After 12 days training in Carson, Calif., Jurgen Klinsmann named his 23-man roster for the U.S. National Team’s upcoming friendlies against Chile and Panama, including both Real Salt Lake players Nick Rimando and Luis Gil.
The RSL duo is among the 20 MLS players on the roster, which also includes newcomers and returners Mix Diskerud (NYCFC), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC) and Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC).
Rimando has 16 career caps with the U.S senior team and has posted a perfect 10-0-2 record with four shutouts. The 35-year-old ‘keeper had four appearances in 2014, posting a 1-0-2 record with a 0.86 goals against average. With RSL, he also surpassed the all-time MLS shutout record in 2014 and now has 115 career clean sheets.
Gil is making his return to the U.S. senior team after making his debut last February in a friendly against South Korea. The 21-year-old was a fixture for the U.S. Under-20 National Team, playing every minute for the U.S. in the 2013 FIFA Under-20 World Cup and notching one goal and one assist in the tournament.
There are 14 different MLS teams represented on the team, with RSL among six teams with two representatives. The team departed Saturday morning for Santiago, Chile, where it will face Chile in the first friendly of 2015 on Wednesday. Kickoff at Estadio El Teniente is set for 4 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1, UniMas and the Univision Deportes Network.
The camp culminates with a friendly against Panama on Sunday, Feb. 8, in Carson. Kickoff at the StubHub Center is set for 2 p.m. MT, and will be broadcast live on ESPN, UniMas and Univision Deportes Network.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (7): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Perry Kitchen (D.C. United), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (Orlando City), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
