Concacaf.com
MIAMI, Florida, Mon. Aug. 6, 2018– Through the first series of matches of the 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF League, it is easy to see that the rising stars within the CONCACAF region are making the most of the SCL platform to shine bright.
Players from all reaches of the region participating in the second edition of the SCL are exhibiting skills that are sure to draw the attention of clubs far and wide.
Portmore United’s Maalique Foster needed just 18 minutes to show why he was profiled by CONCACAF.com as one of the Top 5 21-and-under players in the SCL.
The 21-year-old forward scored the second goal in Portmore United’s 2-1 win last week in Costa Rica in the Round of 16 first leg at Santos de Guapiles by collecting a ball on the left wing and then using his quickness to create space before rifling in a right-footed shot at the near post.
It was an exquisite display of skill from a player who scored in his debut with the Jamaican National Team. Seemingly with every touch of the ball, Foster’s list of suitors grows.
Not to be outdone was Arabe Unido DF Chin Hormechea. The 22-year-old found the back of the net twice as the Panamanian side rolled to 3-0 triumph over Jamaica’s Arnett Gardens in their Round of 16 first leg.
Hormechea has already proven to be one of the top defenders in Panama’s first division and now appears to be adding a bit of offense to his repertoire with his two headers for goals against Arnett Gardens.
Both scores were the product of confident, fearless movement in the opposition’s penalty area that tipped the balance of the match in his team’s favor.
Motagua MF Kevin Lopez also showed his acumen in his team’s 2-0 first leg win over Belmopan Bandits.
Lopez scored the first Motagua goal thanks to a blend of patience and precision after collecting a pass and firing in a right-footed shot that squeezed into the net between the goalkeeper and the far post.
If the performances of these three young players are any indication, the 2018 SCL could be remembered as the tournament in which Foster, Hormechea and Lopez played their way into bigger and brighter things.
(Amandala Sports Ed. Note: In all our CONCACAF endeavors in the past, opposing teams have never “pulled their punches” when playing at home in the first leg. So, playing at altitude in Tegucigalpa, they surely tried to demolish their Belizean opponents. Our national champions, Belmopan Bandits SC held Motagua to 2 goals last Tuesday in Honduras, and will try to turn things around tomorrow night at sea level in the Isidoro Beaton Stadium. As mentioned in the concacaf.com article above, the SCL provides a stage for aspiring young players to make their mark and possibly open doors to bigger things.)