Four Red Bulls named to senior national team camps and two to U.S. U-23 national team
HARRISON, N.J. (September 3, 2019) – The New York Red Bulls have six players to compete with their respective national teams during the September FIFA international window. Aaron Long (USMNT), Kemar Lawrence (Jamaica) and Michael Amir Murillo (Panama) return to their respective national teams after the 2019 Gold Cup, while Kaku joins Paraguay and Omir Fernandez and Kyle Duncan head to the U.S Under-23 Men’s National team camp.
Long, an Oak Hills, California, native, continues to be a regular for the USMNT as he will build upon his recent Gold Cup tournament performance. The 26-year-old centerback has made 11 appearances for his country, starting in all 11 and wearing the captain’s armband for two. Long helped anchor the USMNT’s backline to three clean sheets en route to a runner-up finish in the 2019 Gold Cup. During the Gold Cup stretch, he recorded his first two career goals with the national team in a 6-0 rout of Trinidad and Tobago.
Lawrence, who eclipsed 50 caps with Jamaica, returns to his native country that he helped reach the 2019 Gold Cup Semifinal. The Reggae Boyz primary left back started all five Gold Cup matches and helped anchor a backline to two clean sheets. Lawrence and Jamaica will face Antigua & Barbuda (Sept. 6) and Guyana (Sept. 9) for the Group Stage of the 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League.
Murillo heads back with the Panamanian national team after a 2019 Gold Cup run that fell short in the quarterfinals to teammate Lawrence and Jamaica, 1-0. The Panamanian right back played in all three group stage matches and the quarterfinal match, tallying one assist in 284 minutes. Murillo and Panama will face Bermuda in a home-and-home series, beginning on September 5 and finishing on September 8 for the Group Stage of the 2019-20 Concacaf Nations League.
Kaku rejoins the Paraguayan National team for the first time since being called in for the 2019 March camp for international friendlies against Peru and Mexico. The Red Bulls Designated Player has appeared in three previous matches for Paraguay, tallying one start and 144 minutes played. Kaku and Paraguay will have road international friendlies during the September camp, traveling to Japan (Sept. 5) and Jordan (Sept. 10).
Fernandez and Duncan will join the U.S. U-23 Men’s national team to face Japan on Sept. 9 in Chula Vista, California. The team will gather for a training camp from Sept. 1-10 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, just south of San Diego. Duncan recently attended the combined senior, U-23 training camp ahead of the 2019 Gold Cup tournament in late-May, early-June. Fernandez made his most recent appearance at the national stage with three-team U.S. Soccer National Team training camp in January. He has also competed at the U-14, U-15 and U-18 National team camps.
