Cummings doesn't mind dishing out assists

Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer

National striker Omar Cummings believes caring is sharing.

The 26-year-old Colorado Rapids player recently vowed to share his life with fellow St Catherine native Viola, who became his bride in January.

Now Cummings is dishing out a different type of care to his United States (US) Major League Soccer (MLS) teammates. After six games, the third-year pro from Old Harbour is currently tied with US star Landon Donovan for the MLS lead in assists with three, in addition to scoring twice himself.

For Cummings, helping others score is nothing new. Before joining Colorado he led the University of Cincinnati in assists while playing mostly as a forward. In 2008 he earned a reputation as a budding MLS hitman by snatching seven goals and five assists. He has drawn more scrutiny from defenders this season, especially after he scored in the first two games of 2009.

Ryan Johnson of San Jos? Earthquakes is the only other MLS player with Jamaican connections to score more than once this season.

Cummings said his continuing form has opened more chances to set up teammates.

"Teams are definitely keying on me," the speedy forward explained. "They are not allowing me to get behind them. They are forcing me wide or dropping off and becoming more compact.

"It makes it difficult to break them down individually, but you have more people going forward and that offers more opportunities for assists."

Cummings, who made several substitute appearances for Jamaica during last year's World Cup qualifiers, knows assists help his team win. Sharing the ball, he said, comes "very natural".

In Jamaica he sometimes played in midfield for Duhaney Park and Rivoli United. He also did it at times in college and on a few occasions for Colorado.

However, nothing can quite replace his appetite for scoring goals.

"I think a goal is past anything else in football," he said. "Scoring is the ultimate joy. But an assist is a close second."

FREE KICKS

New York Red Bulls' Dane Richards and Andy Williams of Real Salt Lake have become the latest Jamaicans to open their 2009 US Major League Soccer (MLS) goalscoring accounts.

Richards, a second-year starting midfielder from Montego Bay, stabbed home a rebound on April 26, but his club lost 3-2 to D.C. United.

He gets another chance against national teammate Donovan Ricketts, who should be in goal for the winless Los Angeles Galaxy when they meet today.

Veteran playmaker Williams, who has appeared in all RSL's five MLS games as a substitute, curled in a wonderful free kick and had his first assist to help bury the New England Revolution 6-0 on April 25.

'The Bomber' started a 4-1 loss US Open Cup game against the Seattle Sounders, minus Tyrone Marshall. He will face Omar Cummings and the Colorado Rapids today.

Defender Tyrone Marshall tallied his first assist in six MLS games as the Seattle Sounders beat Ryan Johnson's San Jos? Earthquakes 2-0 on April 25 to end a two-game MLS losing skid.

Marshall also committed his first two fouls of the season, despite playing every minute of every game so far. The Sounders head to Chicago Fire today when Johnson, a forward who started for the Earthquakes in a 2-1 US Open Cup loss to the Red Bulls - which was without Dane Richards - will face central defender Shavar Thomas.

Thomas has helped Chivas USA to the best record in MLS. The team has only conceded three goals in seven games.

The Jamaican connection at Toronto F.C. is now taking orders from a new coach. John Carver, who had been guiding Johann Smith and Rohan Ricketts, two midfielders whose parents are from Jamaica, plus St Ann-born striker O'Brian White, who is recovering from knee surgery, resigned from the MLS club recently. Carver has been replaced, on an interim basis, by Chris Cummins.

Toronto F.C. have a record of three wins, two losses and two draws and is atop the MLS Eastern Conference. TFC tackle the Columbus Crew today after winning their first game under Cummins on April 26.

Gordon Williams is following the progress of Jamaica's footballers playing professionally in the MLS and USL, North America's top two leagues.