SANDY, Utah - On the road again. At least that’s the motto for Real Salt Lake’s Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica) and Abdoulie Mansally (Gambia). The Salt Lake pair have been called by their respective national teams for World Cup qualifying matches.
While on duty, Saborio and Mansally will miss RSL’s contests against the Los Angeles Galaxy (June 8) and Charleston Battery in the U.S. Open Cup (June 12).
Saborio will join Los Ticos - which currently sits in second-place in the CONCACAF Hexagonal - ahead of its games against Honduras, Mexico and Panama, but it’s not clear whether the forward will see the field. The Costa Rican has been sidelined with a left quad strain and is listed as out for RSL's Saturday match against San Jose. Saborio has been clinical when he's on the field, leading the Claret-and-Cobalt with four goals - including one against Chicago last Saturday.
Mansally and the Gambian national team starts the second half of the CAF second round with some serious ground to make up in Group C. Currently in last place in their group with just one point, Gambia has to beat the Ivory Coast and Morocco in this round of qualifiers just to have a chance at winning the group and advancing to the third and final round of qualifying.
The Claret-and-Cobalt will return to MLS action on Saturday, when it will take on San Jose at Rio Tinto Stadium at 7:30 p.m. MT. The match will be broadcast live on ABC4, ESPN700 AM and 102.3 La Gran D FM/1600 AM.
