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SANDY — Rookie defender Boyd Okwuonu has yet to start a match with the Real Salt Lake first team.
But don’t call him "inexperienced."
Okwuonu recently returned from an overseas trip with the United States U-23 men’s national team, where he helped the side to a third-place finish at the Toulon Tournament in southern France.
“It was good, a good experience,” Okwuonu said after training Monday with Real Salt Lake in advance of Tuesday night’s U.S. Open Cup match against Seattle Sounders 2. “I think we showed well getting third, so I’m happy with the result.”
Okwuonu started in two of the four games for head coach Andi Herzog, whose side used two penalty kicks to beat England 2-1 in the third-place match of the tournament.
After a disastrous 3-1 loss to France in the first game, though, few took the United States’ chances to even make it that far. But the Americans rebounded only two days later, beating the Netherlands 3-1 with another start from Okwuonu, who also played in nine out of 10 matches with the U-20s in 2012.
The former North Carolina center back is transitioning to right back for RSL and the national team — a transition that has helped on both fronts. The Edmund, Oklahoma, native said his group, which will also lead the charge as the United States tries to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, is becoming known as one that is readily available to make a comeback.
“In the first game, we struggled a little bit,” Okwuonu said. “But we bounced back pretty well, and I think that’s a big strength we have that we’re going to use coming up in our cycle.”
BECKERMAN’S BACK — RSL captain Kyle Beckerman also returned from international duty Monday after helping the U.S. senior team to a pair of wins over top-ranked Germany and the Netherlands in international friendlies last month. “It was really fun, and the experience was something I’ll never forget,” Beckerman said of the Americans’ 4-3 win over Holland and 2-1 win over Germany. “To be able to play in those two big stadiums, in Europe, against (two of the top four) teams in the World Cup — it’s an experience you don’t always get, so to take full advantage of it and get the wins is a great thing.”
Beckerman said there was plenty of celebrating when U.S. substitute Bobby Wood scored the decisive goal in both matches. But the friendly nature of the road trip helped temper enthusiasm for the games too much.
“Soccer never stops, you know? It was a great feeling, and it was awesome. We’re really happy for each other,” Beckerman said. “But it’s just another game, in the end of it. It was a big game, but it’s still just another game.”
The hurried nature of the two-game series helped temper celebrations a little bit, as did the friendly nature of both matches. The United States obviously would prefer to beat teams like the Netherlands in the World Cup, Beckerman added.
“In Holland we were excited, and then it was a quick turnaround going to Germany, then a quick turnaround to get back to the club,” said RSL’s defensive midfielder, who started against Holland and entered as a second-half sub against the Germans. “There were definitely some celebratory moments, but we know it was a big win and nothing we were going to get too excited about.”
OLAVE, SCHULER GETTING HEALTHY — It seems like almost every player on RSL’s roster has spent some time on the injury list in 2015, but the team got some good news Monday when defenders Jamison Olave and Chris Schuler participated in portions of training at Rio Tinto Stadium.
RSL coach Jeff Cassar said Olave, who suffered a right quad strain last Sunday against Colorado, could make a relatively quick recovery.
“He’s doing really good,” Cassar said. “He’s working hard with our training staff, doing a good job, and I don’t think he’s too far off. He usually takes care of his body really well.”
Schuler could also begin to enter into eligibility discussions, the second-year head coach added.
“It’s what is best for Chris, and what is best for the team,” Cassar said. “We have a lot of games coming up, but we also don’t want any setbacks.
“But his knee is feeling great.”
