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RSL rookie Benji Lopez called in for US U-20 camp

Matt Montgomery

Benji Lopez, homegrown striker and RSL academy graduate, has been called up for Tab Ramos's Under-20 camp in Italy.

Lopez, who signed with the club this summer after graduating from the academy, has yet to play a senior game for Real Salt Lake. He trained with the senior side during the 2013 preseason and impressed enough at striker to make the squad.

He is the only Real Salt Lake player to join the squad, but former RSL academy player Kainoa Bailey joins from Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. Ben Spencer of Molde FK also spent time at the academy, and it is believed that his future rights are held by the club, though the vagaries of MLS homegrown rules renders that somewhat tetchy.

Update: Grande Sports Academy reports that Romain Gall, at FC Lorient, also played at the academy. I'd forgotten that.

GOALKEEPERS (2) : Santiago Castano (New York Red Bulls; Union City, N.J.), Ethan Horvath (Molde FK; Highlands Ranch, Colo.)

DEFENDERS (6): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Conor Donovan (Capital Area RailHawks Academy; Fuquay Varina, N.C.), Matias Fracchia (NJSA 04; Roselle Park, N.J.), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (IMG Academy; Powder Springs, Ga.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Russell Canouse (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim; Lancaster, Pa.), Marco Delgado (Chivas USA; Glendora, Calif.), Junior Flores (Borussia Dortmund; Manassas Park, Va.), Romain Gall (FC Lorient; Herndon, Va.), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland AFC; Santa Cruz, Calif.), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham FC; Plano, Texas), Kristian Scott (Swansea City AFC; Winterbourne, Bristol), Omar Thompson (Wigan Athletic; Miami, Fla.)

FORWARDS (6): Kainoa Bailey (Bayer 04 Leverkusen; Henderson, Nev.), Benji Lopez (Real Salt Lake; San Diego, Calif.), Amando Moreno (New York Red Bulls; Morganville, N.J.), Zach Pfeffer (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim; Dresher, Pa.), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; Beaverton, Ore.), Ben Spencer (Molde FK; Albuquerque, N.M.)