Justin Meram Successfully Completes Return To International Soccer, Iraq Eliminated From Qatar 2022

SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake winger Justin Meram has successfully completed his return to international soccer coming off the bench in Iraq’s 1-1 draw against Syria today.

Meram, 33, retired from international soccer in October of 2021 but returned within five months following the appointment of Abdul-Ghani Shahad as the interim manager.

Iraq played and beat the United Arab Emirates on March 24 as Meram watched from the bench. Today, Meram’s number was called in the 66th minute when he entered the game. The game ended in a 1-1 draw as Meram saw 26 minutes of playing time.

✅ نهاية المباراة

العراق (1) – (1) سوريا pic.twitter.com/RUuNNVcc01

— IRAQ F.A. (@IRAQFA) March 29, 2022

Unfortunately, Iraq finished fourth in their group and has been eliminated from World Cup qualification.

Now, the seasoned MLS veteran will return to Salt Lake City with hopes of contributing to this weekend’s fixture against Colorado Rapids on the road. It will be a race against time as Meram attempts to overcome any signs of jetlag and fatigue from his 18-hour flight home.

Real Salt Lake is coming off its first loss of the 2022 campaign and is dealing with a growing injury list. Meram’s return is a welcomed thought for manager Pablo Mastroeni.

This week, Real Salt Lake travels to arch-rivals Colorado Rapids for the first installment of the Rocky Mountain Cup in 2022. Thus far, the Rapids, led by former RSL assistant Robin Fraser, finds themselves in sixth place in the Western Conference, three points behind Real Salt Lake but with a game in hand.

Next Match

Real Salt Lake will next travel to Colorado and DSG Park for a date with the Rapids in the first episode of the Rocky Mountain Cup for 2022.

The kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 2. The match will be available to watch for free via the KSL Sports & KSL Sports apps or on KSL Sports dot com.