Forward Johnny Denis was called up to the Honduras national football team by head coach Diego Vásquez, a first for the 25-year-old NYCFC II player. Denis joined the MLS NEXT Pro side at the start of last season, and went on to score 14 goals in 18 games to lead the team. Denis also logged three assists, which gives him 17 goal-creating actions in 1351 minutes played, or one per 79 minutes.
Denis is one of three forwards called up by Vásquez, and is the only player who is based in the United States. The camp will be held from February 6 to February 8.
Denis has yet to make a start for the New York City FC Senior Team in an MLS league game, but he featured in Saturday’s friendly against LA Galaxy and scored the game-winner in the 82nd minute.
It was a scrappy goal, a deflected save that hit the crossbar and fell to Denis at the back post: He was in the right place at the right time. Watch it for yourself:
The call-up means that NYCFC now count two internationals among their squad: In addition to Jonson, defender Maxime Chanot is a regular starter for the Luxembourg national team, which is also known as the Lëtzebuergesch Foussballnationalequipe. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson, who was on the World Cup roster for the United States men’s national team, and Alexander Callens, a regular starter for Peru national team, both left NYCFC in recent weeks.
Will this raise the stock of Denis in the eyes of NYCFC head coach Nick Cushing? The surprise call-up and Saturday’s goal against LA Galaxy could mean that the forward will might see some playing time with a Senior Team that could use more goal-scorers after the recent departures of Héber, Maxi Moralez, and Santiago Rodríguez,
Buena suerte, Johnny.
