SANDY, Utah (Monday, October 8, 2018) – Real Salt Lake FW Joao Plata has been called in to the Ecuador National Team for a pair of friendlies against Qatar (October 12) and Oman (October 16) in Doha, Qatar, during the current FIFA international break.
He is scheduled to return prior to RSL regular season home finale on October 18 against the New England Revolution (7:30 p.m. MT, Rio Tinto Stadium).
“Getting back into the national team has always been a goal for Joao and to achieve that is a tribute to the work he has put in at Real Salt Lake,” RSL General Manager Craig Waibel said. “We are proud of him and hope it can lead to more frequent call-ups.”
Plata, 26, has eight goals and eight assists in 24 matches this season for RSL, giving him 45 goals and 43 assists in six years with the club. The eight-year MLS veteran has four caps for Ecuador and this is his first call-up since he was brought in for World Cup qualifiers in October of 2017. His last appearance for his country came in 2014, when he scored two goals in a friendly against El Salvador.
Real Salt Lake is sixth in the Western Conference at 13-12-7 (46 points) and will face the New England Revolution on Thursday, October 18, in the regular season home finale at Rio Tinto Stadium. Limited tickets are available at www.ksl.com/rsl and by calling 844-REAL-TIX (844-732-5849).
