SANDY — Real Salt Lake players Kyle Beckerman, Nick Rimando, Alvaro Saborio and Will Johnson have been called up by their respective national teams for FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
Midfielder Beckerman and goalkeeper Rimando have been called up by the U.S. squad while forward Sabormo will help Costa Rica and midfielder Johnson his native Canada.
The qualifying matches are Friday and Oct. 16.
Also, 18-year-old midfielder Luis Gil has been called up to the U.S. under-20 team for the Marbella Cup in Spain.
All five should be back for Real Salt Lake’s next game Oct. 17 at Seattle.
The club then takes on Costa Rican champions C.S. Herediano in a must-win CONCACAF Champions League match Oct. 23 at home before its MLS regular-season finale against Vancouver on Oct. 27.
Meanwhile, Jozy Altidore was dropped Monday from the U.S. roster for a pair of critical World Cup qualifiers after disappointing U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann in games and practice over the last year.
Klinsmann instead selected Seattle’s Eddie Johnson and San Jose’s Alan Gordon to join Clint Dempsey, Herculez Gomez and Landon Donovan as attacking players on his 24-man roster for games at Antigua and Barbuda on Friday and home against Guatemala on Oct. 16.
Seeking their seventh straight World Cup appearance, the Americans face likely elimination unless they get at least four points. The U.S., Guatemala and Jamaica all have 2-1-1 records with seven points, and only the top two teams in the group advance to next year’s regional finals.
Klinsmann also said Donovan’s left knee injury sustained Saturday while playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy did not appear to be serious and that midfielder Jermaine Jones’ left ankle injury was minor.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England), Nick Rimando (Salt Lake).
Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander, Spain), Geoff Cameron (Stoke, England), Edgar Castillo (Tijuana, Mexico), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Maurice Edu (Stoke, England), Clarence Goodson (Brondby, Denmark), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim, Germany), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland, Denmark).
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Roma, Italy), Joe Corona (Tijuana, Mexico), Jermaine Jones (Schalke, Germany), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht, Belgium), Brek Shea (Dallas), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim, Germany), Graham Zusi (Kansas City).
Forwards: Clint Dempsey (Tottenham, England), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Herculez Gomez (Santos Laguna, Mexico), Alan Gordon (San Jose), Eddie Johnson (Seattle).
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