Albert Rusnák yet again will join the Slovakia national team for the World Cup qualifiers next week, RSL coach Mike Petke revealed in his postgame comments Wednesday.
“Albert sees things [on the field], and that is why he is going to the national team next week because he is a special player,” Petke said after RSL’s 4-0 victory over San Jose.
Along with Rusnák, Jefferson Savarino has been summoned for international duty, RSL announced Thursday. Savarino will join the Venezuela national team next week. The U.S. national team plans to announce its roster for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches Sunday, and goalkeeper Nick Rimando likely will be on that list.
With a break in play for RSL next week, all international call-ups are expected to leave after Saturday’s home game against Colorado and return before RSL’s Sept. 9 match at Vancouver.
This will be Rusnák’s third stint with Slovakia’s senior team this season. He joined the group in March and June earlier this year. Rusnák, a staple on Slovakia’s youth teams, also competed in the UEFA U-21 Championships.
The 23-year-old Slovakian international has logged six goals and a team-high 10 assists in his 23 appearances for RSL.
“Albert is the type of player that sees plays 2 or 3 seconds ahead of everyone else, and that is why he is so valuable to us,” Petke said Wednesday after Rusnák tallied a goal and two assists on the night. “Then you add Luis [Silva], Joao [Plata], Jefferson [Savarino] that are very similar players, and that is why it is difficult when teams sit back because in transition they are so fluid and fast that they can read each other when there is space in front of them. It was a joy to watch tonight.”
Savarino, 20, made his Venezuela national team debut in a friendly against the U.S. on June 3 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Savarino, acquired by Real Salt Lake on loan from the Venezuelan club Zulia FC in May, has made his mark in just 14 starts and 16 appearances. He has logged four goals and three assists.
Rimando has been a frequent call-up for the U.S. national team. He has earned 22 caps and went to the 2014 World Cup with the USMNT. Bruce Arena called him in for the U.S.’s World Cup qualifiers in March and June, making him a likely candidate for this round of qualifying matches.
“There’s been emails back and forth, but they come out with that on Sunday,” Rimando said about his communication with the national team.
Slovakia, Venezuela and the U.S. each have two matches scheduled in the next two weeks.
Slovakia first hosts Slovenia in Trnava on Sept. 1. The team then travels to London to take on England on Sept. 4.
Venezuela matches up with Colombia in San Cristobal on its home turf Aug. 31 then heads to Buenos Aires to face Argentina on Sept. 5.
The U.S. plays Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena on Sept. 1. It plays Honduras in San Pedro Sula four days later.
