Tuesday night marked the final matches of the FIFA window and Real Salt Lake was well-represented throughout the week in international matches around the world.
Sam Johnson (Liberia)
Sam Johnson helped Liberia through to the second round of 2022 World Cup qualifying after a 3-2 series win over Sierra Leone. Johnson captained Liberia to a 3-1 win in the first leg in Liberia, scoring what proved to be the series-winning goal in the 89th minute. In the second leg on Monday in Sierra Leone, Johnson played 90 minutes as Liberia lost 1-0 to win the aggregate-goal series 3-2. The second round begins in March, 2020, with teams drawn into four-team groups. The six matches will be played over 19 months, concluding in October, 2021, with the winners of each group advancing to the third round, which concludes qualifying in November, 2021.
Albert Rusnák (Slovakia)
Albert Rusnák started in both matches of UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying as Slovakia split two matches. In the first match, he played 45 minutes in a 4-0 home loss to Croatia, but bounced back on Monday to play 90 minutes in a 2-1 road win over Hungary. Slovakia sits second in the Group E standings at 3-2-0 (9 points). The remaining three matches will be October 10 hosting Wales, November 16 in Croatia and November 19 against Azerbaijan. The top two teams in the group will qualify for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament from June 12-July 12, 2020.
Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela)
On Tuesday night, Jefferson Savarino played the final 17 minutes as Venezuela played to a 0-0 draw with Colombia in Tampa, Florida. Both teams had several opportunities to take the victory in the international friendly, but came up empty. It was Savarino’s 10th cap for Venezuela.
Corey Baird (U.S.)
Corey Baird came off the bench for the U.S. in its second friendly during the window on Tuesday, as a late Jordan Morris goal tied things up 1-1 with Uruguay in St. Louis, Missouri. Baird was not in the 18 during a 3-0 loss to Mexico in New Jersey, but featured in the final 25 minutes for the U.S. on Tuesday for his fourth cap with the senior national team.
Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera, Brooks Lennon, Sebastian Saucedo (U.S. U-23)
Three of the RSL foursome each played 45 minutes and Sebastian Saucedo played 66 minutes as the U.S. U-23s earned a 2-0 win over Japan to close out a week-long training camp in Chula Vista, California. Brooks Lennon converted a penalty – drawn by Saucedo – for the second goal in the second half. Justen Glad and Aaron Herrera started together on the backline and locked down the back for the U.S., who took a 1-0 lead into halftime. Lennon came on to start the second half and helped add to the lead as the U.S. got the first win of the new U-23 cycle. In addition, RSL Academy product Sebastian Soto also saw 45 minutes in the second half, giving RSL five Academy products seeing time for former RSL Head Coach Jason Kreis.
David Ochoa (U.S. U-20)
The U.S. U-20s topped Zagreb Football Federation 2-1 in the first match on Thursday before finishing off camp in Slovenia with a 3-0 win over the United Arab Emirates. David Ochoa got the start for the U.S. in goal against the UAE on Monday to conclude the trip.
