Kenwyne Jones (middle) made his Central FC debut against visiting Sporting Kansas City in a Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League match on August 16, 2016, in Couva, Trinidad & Tobago. (Photo: Caribbean Action Images)

 

COUVA, Trinidad & Tobago -- He scored a goal on his debut for Central FC in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League, but Trinidad & Tobago international Kenwyne Jones was more focused on the disappointment of playing Sporting Kansas City to a 2-2 draw at Ato Boldon Stadium on Tuesday.

“I think to be honest we gave away the game,” Jones said. “We had too many chances to score and it was a stupid mistake in the back that cost us, but at the end of the day we came out with a point. Though disappointed, we can look to build on that and hope for a better result the next game.”

Jones, who is on loan from expansion Major League Soccer side Atlanta United FC, put the Sharks in front, 2-1, two minutes after Marcus Joseph leveled for the host.

“To be honest I thought the team did well,” continued the 31-year-old continued. “I think I was a bit below because that’s my first game for preseason really. At the same time, I think the team did well, minor lapses in concentration, but at the end of the day we did well to get a point still.”

After earning one point from its only two home games in Group C, Central FC will need to pick up victories on the road to keep alive its hopes of advancing into the knockout stage, including the next outing at Vancouver on September 28.

“I don’t think we have any reason to fear whether home or away,” Jones stressed. “Going away to Whitecaps, we just have to buckle down and prepare for it, get our tactics right and go out there and execute.”

It was a different feeling, altogether, for Sporting Kansas City, which earned a road point in its first game of the group stage. 

“In a tournament like this, every point matters,” said defender Kevin Ellis. “To get a goal back and get a draw away from home, it’s big. But it also puts us in a situation where we need to win the games at home.” 

After conceding twice in a two-minute span, Sporting KC equalized on Ellis’ 70th minute goal off an assist from Brad Davis.

“It was a good play by Brad to keep it alive,” Ellis, 25, noted. “He played a ball in the box. I ran, took a touch, the goalie went for the ball and I was just able to put it in the back of the net.”

Sporting returns to SCCL action on August 23, when it stays on the road against Vancouver in an all-MLS matchup.

“I think we have to keep the ball better than we did tonight, myself included,” finished Ellis. “We gave up too many easy in the middle and just invited their counterattack to put us under pressure and make us run a lot more than we wanted to.”