HERRIMAN, Utah (Wednesday, March 8, 2023) – Real Salt Lake Academy Defenders Gershon Henry and Gabriel Oksanen have been named to Finland U-17 Youth National Team as they face Spain, Germany, and Turkey in Elite round play. The international matches will be played in Turkey on Wednesday, March 22, Saturday, March 25, and Tuesday, March 28, 2023.
The UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round is already underway. The eight group winners and seven runners-up with the best records will join hosts Hungary in the finals. Hungary will stage the 16-team UEFA European Under-17 Championship finals from May 17 through June 2, 2023. The tournament will also act as UEFA’s qualifier for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru.
This will be Henry’s second appearance with the Finnish Youth National Team, having played with the Club during the qualifying round of this tournament in January 2023.
Henry has also competed on multiple occasions with both the U-15 and U-17 U.S. Youth National Teams.Â
This is now the third time that Oksanen has been named to the Finland U-17 National Team. He joined the team in July 2022 for the Open Nordic Tournament, and again in January 2023 during the qualifying round of this tournament.
The Real Salt Lake Academy U-17 team is currently playing in international friendlies at Crystal Palace, in London, England. The team returns to MLS NEXT regular season action on March 19, 2023, at Zions Bank Training Center where they will host Breakers FC.