Mark McKenzie and Matthew Real with United States U18 team for Portugal tournament

Bethlehem Steel FC defenders Matthew Real and Mark McKenzie are among the 20 players on the United States U18 roster for the 2017 Lisbon International Tournament in Portugal.

Real and McKenzie both graduated from YSC Academy in a special ceremony earlier this month since they will miss the larger ceremony while away. Real is under contract with Steel FC and McKenzie is committed to play college soccer this fall at Wake Forest.

A third player from the area, PA Classics’s defender Christian Takaki, is also on the squad.

The U.S. will face Japan on Wednesday, followed by games against Norway on Friday and Portugal Sunday.

The timing of the tournament means both Real and McKenzie will be unavailable for the Steel FC game against New York Red Bulls II this Friday but will be back for the Harrisburg City Islanders match on June 20 and available to travel with the Philadelphia Union U18 team for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy playoffs in Indiana (June 22-26).

Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Trey Muse (Seattle Sounders; Tukwila, Wash.) Gabe Rosario (Reading FC; Charlotte, N.C.)

DEFENDERS (7): Gideon Davis (CE Europa; Barcelona, Spain.) Jack Maher (Scott Gallagher; Caseyville, Ill.), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union; Bear, Del.), Matthew Real (Philadelphia Union; Drexel Hill, Pa.), Aedan Stanley (St. Louis Scott Gallagher SC; Columbia, Ill.), Christian Takaki (PA Classics; Dover, Pa.), Carson Vom Steeg (Real So Cal; Santa Barbara, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Faris Abdi (IMG; Bradenton, Fla.), Raul Aguilera (Orlando City S.C.; Sanford, Fla.), Christian Cappis (Texans SC Houston; West Chicago, Ill.), Koby Carr (Texas Rush; San Antonio, Texas), Jose Carranza (North Carolina FC; Manassas, Va.) Andrew Paoli (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.) Brandon Servania (FC Dallas; Birmingham, Ala.)

FORWARDS (4): Lucas Del Rosario (CASL; Durham, N.C.), Griffin Dorsey (Colorado Rush; Evergreen, Colo.) Emanuel Perez (CASL; Garner, N.C.), Justin Rennicks (New England Revolution Academy; Hamilton, Mass.)

Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.

See Full Bio