TUKWILA, Wash. – The Seattle Sounders are in line to regain the services of their star forwards and starting center back for Saturday evening’s home matchup at CenturyLink Field against FC Dallas (10 pm ET; MLS LIVE).
The midfield, however, could be a bit of a different story.
Returning to practice Friday morning was central defender Brad Evans, fresh off notching the game-winning assist in the US national team’s 2-1 victory over Germany in Wednesday’s friendly.
Speaking with reporters after Friday’s practice, Evans didn’t fully commit but said that he expects to play Saturday barring any last-minute changes or setbacks.
“I feel good,” Evans said. “We’ll have a conversation later today, but I participated in full training today and felt good. The flight was at a good time yesterday, I got in at a good time, stayed up and got a good night’s sleep. So I’ll take care of the body today, and we’ll have a conversation later on.”
Forwards Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, who each missed Seattle’s loss to Sporting Kansas City last weekend, also appear to be in line to make their respective returns to Seattle’s starting XI on Saturday. Dempsey’s availability had been sporadic while he awaited the birth of his fourth child, while Martins was seen practicing with a protective mask this week while nursing a broken nose suffered in Seattle’s 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on May 27.
“It’s a day-by-day process,” Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said Thursday of Martins’ status. “But I think his likelihood of playing is really good.”
Even with those returning faces, the Sounders could be stretched thin once again in the midfield. Already without Marco Pappa, who will be unavailable as he serves international duty for Guatemala, All-Star Ozzie Alonso was also held out of practice on Thursday and Friday with a hamstring issue.
Schmid referred to Alonso as “day-to-day,” meaning his availability for Saturday is questionable at best.
With the CONCACAF Gold Cup looming, missing players for international duty figures to become a theme the Sounders will have to deal with regularly going forward. But general manager Garth Lagerwey says if any team is capable of withstanding the prospect of missing key players, it’s his Seattle team that boasts one of the deepest rosters in MLS.
“The team’s deep,” Lagerwey said. “One of the things I’ve been most happy with is, if you look at the number of young guys that have contributed to [our recent] results, that’s what’s really encouraging.”
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The Sounders were also treated to a couple of special guest appearances at Friday’s practice at Starfire Sports Complex, the first being the US Open trophy which sports engraved names of the winners of the legendary golf tournament that is taking place at the nearby Chambers Bay golf course this year.
Former Sounder and current Tottenham Hotspur member DeAndre Yedlin was also seen mingling with his old teammates after playing with Evans in the Germany friendly on Wednesday.
“It was good [to see Yedlin],” Schmid said. “This is where he was sort of born and bred. It’s nice to see him back.”
