SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake DF/MF Jordan Allen and FW Benji Lopez have been called to the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team for the Dallas Cup tournament, which will take place from April 13-20 in Dallas, Texas.
Making its fifth all-time appearance at the prestigious competition and its first since 2010, the U-20’s will compete in Bracket C of the Gordon Jago Super Group along with U-19 sides from Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany, River Plate of Argentina and UANL Tigres of Mexico.
Allen and Lopez will both depart Salt Lake City on Thursday to join the U-20’s for several days of training before its Dallas Cup opener against River Plate on April 13. Lopez has been called to all three U-20 camps this cycle, participating in a camp in Verona, Italy last fall and another in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. in January. This is Allen’s second U-20 call up after participating in the January camp in Florida.
The U.S. will begin Dallas Cup play on Sunday, April 13, taking on River Plate at 5:30 p.m. MT at the Cotton Bowl. The U-20’s will play its second match less than 24 hours later, taking on Eintracht Frankfurt on the campus of Richland College at 3 p.m. MT on Monday, April 14. The U.S. will conclude Bracket C group play on April 16, when it will take on Mexican side UANL Tigres. The location and time of the U.S.-Tigres matchup will be determined by results in the first two rounds across Super Group Brackets A, B and C.
Real Salt Lake is one of just two MLS teams to send two players to the camp. New York Red Bulls also have two players on Head Coach Tab Ramos’ roster, sending DF Matt Miazga and GK Santiago Castano.
Allen and Lopez will miss Real Salt Lake’s next two matches while with the U-20’s. Both will be gone for RSL’s Saturday match at Philadelphia Union (2:00 p.m. MT; ABC 4) and for the Claret-and-Cobalt’s 2013 Western Conference Final rematch against Portland Timbers on Saturday, April 19 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Tickets are available to the Portland match and can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
Signed on Dec. 31, 2013, Allen has two appearances for Real Salt Lake this year, coming on as a sub in both of the Claret-and-Cobalt’s first two matches. Allen suffered an ankle sprain in his second appearance and has missed RSL’s subsequent three contests, but has since returned to full health. Lopez has yet to appear with RSL’s first-team since signing a Homegrown contract with the club last summer.
Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Santiago Castano (NewYork Red Bulls; Union City, N.J.), Zack Steffen (Maryland; Downington, Pa.)
DEFENDERS (9): Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake; Rochester, N.Y.), Michael Amick (UCLA; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Sullaiman Dainkeh (Maryland; Reston, Va.), Trevor Haberkorn (Furman; Roanoke, Texas), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting KC; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.), Jesus Vazquez (UANL Tigres; San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Marco Delgado (Chivas USA; Glendora, Calif.), Luis Felipe (Cruzeiro; Ouro Branco, Brazil), Romain Gall (FC Lorient; Herndon, Va.), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland; Santa Cruz, Calif.)
FORWARDS (5): Benji Lopez (Real Salt Lake; San Diego, Calif.), Amando Moreno (Club Tijuana; Morganville, N.J.), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; Beaverton, Ore.), Ben Spencer (Indy Eleven; Albuquerque, N.M.)
