sa国际传媒
It was quite a night Tuesday for a guy who as a nine-year-old first put up his hand when the regular goalkeeper of his Bays United youth soccer team couldn鈥檛 make the game.
Simon Thomas of Victoria made his first career start in the crease for sa国际传媒 a memorable one in keeping a clean sheet against the U.S. in a scoreless exhibition draw played before 12,000 fans in Houston, Texas.
American head coach and former German great Jurgen Klinsmann gave several non-starters a chance to play ahead of the 2014 World Cup qualifying final-round opener Feb. 6 against Honduras. But there was no denying the achievement of Thomas and his Canadian teammates.
鈥淚鈥檓 over the moon to get my first start for sa国际传媒 and to contribute,鈥� Thomas said by phone after the game.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honour to play for the national team and a dream come true. Everybody worked for each other tonight, and we kept our shape defensively.鈥�
Soccer sa国际传媒 invited 22 players to camp over the past week in Arizona and Texas in the wake of last fall鈥檚 8-1 World Cup qualifying debacle in Honduras that eliminated sa国际传媒 from Brazil 2014. Only three players from that Honduras game were invited, as the aim now is to start developing a younger side for 2018 World Cup qualifying.
The two-game set did not start well Saturday, as sa国际传媒 was well beaten 4-0 by Denmark. Thomas earned his first cap in the Denmark game, playing the second half and allowing one goal.
The 22-year-old is a six-foot-three graduate of Oak Bay High and product of the Bays United and Lower Island Metro programs.
The other Islander invited to the camp was the creative 25-year-old Argentina pro midfielder Manny Gomez of Victoria, who didn鈥檛 get in either game.
Also in sa国际传媒鈥檚 long-term plans is 22-year-old defender Adam Straith of Victoria, who already has 11 caps. The Oak Bay High grad and Bays product plays pro in Germany. The European-based Canadian pros will be called on for a friendly against Japan on March 22 in Doha, Qatar, as part of the lead-up to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup July 7-28 in the U.S.
Although turning 30 in May, 43-times capped midfielder Josh Simpson of Victoria will likely remain integral for sa国际传媒. The Swiss league pro out of the Juan de Fuca and Lower Island Metro organizations missed the last part of 2014 World Cup qualifying because of a broken leg, and sa国际传媒 missed his presence.
