Philadelphia Union healthy heading into midweek match with Colorado
Marco Fabián will be available for selection and Matt Freese is back fully training with the team
Barring a mishap in training, the injury report for the Philadelphia Union’s midweek game against the Colorado Rapids tomorrow night will be blank.
“It’s always nice at this point of the year when the injury list goes out the day before the game and we have no one on it,” head coach Jim Curtin said after training on Tuesday. “That’s a real positive thing.”
Marco Fabián, who returned to training last Thursday after re-aggravated his ankle in the game against Toronto FC, will be available for selection and could be in the starting XI tomorrow. Curtin said Sergio Santos will also be available to start. The Brazilian has made just one start this season and been limited to six total appearances because of injury.
Homegrown goalkeeper Matt Freese returned to full training with the team yesterday. Curtin said he will likely get minutes for the Bethlehem Steel in their game Friday night on the road against New York Red Bulls II.
“It’s been great to have him back in training,” Curtin said of the 20-year-old.
Mark McKenzie and Matt Real are the only anticipated absences for Wednesday. Each has made an appearance off the bench for the United States in the U-20 World Cup in Poland and could both be in the starting lineup for Thursday’s final group game against Qatar.
Getting Fabián back will be a big story line heading into Wednesday’s game against a suddenly competitive Colorao Rapids team, which has won two straight over LA Galaxy and the Columbus Crew after starting the season win-less in their first 11.
“Marco brings a ton of quality and right now we need all our guys to be killers around the box,” Curtin said. “That’s been a little bit of a downfall in the past couple games. We’ve created a ton of chances but being a little more ruthless in front of goal is something we’ve worked on.”
Despite only appearing in six games this season, Fabián is tied for second on the team with Kacper Przbylko in shots with 25 behind Fafa Picault (28). He’s one of six players on the team in a tie for second in goals with two.