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Friendly double dip has MLS flavor
Thomas captains Jamaica in draw; Venezuela bests Montero, Colombia
By Dylan Butler / MLSnet.com Staff
The Crew's Alejandro Moreno saw time for Venezuela in a win over Colombia. (AP)
E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Wearing the captain's armband for Jamaica isn't something new for Shavar Thomas. He has done so for the Reggae Boyz on every youth level he played, including for the under-20 team in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina.
The Chivas USA defender, though, had never had the opportunity to don the armband for the senior national team until Wednesday night in a friendly against Ecuador at Giants Stadium.
"I'm really humbled," he said.
With usual captain Ricardo Gardner in England with Bolton and Tyrone Marshall of the Seattle Sounders FC suffering a slight hamstring strain, the decision to choose Thomas as the captain was an easy one for the Jamaica players to make.
"Shavar has been the captain of junior teams, he's been around the program longer than most and his seniority on the team made him best fit to be the captain today," Colorado Rapids forward Omar Cummings said.
Thomas helped anchor a backline that recorded a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with Ecuador in front of 23,523 fans.
The match was the second game of an international doubleheader. Venezuela, featuring Columbus Crew forward Alejandro Moreno, defeated South American rivals Colombia 2-1. Seattle forward Fredy Montero played the final 23 minutes for Colombia, while Moreno came off the bench in the 68th minute for Venezuela.
For Jamaica, a match against an Ecuador side that is still in contention for a World Cup bid was an important step in the rebuilding of a squad coming off a failed qualifying campaign and a disappointing CONCACAF Gold Cup appearance.
"We were hungry to play," New York Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards said. "I know Ecuador is a good team. I watched them beat Argentina a couple weeks back. I know we have a quality team so we just came out here to work hard and we got the job done. We got chances and they got chances, too, but a draw is a fair result. We performed well and everybody is happy it seems."
Richards certainly was, especially when he learned he would join Thomas in the Reggae Boyz' starting XI.
"As soon as (Jamaica coach Theodore Whitmore) told me I was in the starting XI I said I have to show my New York fans a bit of something," Richards said. "I got behind a few times and I think I played well, not great."
On one time he got behind the Ecuador defense, Richards had goalkeeper Jose Francisco Cevallos beaten, but his attempt from an acute angle to the right of the goal rang off the near post in the 58th minute.
"When you put the ball on target anything can happen," said Richards, who also made his way to referee Jair Marrufo's book when he was booked in the 63rd minute for a trip in the midfield. "I put the ball on target, but unfortunately I couldn't celebrate a goal. It was a good game and I enjoyed it."
The same was true of Cummings, who came off the bench as Whitmore's first substitute in the 55th minute.
"Colorado has done well here, I've done well here. It's always good to play at Giants Stadium," Cummings said. "I'm not going to play here again so I definitely wanted to seize the moment. Hopefully we can bring the success we had here over to the next stadium."
It seemed everyone was happy after the scoreless, but attacking match that saw plenty of scoring chances for both teams. In fact, there were a combined 53 goal attempts in a match that saw both goalkeepers make seven saves and Jamaica play with 10 men for the final three minutes after Navian Boyd was given a straight red for a reckless challenge.
"We weren't scared of them. We just attacked, attacked," Richards said. "I think they couldn't keep up with our speed and we took advantage of that, got behind them a couple of times. But unfortunately we couldn't score. We're looking good so far, but the one thing we just got to be consistent. We just have to play each game the same way."
After the match, Richards was besieged by autograph seekers who waved Richards' white Red Bulls jersey at him from beyond the metal barricades in front of the Jamaica locker room.
"I got harassed by Danleigh and Mbuta, but I like it," Richards said of his Red Bulls teammates Danleigh Borman and Matthew Mbuta. "It's all fun. I'll get them back."
Thomas captains Jamaica in draw; Venezuela bests Montero, Colombia
By Dylan Butler / MLSnet.com Staff
The Crew's Alejandro Moreno saw time for Venezuela in a win over Colombia. (AP) E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Wearing the captain's armband for Jamaica isn't something new for Shavar Thomas. He has done so for the Reggae Boyz on every youth level he played, including for the under-20 team in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina.
The Chivas USA defender, though, had never had the opportunity to don the armband for the senior national team until Wednesday night in a friendly against Ecuador at Giants Stadium.
"I'm really humbled," he said.
With usual captain Ricardo Gardner in England with Bolton and Tyrone Marshall of the Seattle Sounders FC suffering a slight hamstring strain, the decision to choose Thomas as the captain was an easy one for the Jamaica players to make.
"Shavar has been the captain of junior teams, he's been around the program longer than most and his seniority on the team made him best fit to be the captain today," Colorado Rapids forward Omar Cummings said.
Thomas helped anchor a backline that recorded a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with Ecuador in front of 23,523 fans.
The match was the second game of an international doubleheader. Venezuela, featuring Columbus Crew forward Alejandro Moreno, defeated South American rivals Colombia 2-1. Seattle forward Fredy Montero played the final 23 minutes for Colombia, while Moreno came off the bench in the 68th minute for Venezuela.
For Jamaica, a match against an Ecuador side that is still in contention for a World Cup bid was an important step in the rebuilding of a squad coming off a failed qualifying campaign and a disappointing CONCACAF Gold Cup appearance.
"We were hungry to play," New York Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards said. "I know Ecuador is a good team. I watched them beat Argentina a couple weeks back. I know we have a quality team so we just came out here to work hard and we got the job done. We got chances and they got chances, too, but a draw is a fair result. We performed well and everybody is happy it seems."
Richards certainly was, especially when he learned he would join Thomas in the Reggae Boyz' starting XI.
"As soon as (Jamaica coach Theodore Whitmore) told me I was in the starting XI I said I have to show my New York fans a bit of something," Richards said. "I got behind a few times and I think I played well, not great."
On one time he got behind the Ecuador defense, Richards had goalkeeper Jose Francisco Cevallos beaten, but his attempt from an acute angle to the right of the goal rang off the near post in the 58th minute.
"When you put the ball on target anything can happen," said Richards, who also made his way to referee Jair Marrufo's book when he was booked in the 63rd minute for a trip in the midfield. "I put the ball on target, but unfortunately I couldn't celebrate a goal. It was a good game and I enjoyed it."
The same was true of Cummings, who came off the bench as Whitmore's first substitute in the 55th minute.
"Colorado has done well here, I've done well here. It's always good to play at Giants Stadium," Cummings said. "I'm not going to play here again so I definitely wanted to seize the moment. Hopefully we can bring the success we had here over to the next stadium."
It seemed everyone was happy after the scoreless, but attacking match that saw plenty of scoring chances for both teams. In fact, there were a combined 53 goal attempts in a match that saw both goalkeepers make seven saves and Jamaica play with 10 men for the final three minutes after Navian Boyd was given a straight red for a reckless challenge.
"We weren't scared of them. We just attacked, attacked," Richards said. "I think they couldn't keep up with our speed and we took advantage of that, got behind them a couple of times. But unfortunately we couldn't score. We're looking good so far, but the one thing we just got to be consistent. We just have to play each game the same way."
After the match, Richards was besieged by autograph seekers who waved Richards' white Red Bulls jersey at him from beyond the metal barricades in front of the Jamaica locker room.
"I got harassed by Danleigh and Mbuta, but I like it," Richards said of his Red Bulls teammates Danleigh Borman and Matthew Mbuta. "It's all fun. I'll get them back."
