SANDY, UT (Wednesday, November 6, 2019) – Real Salt Lake MF Albert Rusnák (Slovakia) and FW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela) were called up to their respective national teams for international duty. The attacking duo continues a run of success for club and country in 2019 that saw them help Real Salt Lake reach the Western Conference Semifinals for the second consecutive season.
Rusnák, 25, had 10 goals and five assists in 29 matches this season, giving him 27 goals and 26 assists in 90 matches since coming to Real Salt Lake prior to the 2017 season. Since his first appearance for Slovakia in 2016, Rusnák has five goals in 23 caps.
Slovakia faces Croatia in Croatia on Saturday, November 16, before hosting Azerbaijan on Tuesday, November 19, in UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying. Slovakia is currently third in Group E of qualifying at 3-2-1 (10 points), trailing Croatia and Hungary with two matches to play. The top two teams in each group automatically qualify for the 2020 European Championships.
Now in his third season with Real Salt Lake, Savarino scored eight goals and five assists in 28 matches this season. In 82 career MLS regular season matches, he has 21 goals and 21 assists. Additionally, he scored the game-winning goal in RSL’s First Round Playoff win over the Portland Timbers to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals in 2019. Savarino, 22, 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 now has one goal in 13 caps for Venezuela after recording his first international goal on June 9 in a friendly against the U.S.
Venezuela will face Japan in the Kirin Challenge Cup on Tuesday, November 19, in Suita, Japan.
