It's not the first time Dane Richards received the call. But it's the first time he's been healthy enough to answer it.
The second-year New York Red Bulls midfielder has been called up by Jamaica and could earn his first World Cup qualifying cap Saturday when the Reggae Boyz face Mexico at "The Office" in Kingston.
Richards was in Rene Simoes' plans earlier this year, but the right-sided midfielder was sidelined with one of a variety of injuries this year and was unable to play. Simoes is gone, having been sacked after a 2-0 loss to Honduras in San Pedro Sula, but Richards is anxious to make his competitive debut for Jamaica after playing in friendlies against Guatemala and Honduras.
"The coach called me and said just get some games in after my injury is over and he would call me back," said Richards, who is tied with Jorge Rojas on the Red Bulls with five assists. "He did and I'm very happy to go back and play for them. I'm very excited, first time playing in a World Cup qualifier."
Joining Richards is Colorado Rapids forward Omar Cummings and defenders Tyrone Marshall (Toronto FC) and Shavar Thomas (Chivas USA), named to interim coach Theodore Whitmore's side that will face a Mexican team poised to clinch a berth in the final hexagonal phase of CONCACAF qualification.
The Reggae Boyz, meanwhile, are tied with Canada for third after securing just one point in three road matches.
Canada needs a result in San Pedro Sula Saturday night to keep its slim hopes of advancing alive. Winless in three Group 2 matches, Canada will call on South African-born Kevin Harmse from Toronto FC as its lone Major League Soccer player for the match at Honduras, while Dallas defender Adrian Serioux and Houston midfielder Dwayne De Rosario (both suspended) will join the team after the weekend for its match against Mexico in Edmonton next Wednesday.
On the other side of the field from Harmse on Saturday will be TFC teammate Amado Guevara, who will hope to further cement Honduras' chances of advancing to next year's final round. Honduras has six points from three matches and is five points clear of both Jamaica and Canada in Group 2.
Like archrival Mexico, the United States can book its ticket into the final round of qualification with a victory against Cuba at RFK Stadium Saturday night. While Bob Bradley has selected a relatively young team to face the Cubans, Major League Soccer veterans Frankie Hejduk (Columbus) and Landon Donovan (Los Angeles) while join Brian Ching (Houston) and Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA) on a U.S. team that has secured a maximum nine points from three Group 1 matches.
Guatemala and Trinidad & Tobago are level on points through three games and meet in Guatemala City in a critical Group 2 match Saturday night. Hoping to help Guatemala secure three points at home is Toronto FC forward Carlos Ruiz and Chicago Fire midfielder Marco Pappa, who has been limited because of a knee injury lately. Toronto FC defender Julius James, slowed by a knee injury, is on standby for Trinidad, which played Guatemala to a 1-1 draw on Sept. 6 in Port of Spain.
Featuring Chicago's Gonzalo Segares, Costa Rica has flexed its muscles, scoring 11 goals, while conceding just one in three comprehensive Group 3 victories and can book its ticket with a victory in Paramaribo against a Suriname squad that has conceded 11 goals in three matches.
Haiti is looking for its first victory of the group stage and has again called Columbus Crew rookie Ricardo Pierre-Louis to its team for qualifier Saturday against El Salvador in Port-au-Prince. The hosts will be looking to avenge the 5-0 loss in San Salvador a month ago.
Venezuela's hopes of advancing to its first World Cup finals have taken a hit after back-to-back road losses against Peru and Paraguay last month. Tied for eighth with Peru, Venezuela hosts its next two matches. That's the good news. The bad news is that world powerhouse Brazil is next up on Sunday in San Cristobal.
Venezuela, which has called up Red Bulls teammates Jorge Rojas and Gabriel Cichero as well as Columbus forward Alejandro Moreno, will host Ecuador in Puerto La Cruz three days later.
Featuring Toronto FC midfielder Carl Robinson, Wales is tied with Russia for second in Group 4 in European qualification, one point behind Germany. Wales will host tiny and winless Liechtenstein at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff Saturday before heading to Moenchengladbach to meet the mighty Germans next Wednesday.
England sits atop Group 6, tied with Ukraine with maximum points out of two matches. Featuring Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, the Three Lions will host Kazakhstan at Wembley Stadium Saturday before heading to Minsk Wednesday to take on Belarus, which is in a three-way tie for third with Croatia and Kazakhstan.
The New England Revolution duo of Kenny Mansally and Sainey Nyassi will join The Gambia for a critical World Cup qualifier against Senegal, which has called up Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul.
The Gambia and Senegal are currently tied for second in Africa's Group 6, one point behind Algeria. The two teams played to a scoreless draw in Bilda on Sept. 6.
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