MLS Generation Adidas Side Win Two and Catch World Cup Fever

Real Salt Lake’s Tony Beltran & Alex Nimo were among those ensuring an MLS Generation Adidas side wrapped up their South African trip with a win. The ten day trip to South Africa ended on a winning note last Sunday, as Beltran played the full 90 minutes and Nimo the final half hour in the team’s 2-0 victory over the Ajax Cape Town reserve side. Patrick Nyarko of the Chicago Fire scored the opening goal just before the hour mark, then the Kansas City Wizards’ Roger Espinoza scored the second. Sunday’s result gave the side a two to one record against reserve teams from South Africa’s top-flight Premier Soccer League, following a 1-2 defeat against Santos in Cape Town and a 2-0 victory over the Orlando Pirates in Johannesburg in the trip’s opener.

Beltran who appeared as an unused substitute at last month’s MLS Cup Final in Seattle, played every minute of the tour, while Nimo started the match against Santos and came off the bench in the other contests, totaling 113 minutes of action on the trip. The players couldn’t fail to notice the level of World Cup fever in the country.

“It was beautiful,” New York Red Bull defender Jeremy Hall said. “Me and some of the guys went and got some food. They had it on the big projection screen. Just the whole thing, when Mandela spoke, when they’re announcing everything — just the pride people have for their country is just beautiful. All colors white, black, mixed — it’s just beautiful. They are all sitting together. So I think the World Cup next summer is going to be awesome here.”

Ghanaian, Patrick Nyarko understood how proud and excited Africans are about hosting the World Cup.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “I know Africa has been waiting for this for a long, long time. Some people believed that it may never come to Africa. Luckily we got it and I think South Africa is the best nation at moment to host it. You can see all of the passion through towns, the backing and getting the place ready for the World Cup. I think it’s going to be out of this world.”

Other players participating were, Stefan Frei, Josh Lambo, Rob Valentino, Chance Myers, Jeremy Hall, Danny Cruz, Baggio Husidic, Rodney Wallace, Eric Avila, Bruno Guarda, Chris Pontius, and Peri Marosevic.

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