First team, youth split RSL roster for Atlas match

Real Salt Lake has announced their roster for Thursday’s match against Atlas FC, and if you thought we’d be getting a heavily rotated lineup with major youth integrations — you’re probably wrong.

That, of course, may not be a bad thing. RSL doesn’t play at the weekend, owing to an international break. While a plethora of figures (certainly the most in recent memory) will be away with their respective national teams, RSL will have a large first-team contingent available for Thursday’s Leagues Cup Showcase match.

The roster is as follows, per a release from Major League Soccer. (I’d dispute some of the positions here, but that is what it is.)

• Goalkeepers: Gavin Beavers, Tomas Gomez, Zachary MacMath
• Defenders: Andrew Brody, Zackery Farnsworth, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera, Erik Holt, Johan Kappelhof, Jasper Loffelsend, Marcelo Silva
• Midfielders: Nicholas Besler, Scott Caldwell, Maikel Chang, Bode Hidalgo, Gennaro Nigro, Pablo Ruiz, Jude Wellings
• Forwards: Anderson Julio Santos, Axel Kei Havelange, Justin Meram, Daniel Musovski, Tate Schmitt
• Head coach: Pablo Mastroeni

Of that group, the Real Monarchs contingent only consists of Gennaro Nigro. Further, Beavers, Wellings, Farnsworth, Hidalgo, and Kei have featured heavily for Monarchs in 2022, despite being on a first-team contract.