It’s been a while since Sebastian Saucedo saw meaningful competition. The 18-year-old product of the Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy signed a pro contract in July, but didn’t play with RSL last season. Now, after playing five matches in 12 days with the U.S. U-18 National Team in the 2015 Copa Chivas tournament in Mexico, the playmaking attacker has rekindled his confidence and rejoins the club ready to show why he was signed.
“It’s great to come back with that confidence and now be able to learn more from the veteran players,” Saucedo said on Monday after his first training session back with RSL in Irvine, California. “They are really supportive. It’s a good family that we have here.”
In the four tournament matches and a friendly match that followed the Group Stage, Saucedo played 258 minutes, tallying one assist by his former RSL-AZ teammate Brooks Lennon. The U.S. went 2-2-1 in the five matches.
Although his competitive action has been limited mostly to training sessions since he signed, it didn’t take him long to catch a rhythm with the U.S.
“I guess it just took a game to play and get used the game situations. It’s fun getting the rhythm back. It didn’t take a lot,” Saucedo said. “For me to be able to play five games in those 12 days and get the rhythm back in playing in real game situations was really fun. It’s always a pleasure to play with the U.S.”
It helped, he noted, that he was playing alongside Lennon, with whom he had so much success at the Academy level.
Now back with RSL, he has a spark in his step as he works to get set for the 2015 season.
“International games are always fun and exciting for the players,” RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar said after training on Monday. “He looked into it – looked bright and he looked sharp today.”
Saucedo played two full seasons for the RSL-AZ U-16 Academy team, leading them to the USSDA championship in 2012-2013 and a second place finish in 2013-2014. In those two seasons, he notched 50 goals in 60 matches, also helping the squad to a second-place finish in the 2013-2014 Generation adidas Cup.
RSL will train in Irvine through Thursday, playing the final match of the second leg of preseason against OC Blues on Thursday before returning to Salt Lake City. The final leg of camp will take place in Tucson, Arizona, with the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup starting on February 18.
