SEATTLE ā Seattle Sounders rookie midfielder Handwalla Bwana had no trouble admitting he was nervous before he made his first professional start in Seattleās Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal matchup with Chivas de Guadalajara at CenturyLink Field on Wednesday.
So pronounced were those nerves, Bwana told reporters following Wednesdayās match, that he decided to seek the advice of a decidedly high-profile veteran teammate ā one who he figured would probably know a thing or two about calming pregame jitters.
āI remember just talking to Clint [Dempsey] about it,ā Bwana said. āI was like, āYo, Clint, Iām really scared right now.ā And Clint was like, āYouāre here for a reason, you know? You just do your thing. They brought you here for a reason. Show the fans what youāre about.āā
Based on Wednesdayās match, it appears that the 18-year-old Homegrown product took those words to heart.
Bwana put in a solid shift in Seattleās 1-0 first-leg result that was highlighted by Dempseyās 78th-minute game-winner, showing the dynamic attacking traits that made him a two-time All-Pac-12 selection at the University of Washington and drawing the praise of head coach Brian Schmetzer after the game.
That performance came on the heels of a notable cameo he made as a substitute in Seattleās MLS regular season-opener against LAFC on Sunday, where very nearly had a dramatic equalizer that deflected off the crossbar just after he entered the game.
āHandwalla, I mean, that was the surprise for all of us,ā Schmetzer said. āI mean, the kid played great. He came on and didnāt have any fear of the game. The game wasnāt too big for him. So, I was very impressed with his composure in a big game. And then you guys all saw the quality that he brings.
āHe runs at people, he can get by one or two guys, his passing is very clean. And probably the biggest surprise for me is sometimes you label attacking players as they canāt defend or they donāt want to defend. The kid understands his role. Heās a young guy on the squad, so heās got to get up and down and he did that tonight.ā
Added Dempsey: ā[Bwana] is growing as the season goes on, heās getting better and better. He has good pace, can take people one-on-one. He just needs to get more games under his belt, get that confidence going. ā¦So, the futureās bright for him.ā
Bwana wasnāt the only young face to play a major role in Wednesdayās proceedings for Seattle. Second-year midfielder Henry Wingo bagged the assist with a pinpoint cross on Dempseyās goal after he entered as a second-half substitute, while right back Jordan McCrary has filled in capably while starter Kelvin Leerdam is sidelined with a sprained ankle.
The season is still young and there is much to prove, but the degree to which Schmetzer has already entrusted the likes of Bwana and Wingo with first-team minutes suggests that Seattleās youthful faces could continue to play big roles as the season progresses.
āThe development of young American players is certainly important. Itās important to every club in our league,ā Schmetzer said. āIf the guys are going to be good enough at Handwallaās age, Henryās age, if theyāre good enough theyāll play.ā