MLS Real Salt Lake

RSL's Beckerman, Findley And Rimando Selected To U.S. Men's National Team Camp

Published on February 4, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah (Thursday, February 4, 2010) - U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley today announced the 23-man roster that will take part in his squad's second training camp of 2010, with the group once again including the Real Salt Lake trio of MF Kyle Beckerman, FW Robbie Findley, and GK Nick Rimando that also took part in the program's January camp. The latest U.S. camp, taking place from February 10-20 at U.S. Soccer's National Training Center at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., will be held in preparation for the USA's second international friendly in this FIFA World Cup year, a Feb. 24 date with fellow CONCACAF side El Salvador at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (5:00 p.m. MT kickoff, live on ESPN Classic and TeleFutura).

"Nothing better embodies our growth and success as a franchise than the fact that Nick, Kyle and Robbie continue to be in the mix to make the U.S. World Cup squad for South Africa in June," said Real Salt Lake General Manager Garth Lagerwey. "Our team is our star and now our championship has spawned individual recognition for our players. We are genuinely proud of all three of them and wish them good fortune in their quest to fulfill the dream of every player - to participate in a World Cup."

Due to their call-ups, Beckerman, Findley and Rimando are likely miss the entirety of Real Salt Lake's first preseason camp of 2010, taking place in Casa Grande, Ariz. from Feb. 13-27. Should any of the players not travel with the U.S. squad to Tampa on Feb. 21, they will join up with their RSL teammates in Arizona for the remainder of the defending MLS Cup Champions' camp.

With his starting role on January 22 against Honduras, the 27-year-old Beckerman claimed his 11th career appearance ("cap") with the U.S. MNT since making his Senior team debut during the 2007 Copa America in Venezuela. The Crofton, Md. native increased his international profile last July during an impressive stint at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, starting in five of the USA's six appearances en route to the tournament's final and scoring his first goal at the senior international level, the equalizer in the second half of an eventual 2-1 overtime win over Panama in the quarterfinal round. Beckerman also appeared as a late-match substitute in the USA's 2-1 win over El Salvador in a CONCACAF region World Cup Qualifying contest in front of his home crowd at Rio Tinto Stadium last Sept. 5.

Findley got his first real look in just his second career appearance with the U.S. MNT during the friendly loss to Honduras last month, earning his first start for the squad and playing the full 90 minutes in the 1-3 defeat. The February camp will be Findley's third with the U.S. squad since last September, when he trained under Bradley in advance of the team's World Cup Qualifiers against El Salvador and at Trinidad & Tobago. The 24-year-old Findley's first "cap" with the USA was a brief one back on Oct. 17, 2007, when he entered a 1-0 victory at Switzerland in the 90th minute in place of Clint Dempsey.

After serving as the back-up netminder to Troy Perkins for the Honduras loss last month, Rimando is hoping to serve as Bradley's primary option between the posts for the upcoming El Salvador match-up. Rimando parlayed a stellar 2009 campaign for his club side into another U.S. MNT camp appearance in January, which marked his first call-up during his tenure in Utah. Rimando's last "cap" for the USA came back during the Bruce Arena era, when he notched his first complete-game shutout in a 2-0 friendly victory over Wales on May 26, 2003, at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, Calif.

The full camp group features 23 players from Major League Soccer, many of whom were a part of the training camp which opened 2010 last month. Twenty-one players return from that roster, including 10 of the starting 11 from the Jan. 23 match against Honduras. The match against El Salvador will be one of the last games before the 2010 FIFA World Cup roster is named in May and gives the group a chance to make an impression on Bradley's coaching staff with an eye towards South Africa.

For the detailed 23-man roster and more information on the U.S. Men's National Team's training camp in advance of the Feb. 24 against El Salvador, please visit www.USSoccer.com.

FEBRUARY 10-20 U.S. MNT CAMP - ROSTER BY POSITION

GOALKEEPERS (3): Troy Perkins (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Zach Thornton (Chivas USA)

DEFENDERS (7): Kevin Alston (New England Revolution), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Michael Orozco (Philadelphia Union), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)

FORWARDS (4): Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)

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