SANDY, Utah – Three Real Salt Lake players will be in action for their respective national teams in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers on Friday night, with midfielder Kyle Beckerman and goalkeeper Nick Rimando donning the Stars-and-Stripes for the U.S. in its game against Jamaica in Kansas City and forward Alvaro Saborio suiting up for Costa Rica in its match at Honduras.
Both the U.S. and Costa Rica have already qualified for next summer’s 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil with two matches still remaining in qualifying. The U.S. currently leads the Hexagonal, sitting one point ahead of Saborio and Costa Rica.
Beckerman, Rimando and the rest of the U.S. squad will host Jamaica at 4:30 p.m. MT at Sporting Park. Beckerman – who starred for the U.S. in its World Cup berth-clinching win over Mexico last month – could very well start the match, which will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Saborio and Costa Rica will play an afternoon matinee at Honduras, with Los Ticos taking on Los Catrachos at 3:00 p.m. MT on beIN SPORT. Currently sitting in third-place in the Hexagonal standings, Honduras will be absolutely desperate for a win over Costa Rica, as a victory could qualify them for the World Cup pending the result of the Mexico-Panama match.
Mexico will host Panama in Friday’s final Hexagonal match at 7:30 p.m. MT on UniMas. Both El Tri and Los Canaleros have eight points through eight Hexagonal matches, with Panama sitting in fourth-place, ahead of fifth-place Mexico by virtue of the goal difference tiebreaker. Both sides need a result in the worst way – the Hexagonal’s fourth-place finisher will face New Zealand in a home-and-home playoff with the World Cup on the line, while the fifth-place team will have not qualify for Brazil.
Beckerman, Rimando and Saborio will be back in action next Tuesday, with the U.S. playing at Panama and Costa Rica hosting Mexico. All three players will return to RSL following Tuesday’s final Hexagonal matches and will likely be available for selection for the Claret-and-Cobalt’s crucial match at Portland on Saturday, Oct. 19.
