Alvaro Saborio translated his resurgence with Real Salt Lake to the world stage, scoring a goal in his first game back with Costa Rica in their 4-3 away win against Oman in Muscat to highlight Friday’s international action among MLS players.
Saborio, who returned to action in September after missing the summer after a suffering a foot injury in the Ticos’ World Cup camp in May, has scored once for RSL in his four games back.
Also for Costa Rica, the New York Red Bulls’ Roy Miller started and played 81 minutes.
Chivas USA star Erick “Cubo” Torres saw action again for Mexico, coming on as a 78th-minute sub in El Tri’s 2-0 win over Honduras at Victor Manuel Reyna Stadium in Tuxtla-Gutierrez, Mexico.
For Honduras and their stable of MLS players, four saw action Friday, including San Jose Earthquakes’
Victor Bernardez
(pictured right), who started and played a full 90 minutes, Houston Dynamo’s
Boniek Garcia
(start, 82 minutes), Sporting Kansas City’s
Jorge Claros
(start, 90 minutes) and Chivas USA’s
Marvin Chavez
, who played 17 minutes after subbing for former D.C. United star Andy Najar.
Staying in CONCACAF, four MLSers saw action for Jamaica in their 1-0 away loss to Japan.
Portland Timbers’ Alvas Powell, FC Dallas’ Je-Vaughn Watson and Houston Dynamo’s Jermaine Taylor all started, while D.C. United’s Michael Seaton came on after halftime and played 45 minutes.
In Caribbean Cup action, San Jose’s Atiba Harris and his St. Kitts and Nevis teammates fell 3-2 to Barbados on Wednesday to open the final stage of qualifying, but bounced back Friday night with a 2-1 win over French Guiana.
In another group, Trinidad & Tobago opened the action with a 6-1 demolition of the Dominican Republic, with Orlando City MLS signee Kevin Molino bagging a hat trick. Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes), Kevan George (Columbus Crew) and Carlyle Mitchell (Vancouver Whitecaps) are all in the Soca Warriors’ squad as well, and will get their next opportunity to shine Friday evening against St. Lucia.
New York Red Bulls’ Tim Cahill played just 13 minutes as a second-half sub in Australia’s scoreless draw with UAE in Abu Dhabi.
In Friday’s late games, RSL forward Joao Plata earned another Ecuador cap when he came on as a halftime sub in La Tri’s 1-1 draw with the United States. Much further south, FC Dallas ‘keeper Raul Fernandez was on the wrong end of a thumping, starting and going the full 90 minutes in a 3-0 loss to Chile.
