Union's Lopez called up by Costa Rican national team

Chester, Pa. - Philadelphia Union defender Porfirio Lopez has been called up by the Costa Rican National Team to compete in an international friendly against Jamaica on Wednesday, March 21, 8:00 p.m., at The National Stadium in Kingston. Lopez will depart today and return to Philadelphia on Thursday in time to join the Union for their match at Chicago on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. EST on The Comcast Network.

Since arriving in Philadelphia, Lopez has started each of the Union's two regular season games in 2012, playing a full 90 minutes in each.

Lopez has been capped once for Costa Rica, making his first international appearance on August 10, 2011 in a friendly against Ecuador. He started and played 73 minutes in the 2-0 loss.  Costa Rica is currently riding a four-game unbeaten streak, including a 2-2 draw with World Cup champion Spain, a 2-0 road win at Venezuela and a 1-0 victory over Wales in Cardiff.

Previously on loan with Costa Rican First Division champion Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, Lopez was acquired from Chinese First Division side Dalian Haichang on December 22, 2011. The 26-year-old arrived in Philadelphia following back-to-back Apertura and Clausura titles with Alajuelense in 2011. Playing primarily as a left back, Lopez appeared in a total of 16 games in 2011. His first and lone goal in La Liga came in the 62nd minute of a 4-0 victory over Cartagines on Sept. 7, 2011.

Lopez made his professional debut with Santos de Guapiles in 2005, playing in a total of 42 matches before moving to Puntarenas in 2009. He saw action in 31 games with his new club, finding the back of the net on one occasion. In 2010, the defender moved to Dalian Haichang, notching two tallies in ten matches before returning to Costa Rica’s Alajuelense.