Oscar Jimenez’s first impression earlier this year of Mark-Anthony Kaye, his roommate and then new Louisville City FC teammate, was of a midfielder primed for a breakout United Soccer League season.
“He just talked about his offseason preparation and everything,” Jimenez said. “He had no idea he was going to get called into that.”
That, which Jimenez referred to, is an extended CONCACAF Gold Cup run with the Canada National Team, which recently advanced out of the group stage and to a quarterfinal matchup with Jamaica at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Fox Sports 1 will broadcast from University of Phoenix Stadium.
“It’s amazing stuff,” said forward Ilija Ilic. “I’m so happy for Mark. It’s something that’s a dream of every single player here, and Mark got that chance, so I’m happy for him. Of course what it means to the team — to all the players — is you can picture yourself playing at that level.”
Kaye got the opportunity after a stellar stint with Canada’s U-23 side in March. He played the full 90 minutes in two wins, earning Man of the Match honors in the second. From there, Kaye received his first full international call for a training camp and international friendly. He earned his first cap as a substitute — then was invited back for the Gold Cup.
The effort culminated last Tuesday in a Gold Cup start against Costa Rica, his group’s toughest foe. Canada played to a 1-1 draw with Kaye on for the entire game.
“He’s a full Canadian international matching up against really high-caliber players and not looking out of sorts,” said coach James O’Connor. “I thought he played really well the other night. For us as a club, it speaks volumes for what we’re trying to do.
“…When you sit down with players you’re trying to sign, we commit to trying to make them better. Mark has done that….The pleasing aspect for us as a club is we get somebody who, once they’re here training, becomes a Canadian full international. It shows people we can back up what we say.”
Should Canada advance Thursday, our neighbors to the North would meet either Mexico or Honduras in a Gold Cup semifinal at 9 p.m. Sunday. The winners will play inside the historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The Gold Cup final is then set for July 26 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
“Watching him on TV in the Gold Cup has been great,” Jimenez said of Kaye. “The way we train here prepares you for that. He went in there, and he was ready to jump straight into a 90- minute game. You saw that. He did really well.”
