Real Salt Lake’s recent success, climbing to second in the Western Conference before a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Portland Timbers on Saturday, has not gone unnoticed on the international stage. Now with RSL’s schedule going on hold until September 11 when the San Jose Earthquakes visit Rio Tinto Stadium in what will be an important clash in the Western Conference standings, nine players will be away on international duty.
Albert Rusnák (Slovakia), Sam Johnson (Liberia), Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela) and Corey Baird (USA) are all away with their senior national teams while the U.S. U-23s called in Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera, Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo. In addition, RSL Academy product Sebastian Soto – currently playing with Hannover 96 in Germany – makes it five players with RSL ties called in to the U-23 camp. Goalkeeper David Ochoa also joined the U.S. U-20s for its camp.
So while there is a break in the RSL schedule, the 11 days between games will be nothing if not eventful.
RSL’s international schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, September 4
Liberia vs. Sierra Leone, 12:00 p.m. MT
Thursday, September 5
U.S. U-20 vs. Croatia U-20
Friday, September 6
Slovakia vs. Croatia, 12:45 p.m. MT (ESPN3)
U.S. vs. Mexico, 6:30 p.m. MT (FS1; East Rutherford, New Jersey)
Sunday, September 8
Liberia at Sierra Leone, 10:30 a.m. MT
Monday, September 9
Slovakia at Hungary, 12:45 p.m. MT (ESPN3)
U.S. U-23 vs. Japan U-23, 5:00 p.m. MT (Chula Vista, California; Closed to the public)
U.S. U-20 vs. United Arab Emirates U-23
Tuesday, September 10
U.S. vs. Uruguay, 6:00 p.m. MT (FS1; St. Louis, Missouri)
Venezuela vs. Colombia, 7:00 p.m. MT (Tampa, Florida)
