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Real Salt Lake MF Luis Gil Called up to U.S. U-20 National Team

February 7, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah (Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013) - Real Salt Lake MF Luis Gil was one of 18 players named on Thursday to the U.S. Under-20 national team roster for the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. The 19-year-old California native left RSL's preseason camp for Puebla, Mexico on Thursday for a 10-day training camp ahead of the start of the tournament on Feb. 18.

Gil will lead the U.S. as it attempts to qualify for its 13th FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will take place in Turkey from June 21-July 13. The top four teams from the 12-team CONCACAF U-20 Championship field will advance to the U-20 World Cup.

Gil has been a part of the U-20's last three training camps dating back to October 2012 when he was called in for the Marbella Cup in Spain. The Claret-and-Cobalt MF participated in week-long training camps in Florida in December and in Puebla last month.

Acquired by Real Salt Lake as a 16-year-old in February 2010, Gil has three goals and three assists in 54 career regular season appearances, 33 of which were starts. The fourth-year pro is expected to become a full-time starter in 2013, filling the left midfield spot left vacant by RSL's December trade of MF Will Johnson to Portland.

Gil is one of 11 professional players and one of five MLS players on U-20 manager Tab Ramos' roster. Gil has the most first-team professional experience of any player on the roster.

The U.S. is grouped with Costa Rica and Haiti in Group A and opens the tournament against Haiti on Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m. CT at Estadio OlÃ-mpico Universitario Lobos BUAP in Puebla. The USA then faces Costa Rica at 5:30 p.m. CT on Feb. 22 at Estadio OlÃ-mpico. Should the USA finish in the top two in its group and advance to the quarterfinals, its match would take place on Feb. 26. The semifinal stage is set for March 1 and the championship and third-place games on March 3.


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