Real Salt Lake had a quiet night on the international stage on Tuesday, seeing only one of the club's three eligible internationals play minutes in World Cup Qualifying action.
RSL leading scorer Alvaro Saborio was the only Claret-and-Cobalt player who saw the field on Tuesday night, playing the final 32 minutes of Costa Rica's 1-0 loss at Mexico. The Ticos gave up a 60th minute goal to Manchester United striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez to lose to Mexico for the second time in four days. Saborio and Costa Rica now sit in third place in CONCACAF Group B, needing good results in their final two Semifinal round games to pass second place El Salvador - currently one point ahead of Costa Rica - to qualify for the final round.
Neither of Real Salt Lake's American internationals saw any action in Tuesday night's 1-0 win over Jamaica in Columbus. Claret-and-Cobalt captain Kyle Beckerman - who started in the U.S.'s 2-1 loss at Jamaica on Friday - made the 18 on Tuesday, but did not come off the bench. RSL goalie Nick Rimando was with the U.S. team in Columbus, but did not make the gameday roster, watching the match from the stands behind starting 'keeper Tim Howard and second-string goalie Brad Guzan.
Tuesday's result relieved some of the pressure that had built on the U.S. since Friday's disappointing defeat, putting them in a tie for first atop CONCACAF's Group A.
RSL's Canadian midfielder Will Johnson wasn't there due to a yellow card suspension picked up in Friday's game, but his country fell 2-0 at Panama to drop to third in CONCACAF Group C with just two Semifinal round games left. Johnson and the Canucks currently are tied on points with second-place Honduras, trailing Los Catrachos by two on goal difference.
