2017 MLS Injury Update: Week 1
By Rohit Menon
Here is an MLS injury report for the Eastern and Western Conferences after the end of the first week of the 2017 season (March 3-5).
Following the conclusion of an exciting first week, the latest MLS injury list has been compiled with the help of MLSSoccer.com and a few other sources. Check them out and make necessary changes to your MLS Fantasy ahead of Week 2!
MLS Injury Update: Eastern Conference
The second pick for Atlanta United during the 2016 MLS Expansion Draft, centre-back Zach Loyd is nursing a groin injury he sustained during the off-season. He is the only current casualty in the club’s roster, who seem to have a relatively clean bill of health.
Doubtful: Zach Loyd (groin injury)
Matt Polster misses out for at least a few more weeks with a right knee strain. Goalkeeper Matt Lampson and Dutch midfielder John Goossens are also major doubts ahead of Chicago Fire’s home game against Real Salt Lake.
Doubtful: Matt Lampson (left knee sprain), John Goossens (injured right ankle)
Out: Matt Polster (right knee strain, April return)
Left wing-back Waylon Francis and midfielder Abuchi Obinwa are both still recovering and most probably won’t be able to make it for Columbus Crew SC’s fixture away to Houston Dynamo. Gaston Sauro continues to be sidelined with a knee injury and will miss the whole of 2017 season.
Doubtful: Waylon Francis (surgery on right shoulder), Abuchi Obinwa (injured knee)
Out: Gaston Sauro (knee injury, 2018 return)
DC United are missing the playmaking services of Luciano Acosta, who picked up an undisclosed injury (reportedly lower body) in pre-season. Defender and 12th overall pick of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft Chris Odoi Atsem will also not feature anytime soon as he is out with a bilateral calf injury.
Out: Luciano Acosta (undisclosed injury), Chris Odoi-Atsem (bilateral calf injury)
Montreal Impact has listed no injured players despite centre-backs Victor Cabrera and Wandrille Lefevre missing the opening day 1-0 loss to San Jose Earthquakes. Coach Mauro Biello expects the two make the squad when they host Seattle Sounders at the Stade Saputo in Week 2.
Doubtful: Victor Cabrera (hip ailment), Wandrille Lefevre (concussion)
Lee Nguyen could make it to the bench for New England Revolution’s home game against Orlando City after coming off within the first 30 minutes during their loss to Colorado Rapids last week. Zachary Herivaux misses out for the second game in a row with a right ankle sprain.
Doubtful: Lee Nguyen (bruised right ankle)
Out: Zachary Herivaux (right ankle sprain)
24-year-old midfielder Mikey Lopez is the only name on the injury list for New York City FC. The American had an ankle surgery on January 27 is expected to make a return to action in June.
Out: Mikey Lopez (ankle surgery, summer return)
INJURY NEWS: @MLopez12_5 undergoes successful surgery on ankle 🔽https://t.co/xXm8NSVY2j
— New York City Football Club (@NYCFC) January 27, 2017
A recent casualty is forward Gonzalo Veron, who limped off in the 8th minute with a hamstring injury during the Red Bulls’ second leg Champions League encounter against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Defender Connor Lade, who had a torn ACL, has nearly made a full recovery but is still not ready for first team action.
Out: Gonzalo Veron (hamstring injury), Connor Lade (ACL tear)
The latest addition to Orlando City SC’s ever-growing injury list is Brazilian star Kaka, who is also the fourth player for the outfit to succumb to a hamstring injury. He will miss six weeks of action, joining fellow midfielder Tony Rocha and defenders Rafael Ramos and Kevin Alston on the sidelines.
Out: Tony Rocha (injured hamstring, early April return), Rafael Ramos (injured hamstring, mid-April return), Kevin Alston (injured hamstring), Kaka (injured hamstring, April-end return)
Joshua Yaro is the only long-term absentee for Philadelphia Union. The defender underwent a shoulder surgery on February 9 and is expected to be out for 3-4 months.
Out: Joshua Yaro (shoulder surgery, summer return)
A second surgery to repair a stress fracture in the foot means that Ashtone Morgan will be unavailable for Toronto FC for up to 8 weeks.
Out: Ashtone Morgan (foot stress fracture, summer return)
MLS Injury Update: Western Conference
Colorado Rapids first-choice keeper Tim Howard and their leading scorer last season Shkelzen Gashi could be in line to start this weekend against the New York Red Bulls. John Berner continues to miss out on the action with a wrist injury.
Doubtful: Tim Howard (right adductor injury), Shkelzen Gashi (Achilles injury)
Out: John Berner (wrist injury)
No new injuries for FC Dallas following their 2-1 win away to LA Galaxy. Midfielders Mauro Diaz, Ryan Hollingshead and Victor Ulloa are the long-term absentees.
Out: Mauro Diaz (Achilles tendon tear), Ryan Hollingshead (neck injury), Victor Ulloa (sports hernia injury)
28-year-old keeper Joe Willis has stepped up his recovery from a knee injury but is still a doubtful inclusion for Houston Dynamo’s home game against Columbus Crew.
Doubtful: Joe Willis (knee injury)
Robbie Rogers, Ashley Cole and Gyasi Zardes are the existing casualties for LA Galaxy, although the latter two are closing in on their respective returns.
Out: Robbie Rogers (ankle injury), Ashley Cole (calf strain), Gyasi Zardes (knee surgery)
Venezuelan midfielder Bernardo Anor is the only player on Minnesota United’s disabled list with a hamstring injury.
Out: Bernardo Anor (hamstring injury)
Portland Timbers possess a fully fit roster with the exception of Gbenga Arokoyo, who will be missing out on the whole season due to a torn Achilles tendon.
Out: Gbenga Arokoyo (Achilles tendon tear, 2018 return)
Real Salt Lake have lost four defenders to injuries and three of them are players in the center of defense. Centre-backs Aaron Maund, Justen Glad and Chris Schuler and left-back Demar Phillips will all miss the trip to Chicago Fire on Saturday.
Out: Demar Phillips (hamstring injury), Aaron Maund (hamstring injury), Justen Glad (knee injury), Chris Schuler (sore foot)
Forward Quincy Amarikwai is still in recovery after receiving a knee surgery and is expected to be out for 3-4 months more. Other absentees include midfielder Marc Pelosi and defenders Marvell Wynne and Harold Cummings.
Out: Quincy Amarikwa (knee surgery, summer return), Marvell Wynne (heart abnormality), Harold Cummings (sports hernia injury), Marc Pelosi (left knee injury)
Brad Evans and Aaron Kovar miss out for the Seattle Sounders for the second week running. Oniel Fisher is a doubt for their match against Montreal Impact due to a concussion he picked up earlier.
Doubtful: Oniel Fisher (concussion)
Out: Brad Evans (calf muscle strain, April return), Aaron Kovar (groin surgery)
Chilean forward Diego Rubio is still on the sidelines after picking up an torn ACL in October last season. New signing Cameron Iwasa is a questionable inclusion for Sporting KC’s home game against FC Dallas as he hasn’t fully recovered from a hamstring strain picked up in pre-season.
Doubtful: Cameron Iwasa (hamstring strain)
Out: Diego Rubio (ACL tear)
Next: MLS Power Rankings: Week 1
Vancouver Whitecaps have one of the worst injury records at the moment with four long-term injuries on their roster. Christian Bolanos, Yordy Reyna, Brett Levis and David Edgar will be missing out on MLS action for the foreseeable future.
Out: Christian Bolanos (right knee patellar tendonitis), Brett Levis (ACL tear), Yordy Reyna (foot surgery, summer return), David Edgar (PCL, MCL tear)