Goalkeeper Simon Thomas of Victoria will likely earn his second cap today when sa国际传媒 plays the U.S. in a soccer friendly in Houston (6 p.m., SportsnetOne).
That the 22-year-old product of the Bays United and Lower Island Metro programs will at least dress for the game was guaranteed as Canadian interim head coach Colin Miller said veteran Canadian keeper Lars Hirschfeld has returned to Europe, leaving rookies Thomas and Roberto Stillo of Ontario to face a young American side chosen by coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Thomas earned his first cap Saturday, relieving Hirschfeld at the start of the second half in the 4-0 loss to Denmark in Tucson, Arizona. Hirschfeld let in three goals and Thomas one.
鈥淚 was pleased with Simon鈥檚 debut,鈥� Miller said on a conference call Monday. 鈥淪imon has been working closely with [1986 Canadian World Cup goaltender] Paul Dolan.鈥�
Miller acknowledged that young goalkeepers are under a peculiar kind of pressure. Unlike other parts of the pitch, any miscue in the crease can be glaring.
鈥淕oalkeepers can鈥檛 make mistakes,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淸But] I have no concerns with who we put in goal [today]. The players don鈥檛 know the lineup right now. I will tell them [this] morning.鈥�
Keeping up with the Thomases hasn鈥檛 been easy of late. Simon鈥檚 twin brother Aaron Thomas qualified to represent sa国际传媒 in the Under-23 division at the 2012 ITU world triathlon championships in Auckland and looks to also have a future as an international athlete.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be sharing in the experience of international sport with my brother,鈥� said Simon Thomas, the six-foot-three graduate of Oak Bay High, by phone. 鈥淲e always pushed each other. Yet, it鈥檚 more supportive than anything.鈥�
Thomas鈥� self-assessment of his international debut Saturday was: 鈥淚 thought I did well and made a couple of saves. This is the next level. I am excited about all this.鈥�
While Thomas鈥檚 fledgling international career looks to continue into at least today, the outlook for Victoria鈥檚 Manny Gomez continues murky. The 25-year-old graduate of Lower Island Metro and currently a pro with the Argentine lower division Club Atletico Jorge Griffa dressed Saturday against Denmark but remained on the bench.
Miller remained less than confident about the former St. Andrew鈥檚 High School student鈥檚 chances of seeing the pitch today.
鈥淢anny is a real outsider,鈥� said Miller.
鈥淚 have to say he won鈥檛 get in. This is a different level. The difference is night and day from what he鈥檚 used to. It鈥檚 been a big learning curve for him. I鈥檝e spoken to Manny and he is very disappointed. But he will go back [to Griffa in Argentina] a better player.鈥�
Soccer sa国际传媒 invited 22 players to camp over the past week in Arizona and Texas for the Denmark-U.S. set in the wake of last fall鈥檚 8-1 World Cup qualifying disaster in Honduras that eliminated sa国际传媒 from Brazil 2014. Only three players from that Honduras game played Saturday against Denmark, as the goal now is to start developing a younger national side for 2018 World Cup qualifying.
But if things didn鈥檛 go well against a developmental Danish national team, the prospects for today are even more daunting regardless of the Americans giving several non-starters a chance ahead of the CONCACAF final-round opener Feb. 6 against Honduras.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going into the lion鈥檚 den,鈥� acknowledged Miller. 鈥淏ut even given the poor result against the Danes, the mood in camp is fantastic and we鈥檙e looking forward to this. We鈥檝e had video sessions [breaking down the Denmark game] and as uncomfortable as that was to watch, the players have to be made aware of the mistakes they were making.鈥�
