Acosta, Glad, Herrera join Lennon, Saucedo in U-20 World Cup call-up

Real Salt Lake’s academy continues to dominate youth national teams, and as a result, four first-team players and one further academy graduate have been called up to the United States squad for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

That list reads exactly as you’d expect: Danny Acosta, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera, Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo.

It’s certainly a testament to their quality that they were called in, but it does leave Real Salt Lake shorthanded. It’s unusual that all four of the players have played significant first-team roles in the last year; particularly, Acosta, Lennon and Saucedo have been nearly ever-present under new RSL coach Mike Petke.

Justen Glad’s call-up must be somewhat of a relief for the player, with his availability uncertain through an injury sustained in the CONCACAF U-20 tournament. Petke emphasized recently that his priority for Glad was to get him on-track for the U-20 World Cup, not for playing first-team minutes.

Roster via U.S. Soccer

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jonathan Klinsmann (University of California; Newport Beach, Calif.), J.T. Marcinkowski (Georgetown; Alamo, Calif.), Brady Scott (De Anza Force; Petaluma, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (7): Danny Acosta (Real Salt Lake; Salt Lake City, Utah), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur FC; Westcliff-on-Sea, England), Marlon Fossey (Fulham FC; Surbiton, England), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; Tucson, Ariz.), Aaron Herrera (University of New Mexico; Las Cruces, N.M.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee's Summit, Mo.), Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC; Oviedo, Fla.)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Luca De La Torre (Fulham FC; San Diego, Calif.), Derrick Jones (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.), Eryk Williamson (University of Maryland; Alexandria, Va.), Gedion Zelalem (Arsenal FC; Bethesda, Md.)

FORWARDS (6): Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers; Bethesda, Md.), Lagos Kunga (Atlanta United FC Academy; Tucker, Ga.), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake; Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Emmanuel Sabbi (Unattached; Columbus, Ohio), Josh Sargent (Scott Gallagher Missouri; O'Fallen, Mo.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake; Park City, Utah)