LAFC international wrap: Mark-Anthony Kaye plays key role in Canada wins

The international break is over, and seven Los Angeles Football Club players will return to the club (or possibly their loan deals).

Following our last update on the international players’ exploits, here’s the wrap from the rest of the September window.

Mark-Anthony Kaye started and played two games — in his usual position in midfield — for Canada in a Concacaf Nations League home and away set against Cuba. On Saturday, he notched an assist and drew raves in a 6-0 win at BMO Field in Toronto. Teammates said the Ontario native is “on top of his game” after the big win.

Then on Tuesday, Kaye started and went the distance in a 1-0 win over Cuba in the Cayman Islands, after Cuba’s national stadium was not sanctioned for use in international competition by FIFA. Alphonso Davies had the lone goal, early on, and Doneil Henry was sent off early in the second half, leading Les Rouges to play a very different game than the last one, while still picking up the win.

Eduard Atuesta played a second friendly with Colombia’s U-23 squad, a 3-1 loss to Argentina’s U-23s over the weekend in Buenos Aires. Atuesta served as captain for Los Cafeteros, and likely remains a likely option for Colombia’s Olympic qualifying squad early next year.

Walker Zimmerman did not play in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 1-1 draw against Uruguay on Tuesday, but Brian Rodriguez, making his second appearance for the senior team for the albiceleste, opened his international account with the game’s opening goal in 62 minutes of work. You can read more about that goal and Rodriguez’s performance here.

Forward Rodolfo Zelaya made his return to El Salvador’s national team this window, and got the start in a 3-0 Nations League win over St. Lucia Saturday. He played 70 minutes in the win in San Salvador, and then went the distance in Tuesday’s game, a 1-0 loss to the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean nation. A bit of a surprise result, although the Dominican Republic has shown signs of growth recently in the sport, but both of El Salvador’s games in Nations League play have featured red cards, although neither was picked up by Zelaya.

After scoring in his last outing last week for Jamaica, midfielder Peter-Lee Vassell was an unused substitute in the Reggae Boyz’ 4-0 Nations League win over Guyana on Monday.

Diego Palacios was also an unused sub for his most recent international outing, Ecuador’s 3-0 friendly win over Bolivia in Cuenca on Monday.

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