Player Profiles: Lalo Fernandez continues as third-choice goalkeeper

In 2012, Real Salt Lake thought to bolster its future with the signing of 21 year-old goalkeeper Eduardo Fernandez. Nicknamed Lalo, Fernandez was RSL's third-ever Homegrown Player. Fernandez, born in Guadalajara, Mexico, began his development playing for local youth soccer clubs in Texas before moving to the RSL Academy in Arizona.

Fernandez helped RSL's U-18s began their first U.S. Soccer Development season with a 5-3-3 (1.00 GAA, 4 shutouts). Lalo also has represented both the U.S. and Mexican National Teams at the youth levels but has yet to commit to either country at the senior level. Initially agreeing to play for the University of Wisconsin, Fernandez decided instead to train with Mexican first division side Atlas and Uruguayan powerhouse C.A. Peñarol.

Signing his contact with RSL in February 2012, Lalo has yet to see any MLS league action. Fernandez played one reserve match in 2012 before breaking his wrist in July of that year. Coming on in the 67th minute for Kyle Reynish, Lalo held firm not giving up a single goal to the RSL Reserves' 3-0 loss to the FC Dallas Reserves.

Since then, Lalo has been featured in six Real Salt Lake reserve matches, posting a 2-2-2 record when he is in-between the pipes. Lalo is a solid keeper, but it is expected in so much when goalkeeping runs in his family, with his father a veteran of the top division in Mexico. While not able to dethrone Nick Rimando from his reign as Wall of the Wasatch, Lalo will continue to push backup Jeff Attinella, possibly securing his own role as RSL's secondary netminder.

Editor's note: Those players who registered nearly no minutes in 2014 are unranked. Lalo Fernandez is one of those five.