SANDY, Utah - Four Real Salt Lake players will be in action for their national teams in World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday night, with captain Kyle Beckerman, defender Tony Beltran, goalkeeper Nick Rimando and the U.S. taking on Mexico at Estadio Azteca (8:30 p.m. MT, ESPN) and forward Alvaro Saborio and Costa Rica hosting Jamaica at Estadio Nacional (8 p.m. MT; beIN Sport).
The U.S. beat Costa Rica 1-0 in a CONCACAF Hexagonal match in snowy Denver on Friday. Saborio went 90 minutes in that match and Beckerman came on as a late game defensive sub; Beltran and Rimando made the bench for the U.S. but did not get into the game.
The U.S. has never won at Mexico in a World Cup qualifying match, managing just one tie at El Tri in 1997. The Stars-and-Stripes did win a friendly match in Mexico City last August, with Beckerman turning in a strong 90 minute performance in the U.S.’s historic 1-0 win.
Beckerman is a candidate to start Tuesday’s match for injured U.S. midfielder Jermaine Jones, who will miss the game due to an ankle injury.
The U.S. currently sits in second place in the Hexagonal standings with three points through two games. Costa Rica – the only team to play both of its matches on the road – is in last place in the Hex with one point.
The top three teams in the CONCACAF Hexagonal automatically qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. CONCACAF’s fourth place team will take on New Zealand in a home-and-home series in November with the winner advancing to Brazil. Click here for the full CONCACAF Hexagonal standings.
Beckerman, Beltran, Rimando and Saborio will return to Real Salt Lake following Tuesday’s games. All four players will be available for Saturday’s home match against rival Seattle Sounders FC.
