After a 2017 season that saw Real Salt Lake defender Danilo Acosta take control of the left-back position for the club, Acosta has now earned a call-up to the United States Men’s National Team for a training camp running from January 10-28 in Carson, California.
The 20-year-old signed with Real Salt Lake as the tenth homegrown player on December 29, 2015, after playing with the RSL-Arizona Academy for three years.
Commencing his professional career, the left back appeared in three games for club’s USL affiliate Real Monarchs during the 2015 season, with the 2016 season bringing 1,135 minutes for Acosta in 18 matches played for the young defender.
On January 3, 2016, Acosta was called up to Tab Ramos’ US Under-20 training camp, to prepare for the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championships. He scored the winning penalty kick to claim the CONCACAF U-20 Championship against Honduras – his birth-country – to send the States to the U-20 World Cup. The following year he represented the United States at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The Academy graduate made his first appearances in the group stages of the U-20 World Cup tournament in a against Ecuador. Acosta made 4 more appearances in the tournament, including the United States two wins over Senegal and New Zealand, as well as the quarter-final loss against Venezuela in the United States final game of the tournament.
During Real Salt Lake’s 2017 regular season, Acosta started in 16 games and made 17 appearances playing at left back where boasted 1,411 minutes for RSL, earning two assists.
Tickets to see Acosta and the rest of RSL are available by going to https://www.rsl.com/tickets.
