Newly acquired veteran striker Kei Kamara quickly moved into Minnesota United's starting 11 on Wednesday against Columbus Crew SC, just four days after a trade with Colorado was finalized and two days after Kamara stepped onto the team's Blaine training ground.
Kamara on Tuesday said he hoped to play the next day but didn't know how much. He started in place of young striker Mason Toye, whose starting job Kamara assumed Wednesday, and played 70 minutes.
"This is the hard reality for professional football," Loons coach Adrian Heath said, referring to Toye. "He's going to have to wait and sit alongside Kei and maybe watch and see what is needed to score goals consistently over a long period of time in this league."
Toye became the starting striker when Luis Amarilla injured his ankle weeks ago and while veteran Aaron Schoenfeld's calf injury healed. Schoenfeld was a second-half sub in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Houston and Wednesday for Kamara.
The Loons traded for Kamara, 36, for his size and experience. Kamara's 129 MLS career goals — fifth all time — didn't hurt, either. His presence changed Toye's role.
"He's still young, and it's still early and he's still developing," Heath said. "Kei has a big personality and brings that with him wherever he goes. I think some of our younger players, it will be very interesting to see close up what it's like to play in the league as long as he has, but to have an effect on the team as well.
"It will only be positive for Mason having this guy around."
Heath on Kamara's debut: "His hold-up play is something we've been lacking, just having a big body up there to get a hold of things. I don't think we gave it to him early enough and played into his feet. But that's something we can work on."
