Five Real Salt Lake players will be in action in World Cup qualifying matches on Friday and Saturday.
RSL’s Kyle Beckerman, Tony Beltran and Nick Rimando will suit up for the U.S. on Friday night, taking on Claret-and-Cobalt forward Alvaro Saborio and Costa Rica in a CONCACAF Hexagonal match at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. Friday’s match will kickoff at 8 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on ESPN and UniMas.
Costa Rica’s captain, Saborio said on Thursday that he’ll start Friday’s match. It was falsely reported earlier this week that Saborio was doubtful for the game due to a knee injury suffered while training with Los Ticos.
Beckerman, Beltran and Rimando will likely start Friday’s match on the bench. Beltran and Beckerman could both see time as defensive-minded substitutes while Rimando will back-up starting goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Mansally is in Gambia’s squad for their Saturday CAF qualifying match at the high-powered Ivory Coast.
Both the U.S. and Costa Rica will play again on March 26, with the U.S. taking on Mexico at Estadio Azteca and Costa Rica hosting Jamaica. Beckerman, Beltran, Rimando and Saborio will return to RSL following those matches.
Gambia will only play the one match; Mansally will return to RSL early next week.
