SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake has announced that Captain Kyle Beckerman (U.S.), GK Nick Rimando (U.S.), and FW Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica) have been called up to represent their respective countries for the final two World Cup Qualifying matches in the CONCACAF Hexagonal on Oct. 11 and 15.
Both the U.S. and Costa Rica have already booked their tickets to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The U.S. will host Jamaica in Kansas City on Oct. 11 before traveling to Estadio Rommel Fernandez to take on Panama on Oct. 15. Costa Rica will play at Honduras on Oct. 11 before hosting Mexico on Oct. 15.
Beckerman, Rimando and Saborio will depart for their national camps on Sunday. The RSL trio will return to the team following the final qualifiers on Oct. 15 and will be available for selection for RSL’s Oct. 19 road match at Portland Timbers. Beckerman, RImando and Saborio will not miss a Real Salt Lake match while on international duty.
The USMNT officially qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup last month when the Stars-and-Stripes defeated Mexico 2-0 in Columbus and Panama drew 2-2 at Honduras, pushing the U.S. to the top of the CONCACAF Hexagonal group. Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando were both with the U.S. national team for its qualification, with Beckerman playing a full 90 minutes in the Americans’ win over Mexico.
A regular member of U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad selections, Beckerman has 32 career caps with the United States. He’s appeared in nine matches – including eight starts – for the U.S. in 2013, notching two assists for the Stars-and-Stripes this calendar year. Beckerman captained the U.S. in its 0-0 draw against Canada on Jan. 29 in Houston and started in central midfield in the team’s first – and only – win over Mexico on Mexican soil on Aug. 15, 2012.
Rimando has 12 career caps with the U.S senior team. The 34-year-old ‘keeper has six appearances with the USMNT this year, posting a perfect 6-0-0 record, registering two shutouts and allowing just four goals.
Costa Rica officially qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with the Panama-Honduras draw as well, putting Los Ticos in second-place in the CONCACAF Hexagonal, one point behind the U.S. In his last appearance for the national team, Saborio subbed on in the last ten minutes of Costa Rica’s 3-1 win over the United States on Sept. 6.
