Four Sporting Kansas City players will join their respective national teams for the upcoming 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Defenders Shavar Thomas (Jamaica) and Roger Espinoza (Honduras), along withmidfielders Craig Rocastle (Grenada) and Stephane Auvray (Guadeloupe), were all named to rosters for the regional championship to be held June 5-25 across the United States.
Auvray will again captain the Guadeloupe National Team in the tournament this summer, including the team’s Group C finale against the U.S. Men’s National Team on June 14th at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. After debuting for his country in their run to the semifinals of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Auvray scored against Nicaragua in the 2009 edition and has 20 appearances for Les Gwada Boys.
Espinoza joins the No.44-ranked Honduras National Team for his second consecutive CONCACAF Gold Cup, but for the first time under new head coach Luis Suarez. Espinoza has appeared 16 times for his country, with half of those appearances coming in 2010, including two starts during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The former first round MLS SuperDraft pick scored against Grenada in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup as Honduras reached the semifinal round and is the only MLS player on Honduras’ roster.
Thomas continues his international career with the Jamaica National Team, ranked No. 55 in the latest FIFA rankings and making their eighth appearance in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Thomas, who captained Jamaica in a 3-2 win over El Salvador in March, has more than 30 appearances for his country and started in the team’s lone win in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup against El Salvador.
Rocastle is one of two Major League Soccer players to be selected by Grenada for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, along with Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph. Rocastle helped Grenada secure their second straight Gold Cup with his international debut at the Digicel Carribean Cup last year, appearing in all five games for Grenada as the No.98-ranked Spice Boys reached the third-place match.
All four players will be available as Sporting Kansas City plays their first home match of the 2011 season on Wednesday, May 25th when they host the New England Revolution in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualifier at the Blue Valley District Activities Complex in Overland Park, Kansas. Tickets are $15 and are available at TicketMaster.com.