D.C. United are losing their captain, leading scorer and all-time goals leader to international duty this weekend, and might have to do so again for an extended stretch later this summer - but while Jaime Moreno's first recall to the Bolivian national team in five years came as a surprise to many, an even bigger revelation has been the identity of the man who will likely take his place in the first XI.
Guy-Roland Kpene has come a long way since the chaotic pickup games of his childhood in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The compact, pacey forward arrived in D.C. via the Supplemental Draft after leading Dowling College to the 2006 NCAA Division II national championship, and has quickly barreled his way into contention for playing time alongside the veteran talent on United's front line.
"I'm young, and I want to prove myself," said Kpene. "So when I go there, I'm hungry, probably more hungry than them. I think that's the difference. It's work, man. Work, practice, learn, learn, learn. Next thing you know, you're going up."
Kpene earned his first career start against Chivas USA on May 6 and justified head coach Tom Soehn's faith with an assured performance highlighted by his assist on Christian Gomez's 48th-minute volley. Last week he came off the bench to spark United's second-half comeback in Toronto, discomfiting the TFC defense with his surging runs and energetic pressure.
"Yeah, he's got the ability to take people on, on the dribble," said Soehn. "The time he beat a couple guys to lay the ball off to Christian [against Toronto] shows some of his finesse, and how he can take people on. Each of those guys are different, with different qualities. On any given day, whichever two partner up, it's going to be hard to stop them."
Soehn has also noted his composure. Kpene has shown few of the jitters that befall many MLS newcomers.
"Whenever I get the chance to get in, I give everything I have," said the Ivorian. "There's no pressure - I just want to go out there and play."
The soft-spoken Kpene tends to be a quiet presence both in the locker room and the group house he shares with fellow rookies Bryan Arguez, Kasali Yinka Casal, Kiki Willis and Shawn Crowe in Fort Washington, Md., 25 minutes south of RFK Stadium. With United's extensive travels during preseason, it was weeks before the unique household even acquired beds and other basics, but the spartan conditions fostered camaraderie amidst the many challenges of the rookie experience.
"It really helped, especially in the beginning when we didn't have any furniture. All it was was us talking," said Kpene. "[Now] everybody's got furniture in his room, but we left the living room empty - just the TV!"
Kpene remains remarkably understated about his personal journey. He's quick to note that his original transition to life in the United States was easier than most African immigrants thanks to the support offered by the United Nations, where his mother Lelehi works in finance, and he's equally upbeat with regards to the transition from dusty West African sandlots to the pristine fields of Major League Soccer.
"You have bad fields - you have to be very good," he said of his homeland. "Here, everything is nice, you don't have bad bounces and all that. Over there, it's totally different. If you're not good enough then you're not going to play. That's it. But here it's kind of easy."
His mother's U.N. employment status complicated the attainment of his work visa, which delayed his gameday eligibility for weeks. But Kpene, who models both his game and his hairstyle on fellow Ivorian Didier Drogba, believes the experience made him a better player.
"Actually I think that helped me, because I don't think I was ready at the beginning of the year," he said. "In January, February, I had too many problems to adjust to - sometimes I didn't care about defending. I wasn't really ready."
If Moreno's former teammate Erwin Sanchez - now the Bolivian national side's coach - includes him in the team's Copa America roster, United could lose his services for several mid-summer matches. But the potential blow of that departure has been greatly softened by Kpene's rise.
"He's consistently showing that he can do the business," said Soehn of Kpene. "So any time guys are given chances like he has, every time he does well it's going to buy more time for him ... with his abilities to hold the ball, he sets people up, he gives you different qualities. So it's nice to have options as a coach."
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
