LOPEZ GETS A COSTA RICAN CALL-UP; WON'T MISS SATURDAY'S MATCH

Just got word that left back Porfirio Lopez received a call-up Tuesday to join the Costa Rican national team. But fear not, Union fans. Lopez will rejoin the Union Thursday, in time for the club's match Saturday in Chicago.

Lopez will compete with Costa Rica against Jamaica in an international friendly Wednesday at 8 p.m. at National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. He'll rejoin the Union Thursday.

That Lopez will not miss a match is the good news for the Union, who had pined for an anchor at left back since trading Jordan Harvey to Vancouver last season. And Lopez is it. He has played 90 minutes in each of the Union's first two games of the season. Gabriel Farfan, a natural midfielder, filled in well the rest of the 2011 season until the Union made signing Lopez a priority during the offseason.

Lopez has only one cap with Costa Rica, debuting Aug. 10, 2011 in a friendly against Ecuador, during which he started and played 73 minutes in a 2-0 loss.

(Times staff photo / JULIA WILKINSON)