SANDY, Utah (Friday, November 9, 2018) – Real Salt Lake MF Albert Rusnák,FW Jefferson Savarino and DF Shawn Barry have been called in to their respective countries for international duty during the upcoming FIFA break. Rusnák will join the Slovakian National Team for the final UEFA Nations League B matches against Ukraine on November 16 in Slovakia and on the road against Czech Republic on November 20. Savarino will play with the Venezuelan National Team, spanning the globe for a pair of friendlies against Japan in Oita, Japan on November 16, and against Iran in Tehran, Iran on November 20. Finally, Barry will rejoin Puerto Rico for its third CONCACAF Nations League match against Belize.
Savarino will be available on Sunday for the second leg of Real Salt Lake’s Western Conference Semifinal series against Sporting Kansas City (1 p.m. MT, ESPN), while Rusnák will serve a one-game suspension after receiving two yellow cards in RSL’s first two playoff matches. The score is currently 1-1 in the series after Rusnák scored in the 51
st
minute on Sunday, with Diego Rubio equalizing for Kansas City in the 60
th
minute. RSL will advance with a win by any score and a draw that sees both teams score two goals or more. Sporting KC will advance with a win or a scoreless draw. If the second leg also ends in a 1-1 draw, the match will go to overtime. If it remains tied after that, it will go to a shootout.
“This is a great reward for Albert, Jefferson and Shawn for the work they’ve done throughout the year,” RSL General Manager Craig Waibel said. “It’s always an honor to represent your country and, from a soccer perspective, another opportunity to gain valuable experience.”
In his second MLS season, Rusnák finished the regular season second on RSL in scoring with 10 goals and seven assists. In 61 MLS matches over two seasons, he has 17 goals and 21 assists. Rusnák, 24, has 15 caps for Slovakia, scoring his third goal last month in a friendly against Sweden.
Also in his second season with RSL, Savarino led the club in assists in 2018 with 11 to go with his seven goals. He has 13 goals and 16 assists in 54 matches since coming to Real Salt Lake early last season. Savarino, 21, made his international debut at Rio Tinto Stadium, coming on as a substitute in a friendly against the U.S. on June 3, 2017. He has four caps for Venezuela, including one last month in a friendly against the United Arab Emirates.
Barry, 28, has four appearances for Real Salt Lake this season and played one match with Real Monarchs SLC in the USL after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him for four months. He came to RSL prior to this season after spending his career in Austria, Germany and Poland. He has two caps for Puerto Rico, both coming in 1-0 defeats in the CONACAF Nations League.
Real Salt Lake faces Sporting Kansas City on Sunday at Children’s Mercy Park in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium on November 4. The winners will advance to face the Portland Timbers in the Western Conference Finals, beginning on Sunday, November 25.
