RSL Forward Duo Selected for Venezuela National Team

HERRIMAN, Utah (Tuesday, September 20, 2022) – Real Salt Lake forwards Sergio Cordova and Jefferson Savarino have traveled to Austria with the Venezuela National Team for a pair of friendlies against Iceland and United Arab Emirates

The pair of friendlies are set to take place at BSFZ-Arena in Südstadt, Austria with the Iceland game scheduled for Thursday, September 22 at 10:00 a.m. MT and United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, September 27 at 11:00 a.m. MT. Both matches are scheduled to be broadcast on FOX.

Cordova is currently in his first season with Real Salt Lake, on loan from Bundesliga and fellow David Blitzed-owned FC Augsburg. In 31 games Cordova has scored a team-leading eight goals and contributed two assists. 

Cordova burst onto the international scene in 2016 when the U-20 Venezuela National Team won the Copa de los Andes and he was subsequently named the Player of the Tournament. The following year he was part of the Venezuela team that finished second at the U-20 FIFA World Cup. Cordova made his senior team debut on August 31, 2017 against Argentina and has since appeared 14 more matches. 

Meanwhile, Savarino is in the midst of his second stint with Real Salt Lake, having first played for the Claret-and-Cobalt from 2017-19 during which he recorded 22 goals and 21 assists in 82 games before joining Atlético Mineiro for two years. Since returning to Utah he has scored six goals and assisted five in just 17 matches. 

With Venezuela Savarino has scored on goal in 26 matches, with his lone goal coming on June 9, 2019 against the United States. Coincidentally he also made his international debut against the United States, this time on June 3, 3017. Savarino most recently played with Venezuela during World Cup Qualification. 

With 43 points accumulated through 32 games of the 2022 MLS campaign, Real Salt Lake (11-11-10, 43pts, 8th West) is part of a four-team glut in the race for the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs. Now guided the last 44 games by former USA star Pablo Mastroeni, the Club’s sixth head coach in 18 seasons, RSL has the opportunity to qualify for the MLS postseason for the 12th time in 15 seasons and earn a home playoff match for the first time since 2019 with a successful finish. For the first time in Club history, RSL has opened the year with 16 consecutive sellouts in Sandy, Utah – the 8-3-5 (W-L-T) home record is amongst the best in MLS this season.