SANDY, Utah—Real Salt Lake players Justen Glad and Brooks Lennon have yet another opportunity to showcase themselves outside of the MLS regular season this year.
The Salt Lake Homegrown Players will participate in the MLS Homegrown Game on Tuesday in Chicago (8 pm ET | UDN, MLS LIVE in Canada), just another sign that this duo is on the come after they helped the US U-20 national team win the the CONCACAF U-20 Championships and reach the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.
And although it comes at a busy time of year, both Lennon and Brooks are excited for what is a unique opportunity.
“This opportunity, you only get it once a year,” Lennon said. “To play with the best XI of the MLS at a young age is a great opportunity and to be coached by Mike Magee and Brian McBride is a great opportunity and I’m looking forward to it.”
Glad will be making his third straight appearance after playing in both 2015 and 2016. The MLS Homegrown team has yet to win, but the showcase event helps raise the level of play even if points or qualification aren’t on the line.
“There’s a little less pressure, but at the same time you want to perform because you never know who’s watching,” Glad said. “Being able to showcase yourself in a different environment and with different people looking is always fun and it hopefully raises the level of play.”
Lennon and Glad have played against teammates from the U-20 national team since returning from South Korea, but having the opportunity to play with some of them again only adds to the enjoyment.
“Anytime you get to play with players that you know and you have created a bond with it’s good,” Glad said. “I mean I lived with those guys for a month, so it’s going to be a good time and we’re all looking forward to it.”
With friends on the team, the friendly becomes much more of an opportunity to go out and play some soccer without thinking too much.
“It doesn’t mean anything. It’s not for points or anything. It’s just a friendly and a chance to have fun and play in front of a crowd you have never played in front of,” Lennon said.
Glad and Lennon will be one of five groups of teammates suiting up for the MLS side against Chivas Guadalajara’s U-20 team on Tuesday.
