT's penalty shootout win in the Gold Cup quarterfinals, goalkeeper Matt Freese is back under the microscope.

Though Mauricio Pochettino's side beat Guatemala 2-1 to advance to the tournament final, Freese had dicey moments Wednesday night. Freese's positioning was slightly off when Olger Escobar scored to cut the deficit in half in the 80th minute.

"Outside of when he was making penalty saves, I don't think we've seen Matt Freese look comfortable in this tournament - comfortable or confident in himself, and the way in which we view him.," Lalas said on FOX Sports. "For a national team goalkeeper, that's not great. Had a beautiful moment in the penalties the other day, but its nervy."

Freese had four saves in the contest, conceding the one goal.

Freese's inconsistency raises the question: who will be the USMNT starting goalkeeper? Freese started all five matches in this Gold Cup, ahead of incumbent Matt Turner, the World Cup starter in 2022. Sidelined MLS goalkeepers Zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte are expected to remain in contention.

Another U.S. legend Landon Donovan wondered if Freese will start in the upcoming September friendlies, based on current form.

"When I walked out of the tunnel [as a player] and saw Tim Howard, I was like 'He's got it.' " Donovan said. "In the last game, after the penalties, you felt his presence for the first time. You could really feel it. And [now] you're like 'Eh.' Look, he's still growing, and I'm not saying he can't be there - he's earned the right to be at least considered a third goalkeeper for the next year.

"The big question mark is going to be who starts in the September friendlies... is Matt Freese starting, if Zack Steffen is back and Matt Turner is playing? We'll find out."

At least eight goalkeepers have started for the U.S. since Tim Howard's retirement from the national team: Brad Guzan , Bill Hamid , Steffen , Ethan Horvath , Turner , Gabriel Slonina , Freese and Schulte.

The USMNT have now reached their 13th Gold Cup final, and will be looking to add to their previous seven wins - the most recent coming in 2021. They will play Mexico in Sunday's final.