SALT LAKE CITY - Real Salt Lake DF Eddie Pope has been called into the U.S. Men's National Team camp by head coach Bruce Arena, in preparation for the team's World Cup qualifiers. Pope joined the team on Sunday, October 2 after Real's 2-1 loss against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, October 1.
The U.S. is set to play Costa Rica at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica at 7:00 p.m. MT to air on a one hour tape-delay on ESPN2 and then it returns to home soil to face Panama at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. at 6:00 p.m. MT live on ESPN2. Pope's previous appearance with the USMNT in a World Cup Qualifier was when he started and played a full 90 minutes in the 3-0 victory against Costa Rica at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 4.
Pope returns to the U.S. fold after missing the last three qualifiers and with 72 appearances to his credit, ranks as the USA's most experienced player in the squad. The North Carolina native is a veteran of two U.S. World Cup teams and has notched six goals. Pope made his debut with national team in 1996 in a 2-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago.
