SANDY, Utah (Thursday, February 9, 2017) – U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Tab Ramos has named the 20-player roster for the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, which double as the team’s 2017 World Cup qualifying tournament, running February 17-March 5 in Costa Rica. Real Salt Lake is represented by four current players on the 20-man roster, as well as a fifth alum from the Real Salt Lake Academy in Arizona.
DF Justen Glad, MF Danilo Acosta, MF Sebastian Saucedo and FW Brooks Lennon all will represent RSL in the CONCACAF Tournament, starting on February 18 against Panama. Meanwhile, DF Aaron Herrera, currently a sophomore at the University of New Mexico, joins his fellow RSL Academy alums with the Stars-and-Stripes.
The USA has been drawn into Group B along with Panama, Haiti and Saint Kitts and Nevis. The U.S. opens against Panama at 2 p.m. MT on February 18, followed by Haiti at 3:30 p.m. MT on February 21 and Saint Kitts and Nevis at 3:30 p.m. MT on February 24. All three of the USA’s matches will be broadcast in the United States on Univision networks. Fans can also follow the action on twitter at @ussoccer_ynt.
“This process is always difficult,” Ramos said. “Inevitably you always end up leaving a couple guys out who deserve to be on the roster. When selecting a roster for a tournament like this, where you are trying to qualify to the world cup, you are putting together a best 11 and then players who can play multiple positions. So that’s what we've done. We are happy with the team and we are looking forward to qualifying.”
Glad had a breakout season for RSL in 2016, earning the club’s Defensive Player of the Year honors after featuring in 28 games for RSL, giving him 35 appearances in his MLS career. His year was highlighted by his first career MLS goal on April 2 in a 2-1 win at Sporting Kansas City and he finished the year with two goals and one assist. For the second straight year, he was also featured in the Chipotle Homegrown Game.
Acosta played much of his first professional season on loan with Real Monarchs SLC, logging 18 appearances for the USL club. He also played 10 matches for the U.S. U-20 National Team and was invited to play in the 2016 Chipotle Homegrown Game.
Saucedo spent the season on loan to Veracruz in Mexico’s Liga MX, scoring his first professional goal in a Copa MX match. For the U.S. U-20s, he scored three goals in seven matches in 2016.
Lennon joined Real Salt Lake on loan from Liverpool last week. Also a graduate from the RSL-Arizona Academy in 2015, he spent most of his 18 months at Anfield playing for Liverpool’s reserves.
Herrera, who graduated from the RSL-Arizona Academy in 2015, played 22 matches in his sophomore season at the University of New Mexico. With two goals and two assists, the defender helped the Lobos back to the NCAA Tournament.
RSL’s four players join a group of 11 players on the US roster that represent clubs in MLS, along with defenders Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City), Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC) and Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union); midfielders Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Coy Craft (FC Dallas) and Jonathan Lewis (New York City FC); and forward Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers).
Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jonathan Klinsmann (University of California; Newport Beach, Calif.), JT Marcinkowski (Georgetown; Alamo, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): Marlon Fossey (Fulham F.C.; Surbiton, England), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; Tucson, Ariz.), Aaron Herrera (New Mexico; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee's Summit, Mo.), Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC; Oviedo, Fla.), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union; Media, Pa.)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Danny Acosta (Real Salt Lake; Salt Lake City, Utah), Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; Wappingers Falls, N.Y), Coy Craft (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Luca De la Torre (Fulham F.C.; San Diego, Calif.), Jonathan Gonzalez (CF Monterrey; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Jeremiah Gutjahr (Indiana University; Bloomington, Ind.), Jonathan Lewis (New York City FC; Plantation, Fla.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake; Park City, Utah), Eryk Williamson (University of Maryland; Alexandria, Va.)
FORWARDS (3): Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers; Bethesda, Md.), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake; Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Emmanuel Sabbi (UD Las Palmas; Libertyville, Ill.)
