RSL QUARTET OF ALVAREZ, JOHNSON, RIMANDO & SABORÍO NAMED TO GOLD CUP ROSTERS

Alvarez & Saborío Report to Respective National Teams Today in Advance of Weekend Friendlies;

Johnson Available for Saturday Clash with Seattle, Rimando to Remain in RSL Camp on While Standby with U.S. MNT

SANDY, Utah (Monday, May 23, 2011) – Four members of the Real Salt Lake roster – Arturo Alvarez (El Salvador), Will Johnson (Canada), Nick Rimando (United States) and Álvaro Saborío (Costa Rica) – have been named to their respective national team rosters in advance of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, taking place across the United States from June 7-25.

Both Alvarez and Saborío departed the RSL camp this morning to join their teams ahead of warm-up friendlies this weekend, while Johnson will stay with the Claret-and-Cobalt through this Saturday’s Western Conference clash against Seattle Sounders FC (7:00 p.m. MT kickoff) before reporting to the Canadian side. Meanwhile, Rimando will remain with his Real Salt Lake teammates and serve “on call” for U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley as the squad’s third goalkeeper during the three-week tournament.

Real Salt Lake will go without the services of its Gold Cup participants for at least its next four MLS matches against Seattle (May 28), Vancouver (June 4), at Columbus (June 8) and at Philadelphia (June 11) while the continental championship completes its group stage. In addition, RSL will potentially miss a portion of the quartet for additional home contests on June 18 against D.C. United and June 25 against Toronto FC while the Gold Cup’s knockout phase wraps up between the pair of Saturday encounters later next month.

The Quarterfinals will be contested on June 18 (New Meadowlands Stadium in E. Rutherford, NJ) and June 19 (RFK Stadium in Washington, DC) before moving onto the Semifinals on June 22 (Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX) and, ultimately, the Championship match on June 25 (Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA).

Arturo Alvarez – El Salvador

Alvarez joins the El Salvador National Team for the third time in 2011, following his five appearances for La Selecta in January’s Copa Centroamericana – during which he helped El Salvador qualify for the Gold Cup via a fourth-place finish in the seven-team field – and in a pair of friendlies at Cuba and against Jamaica in late March. The 25-year-old product of the U.S. Youth National Team system has now registered 16 “caps” in the white-and-blue of El Salvador since making his debut for the side in 2009.

Click here for more details on the Salvadoran Gold Cup roster from MLSsoccer.com.

El Salvador Gold Cup Schedule (Group A)

*** Friendly – Sunday, May 29 v. Honduras – Robertson Stadium in Houston, TX – 4:00 p.m. MT

Sunday, June 5 vs. Mexico – Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX – 6:00 p.m. MT

Thursday, June 9 vs. Costa Rica – Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC – 5:00 p.m. MT

Sunday, June 12 vs. Cuba – Soldier Field in Chicago, IL – 4:00 p.m. MT

Will Johnson – Canada

At just the age of 24, Johnson has recently become a mainstay in the Canadian first-choice line-up, earning 15 caps for the Maple Leafs since his senior team debut at the age of 18 back in November 2005. Johnson’s most recent appearances for Canada both came on the European continent, as the midfielder earned starting nods for coach Stephen Hart’s side in friendlies at Greece on Feb. 9 (0-1 L) and against Belarus in Turkey on March 29 (1-0 W).

Click here for more details on the Canadian Gold Cup roster from MLSsoccer.com.

Canada Gold Cup Schedule (Group C)

*** Friendly – Tuesday, June 1 v. Ecuador – BMO Field in Toronto – 5:00 p.m. MT

Tuesday, June 7 v. United States – Ford Field in Detroit, MI – 6:00 p.m. MT

Saturday, June 11 v. Guadeloupe – Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL – 4:00 p.m. MT

Tuesday, June 14 v. Panama – Livestrong Sporting Park – Kansas City, KS – 5:00 p.m. MT

Nick Rimando – United States

Thanks to his standout performances for the Claret-and-Cobalt in recent seasons, Rimando has become Bradley’s MLS-based goalkeeper of choice following a six-year hiatus from national team duty. The 31-year-old’s most recent cap – his fifth for the Red, White & Blue – came back on Jan. 22, when he notched a shutout first 45 minutes in the USA’s 1-1 draw with Chile in a friendly at The Home Depot Center, which followed his stint in the USA’s annual January training camp in Southern California. Rimando, one of seven MLS players on the 23-man Gold Cup roster, has compiled a 2-0-0 record and 0.29 GAA (1 goal allowed in 315 minutes) in his five contests with the U.S.’s senior side.

Click here for the full details on the USA’s 23-man Gold Cup roster from USsoccer.com.

United States Gold Cup Schedule (Group C)

*** Friendly – Saturday, June 4 v. Spain – Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA – 2:30 p.m. MT

Tuesday, June 7 v. United States – Ford Field in Detroit, MI – 6:00 p.m. MT

Saturday, June 11 v. Panama – Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL – 6:00 p.m. MT

Tuesday, June 14 v. Guadeloupe – Livestrong Sporting Park – Kansas City, KS – 7:00 p.m. MT

Álvaro Saborío – Costa Rica

A focal point in attack for the Ticos for several years, Saborío’s international resume continues to grow having bagged 22 goals across 64 appearances at the senior level since his debut in 2004. A veteran of both the 2004 Olympics and the 2006 World Cup, Saborío recently celebrated his 29th birthday in style by scoring the first-ever goal in the inaugural match at the new Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose during a friendly against China on March 26. His most recent cap came three days later at Estadio Nacional, when he logged the full 90 minutes against global powerhouse Argentina in a 0-0 draw.

Click here for the full details on Costa Rica’s Gold Cup roster from MLSsoccer.com.

Costa Rica Gold Cup Schedule (Group A)

*** Friendly – Monday, May 30 v. Nigeria in San Jose, Costa Rica

Sunday, June 5 v. Cuba – Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX – 4:00 p.m. MT

Thursday, June 9 v. El Salvador – Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC – 5:00 p.m. MT

Sunday, June 12 v. Mexico – Soldier Field in Chicago, IL – 6:00 p.m. MT

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