SANDY, UT (Sunday, August 27, 2017) – Real Salt Lake GK Nick Rimando has been called in by U.S. National Team Head Coach Bruce Arena for training camp ahead of the upcoming World Cup Qualifying matches against Costa Rica and Honduras. The U.S. will face Costa Rica on Friday (4:30 p.m. MT, ESPN) at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, then Honduras in San Pedro Sula on September 5 (3:30 p.m. MT, beIN SPORTS).
“I’m excited for the opportunity to represent my club and country in these next World Cup Qualifying Games,” Rimando said. “It’s always an honor to get the call and wear the crest.”
Rimando, 37, is Major League Soccer’s all-time leader in games played (446), games started (446), minutes played (40,261), wins (193) and shutouts (136). This season he holds a 10-8-4 record with seven shutouts and a 1.20 goals against average. In RSL’s current run of form that has seen the club go 5-1-3 in the last nine matches, he has three shutouts and a 1.11 goals against average.
The 17-year MLS veteran has 22 career caps for the U.S. and has five shutouts on the international stage, including one against Serbia during this year’s January camp.
“Consistency is key. Getting called in for Nick is almost an expectation,” Real Salt Lake General Manager Craig Waibel said. “We’re excited for him and for U.S. Soccer to keep recognizing him.”
Through the first six matches of the Hexagonal Round, the U.S. is in third place at 2-2-2 (eight points). The top three finishers in the six-team stage will qualify for the World Cup with the fourth-place finisher playing in an inter-confederation playoff against other finishers from Asia, South America and Oceania.
Rimando is among 26 players called into training camp by Arena, including 18 current MLS players.
“I think we’re bringing in a good roster, one that has depth in every position and in which all 26 players have been with the National Team in 2017,” Arena said. “I think we have the right understanding as a group as to what needs to be done, and hopefully we can be successful in these next two games.”
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION (Club; WCQ Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC; 14/0), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids; 36/0), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo; 34/6), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City; 11/1), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG; 22/2), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX; 15/0), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas; 0/0), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 0/0), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 5/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 3/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City; 18/3)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; 4/0), Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 3/1), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union; 9/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 35/7), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 16/1), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers; 7/0), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 9/5), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 0/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 38/16), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC; 39/18), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 3/0), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 10/4)
