T&T utility player Joevin Jones had a hand in Seattle Sounders goal as the reigning US Major League Soccer champions was held to a 1-1 draw by Charleston Battery in their first match of the Carolina Challenge Cup pre-season tournament in Charleston, South Carolina, USA on Saturday.
After a first-half own goal that put Seattle up heading into the break, the Rave Green gave up a goal in the final moments of stoppage time, scored by Charleston Battery’s Kotaro Higashi.
The left footed Jones, who can also play as a winger or midfielder helped create the Sounders’ lone tally in the 32nd minute when he crossed a ball in from the left side of the box that was deflected in for an own goal by defender Taylor Mueller to dismay of his team-mates which included T&T pair, Neveal Hackshaw and Ataulla Guerra.
Alvaro Fernandez had a great chance for the Sounders when his shot hit the far post in the 66th minute and caromed along the goal line, and Henry Wingo had a goal disallowed when his original pass to Will Bruin in a give-and-go found Bruin a step offside.
There was much better news for out-of-favour national left-back Mekeil Williams as he featured in the first 61 minutes of Colorado Rapids 3-1 defeat of New England Revolution before he was replaced by Marc Burch in their second showing at the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson.
Two goals from Caleb Calvert and two assists from guest player Tony Cascio helped the Rapids beat the defending champions on another windy afternoon, at the Kino Sports Complex with Williams.
Both Rapids and New England will meet in the MLS season opener in two weeks at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on March 4.
Five T&T players in pre-season action
The quintet of T&T internationals Shannon Gomez, Kenwyne Jones, Cordell Cato, Neveal Hackshaw and Ataulla Guerra were all involved in pre-season action in the USA as well on the weekend.
The 20-year-old Gomez came on as a second-half substitute for ten-man New York City FC in a 3-1 loss to fellow US MLS Club Houston Dynamo in their opening Desert Diamond Cup encounter on a windy night in Tucson, Arizona.
In an eventful opening 45 minutes of soccer which saw both Patrick Vieira and David Villa controversially sent-off, NYCFC fell behind inside 60 seconds to a Romell Quioto goal before Villa replied with a strike from the tightest of angles 15 minutes later.
However, Villa, the 2016 MLS MVP was sent off before half-time for striking AJ DeLaGarza in the face, an ejection issued after a video replay review.
The Dynamo then pulled ahead in the second half via Alex in the 50th minute while Memo Rodriguez added the third item in the 88th minute.
Jones sub in 64th-minute
Axed T&T captain Kenwyne Jones had a run of 64 minutes before being replaced by Julian Gressel in Atlanta United’s 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew SC in a hard fought first match in the Carolina Challenge Cup at MUSC Health Stadium, Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday.
Atlanta United head coach Tata Martino, formerly of Barcelona and Argentina lined up his side with nearly the same personnel as the previous match vs Chattanooga with Alec Kann, Greg Garza, Leandro González Pirez, Michael Parkhurst, Tyrone Mears, Chris McCann, Jeff Larentowicz, Miguel Almirón, Hector Villalba, and Kenwyne Jones.
The one adjustment in the starting 11 was Josef Martinez stepping in for Yamil Asad, who did not dress today due to a minor calf contusion.
While Columbus seized the 2-1 victory, Atlanta United can be proud of a solid performance in their first encounter with MLS competition in just their second match as a team.
Meanwhile, T&T’s international, speedy winger, Cordell Cato came on at the start of the second-half in San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 defeat of Reno 1868 FC.