CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – Real Salt Lake – Arizona U-16 Academy players Sebastian Saucedo and Christian Herrera have been named to an 18-player squad for the upcoming Copa del Atlantico that runs from January 30-Febaruy 8th in Las Palmas, Spain, by U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team head coach Javier Perez.
Making its first appearance at the Copa del Atlantico, the U-18s are set to open up the renowned tournament against Spain on February 4th, in advance of facing Argentina on February 5th and the Canary Islands on February 7th. Four MLS Academies are represented with the RSL-AZ Academy leading the way with two players.
Saucedo and Herrera have guided the RSL-AZ U-16 Academy team to its best start in its four year history at the Grande Sports Academy. The U-16s are leading the Southwest Division through 12 matches and Saucedo is the U-16s leader in scoring and assists with 10 and 6, respectively. Herrera has kept 8 clean sheets and has allowed just 4 goals through 11 starts.
GOALKEEPERS (2): Christian Herrera (Real Salt Lake AZ; Las Cruces, N.M.), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes; Alamo, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (5): Chase Gasper (Bethesda-Olney; Alexandria, Va.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Tommy Redding (Unattached; Oviedo, Fla.), Tyler Turner (Unattached; Meriden, Conn.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder; Minneapolis, Minn.), Omar Castro (Eintracht Braunschweig; Plant City, Fla.), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham FC; Plano, Texas), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake AZ; Park City, Utah), Ben Swanson (Crew Soccer Academy; Grove City, Ohio), Jackson Yueill (Minnesota Thunder; Bloomington, Minn.)
FORWARDS (5): Andrija Novakovich (Chicago Magic PSG; Muskego, Wis.), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; Beaverton, Ore.), Ahinga Selemani (CSA Wolves; Ann Arbor, Mich.), Alan Winn (Solar Chelsea SC; Garland, Texas), Dembakwi Yomba (Concorde Fire; Lithona, Ga.)