Kyle Beckerman has endured a long journey to his 400 career Major League Soccer appearances – more than any other field player in MLS history. An expedition that has taken him to homes in Miami, Colorado and now Salt Lake City.
However, the voyage from his 399th game to his 400th game was one that was very different than any that came before it.
“It was a new one,” Beckerman sighed on Wednesday night, shaking his head.
After appearing his 399th match in a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids on August 26, Beckerman left RSL to join the U.S. National Team for the final two matches of the fourth round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. That would take him to Jacksonville, Florida, for camp, then off to St. Vincent for the first of the two matches on Friday. Beckerman played 90 minutes in a 6-0 win over St. Vincent & the Grenadines for his sixth international appearance this year and 57th cap in his career. From there, he flew back to Jacksonville, where the U.S. finished off the round on Tuesday with a 4-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago.
After that final victory, Beckerman boarded a plane and returned to Salt Lake City in time for Wednesday’s critical match for Real Salt Lake against the LA Galaxy. The journey of upwards of 7,180 miles finished with a 3-3 draw in front of a sellout crowd at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night that kept RSL unbeaten at home and tied with the Galaxy for second in the Western Conference with 44 points.
“It was fun to be a part of it last night and it was a good win for us to finish off that group in first place,” Beckerman said on Wednesday, not long after Juan Manuel Martinez scored a stoppage-time equalizer on the last kick of the ball for RSL to draw the Galaxy. “I was excited to get back and it was a big game for us here. Two good games and a lot of fun.”
Beckerman was in consistent communication with RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar and both agreed after Beckerman didn’t see any time against Trinidad & Tobago that the best course of action would be to make him available to start against the Galaxy. After the flight from Jacksonville to Salt Lake City, Beckerman was up to the task and they proceeded as planned.
“After not going in last night, we were pretty positive I was going to go,” Beckerman said. “I wanted to be available for Jeff if he wanted me. We decided, ‘Let’s go for it’.”
Beckerman finished the night completing 85% of his 70 passes, helping Real Salt Lake battle back from a 3-1 deficit in the second half to earn the 3-3 draw. RSL is now 8-0-6 at home this season and sits second in the West at 12-8-8.
