It was less than 24 hours between the two matches, but Cyle Larin made sure he was there for both.
It was a disappointing loss for Canada on Thursday night, playing against Jamaica in Phoenix, Arizona in the Quarterfinals of the Gold Cup. The final score was 2-1, with the lone goal from Canada coming from David Junior Hoilett. But after the match, Larin spoke to Head Coach Jason Kreis and made the decision that he wanted to be in Orlando and play in their first match against Atlanta United.
“I’m very thankful for his efforts,” Kreis said after the match. “I spoke to him last night after the match and was appreciative that he was desperate to try to come in and give us what he could. Appreciate his efforts for sure.”
Larin came in as a substitute in the 72nd minute, replacing Giles Barnes. While he wasn’t able to conjure up any significant chances, his presence lifted the optimism of the Lions as they sought to find an equalizer late in the match.
“It’s very good, very good to see him able to be with us tonight and come here after a game yesterday and play again,” Kaká said. “Thank you Cyle for your effort to be here tonight and your effort to try to help us tonight. It’s something we have to be proud of that our teammate did this kind of thing for us.”
Larin and his teammates will now shift their attention to the rematch against Atlanta next week. This time, the Lions will be taking to the road and facing United at Bobby Dodd Stadium. But they expect a good number of traveling supporters and they will definitely be ready to face this challenge again.
