COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids have a little slice of West Africa on their roster ahead of the 2011 season, as the MLS Cup champions now have four players hailing from that part of the world.
Senegal-born forward Macoumba Kandji – who is currently rehabbing from a torn cruciate ligament and is aiming for a May return – is joined by three recent acquisitions who hail from the African region: draft pick Eddie Ababio (Ghana), Sanna Nyassi (Gambia) and Joseph Nane (Cameroon).
Nyassi and Nane are sharing an apartment in Denver, but the pair could not be any different.
Nane, traded from Toronto, is a 6-foot-2, 185-pound defensive midfielder. Nyassi — who joined Colorado from the Seattle Sounders via the Vancouver Whitecaps in an Expansion Draft-day trade — is a 5-foot-8, 145-pound speedy winger.
Nane (pictured above, far left) is bilingual but grew up in the French-speaking part of Cameroon, whereas Nyassi is a native English speaker. Nane found his way into professional soccer through the collegiate ranks while Nyassi found success through contacts of his twin brother, New England player Sainey Nyassi.
Nane is Catholic, Nyassi is Muslim.
One thing they do share, however, is a difficulty in adjusting to the snowy and cold conditions of a Colorado preseason, not to mention the altitude. Nyassi, for example, recently returned from his home country, where he spent winter with his family in humid, 90-degree heat.
It may be, however, that the altitude has been a bigger issue for both players.
“I’ve never been in a situation where I have had to practice in the snow,” Nane told MLSsoccer.com. “The altitude is a bigger deal though. The more practice I do, it will get better.”
[inline_node:327893]Both will face a stiff challenge breaking into the team. Nyassi (pictured right) will have to compete with more established players such as Jamie Smith, Brian Mullan and Wells Thompson for a wide midfielder spot.
“It’s a little bit of a challenge because they are already settled in to the team,” Nyassi told MLSsoccer.com “They are veterans, they have been playing for the team for while. All I can do is show what I can do.”
Nane appears to have a bigger challenge getting onto the field in positions currently occupied by Jeff Larentowicz and team captain Pablo Mastroeni, but he said the coaching staff has a plan for him and he is ready to do whatever it takes.
He does, however, have something special for Rapids fans should he get on the field and score: He is planning a celebration reminiscent of countryman Roger Milla’s famous corner-flag dance during the 1990 World Cup.
“I have my own celebration,” he said. "I have to get on the pitch first and then I will have a nice performance."
Both Nane and Nyassi will likely be looking forward this week to the Rapids’ six-day trip to Phoenix, where the team is due to play three preseason games. While Denver tallies temperatures in the single digits for the second straight week, the Phoenix area is currently settling into the high 60s.
