Yordany Álvarez

Acquired

RSL: Acquired via loan deal with Orlando City S.C. (USL PRO) on 9/15/11; Signed new three-year contract on 2/09/12

When it came to taking advantage of an opportunity in 2011, nobody did it better than midfielder Yordany Alvarez, who parlayed his USL PRO League MVP performance for Orlando City S.C. into a quasi-starting gig last September shortly after joining Real Salt Lake on loan at the roster freeze deadline. The one-time Cuban international provided quality cover for Kyle Beckerman, whose suspensions and U.S. MNT call-ups across the last quarter of the season forced Alvarez onto the field for five contests.

The 26-year-old performed well enough during the impromptu “trial by fire” that RSL sought to secure his services on a more permanent basis, and the Utah side did just that in February by coming to buyout terms with Orlando and locking up the holding midfielder via a new three-year deal. With Beckerman again slated to pull double-duty for club and country during much of 2012, fans can expect to see Alvarez back in the Starting XI mix on many more occasions.

MLS Career

2012: Came to terms with Real Salt Lake on a three-year contract after expiration of loan agreement from USL PRO side Orlando City S.C, keeping Alvarez in Claret-and-Cobalt through the end of the 2014 campaign … Acquired United States Green Card during the offseason, thus will no longer occupy one of the squad’s International Player slots.

2011: Acquired for the remainder of the season by RSL on 9/15 via a loan deal with Orlando City SC on the MLS roster freeze deadline date … Stepped in to play five regular season contests (four starts) – in place of captain Kyle Beckerman at the holding midfield spot … Also featured in the first XI in all four appearances in MLS Reserve League play across Sept. and Oct. … Made his RSL debut in the first XI six days after signing on 9/21 @ NY, going the distance in a thorough 3-1 triumph at Red Bull Arena … Played 75 min. off the bench on 9/28 v. CHI, filling in for an ejected Beckerman in RSL’s 0-3 home defeat … Also provided cover for the RSL captain during his three-game suspension, covering 10/1 @ LA (1-2 L), 10/14 @ COL (0-0 T) and 10/22 v. POR (1-1 T) affairs … Political asylum status prevented him from joining RSL north of the border for its 10/06 @ VAN contest (0-3 L) … Made MLS Cup Playoffs debut on 11/02 @ SEA, his 76^th minute inclusion helping RSL hold down the fort at the end of a 0-2 loss in the 2^nd leg of the Western Conf. Semifinal Series, allowing the Utahns to advance over Sounders FC 3-2 on aggregate.

Professional Career

2011 – Orlando City S.C. (USL PRO): Moved with his former club (Austin Aztex) when the team was purchased by new owners and moved to Orlando, where they competed in the United Soccer Leagues Professional Division (USL PRO) for the 2011 season … Was named the USL PRO Most Valuable Player for his contributions in 2011, which included three goals in his 25 overall appearances (24 starts) between regular season, playoff and U.S. Open Cup play … Helped Orlando City to the league’s top regular season record (15-3-6, 51 pts.) and the USL PRO title … After playing all 120 minutes of regulation and overtime of the USL PRO Championship on 9/03 v. Harrisburg City Islanders (2-2 T), converted Orlando City’s second PK during their 3-2 penalty shootout triumph at the Citrus Bowl … Opened his 2011 goal-scoring account in a 3-0 victory on 4/09 v. New York … Scored a stoppage-time equalizer from distance on 6/28 @ FC Dallas in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round, only to see his squad allow another shortly after in a heart-breaking 2-3 defeat at Pizza Hut Park … Scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal on 8/06 v. Charleston Battery (2-1 W).

2009-10 – Austin Aztex (USL First Division): Made 41 appearances for the Aztex during the squad’s two seasons in Austin … After failing to latch on to an MLS club the previous season, attended open tryouts for the the Aztex in California in March 2009, impressing enough to earn a spot on the start-up USL First Division squad  … Started in all 14 of his appearances for Austin during his first season in the American soccer ranks, scoring three times in regular season play before a foot injury cut his season short … Made his first appearance for the Aztex in the squad’s season opener on 4/18/09 v. Minnesota Thunder … Renewed his contract with the Aztex on 1/21/10, signing a three-year deal … Was a stalwart for Austin in 2010, starting all 27 appearances and tallying a pair of goals … Shortly after defecting to the United States in the spring of 2008, was invited to the LA Galaxy’s preseason camp as a trialist, but failed to latch on to the MLS outfit.

2006-08 (FC Cienfuegos – Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba): Began his professional career with a three-year stint with his hometown side, FC Cienfuegos.

International Career

From 2006-08, scored three goals for Cuba in eight contests between the Under-23 and Senior team levels … In March 2008, Alvarez and six fellow Cuban teammates defected to the United States while playing with the Cuban U-23 National Team in the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in Tampa.

REGULAR SEASON GAME HIGHS

Goals                           0

Assists                         0

Shots on Goal              0

Shots                           0

Fouls Committed         6 – 2 times, last: Oct. 22, 2011; RSL v. POR

Fouls Suffered            2 – Sept. 21, 2011; RSL @ NY