COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Dillon Powers wasn’t around for the end of the Colorado Rapids’ Friday training session at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, but he could still play on Saturday night.
The rookie midfielder was indoors undergoing concussion protocol testing to determine whether he’d be available for the Rapids’ potentially do-or-die clash with the Vancouver Whitecaps (6 pm ET; MLS Live).
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“We will check at the end of the day [on Powers],” Rapids head coach Oscar Pareja said after Friday’s practice. “He has passed already a test, but we are waiting to test him [further].”
Powers left in the second half of the Rapids’ 5-1 win over the Sounders on Oct. 5 with a concussion, and he has spent much of the week working toward getting back in time for Saturday. Powers missed the Rapids’ 1-0 loss to the Earthquakes on Oct. 9, and his physicality at center midfield was sorely missed.
Should Powers be forced to miss Saturday’s game, as Pareja appeared to indicate on Friday morning, Nick LaBrocca or Martin Rivero would likely take Powers’ place in the Colorado midfield.
Meanwhile, the Rapids’ two freshly returned internationals, Deshorn Brown and Gabriel Torres, trained fully on Friday and both are ready to start on Saturday, Pareja said.
“The truth is, I’m more motivated to help the team,” said Torres, who returned after Panama’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss to the U.S. on Tuesday, eliminating them from contention for World Cup 2014. “The most important thing right now is that we win tomorrow.”
Chris Bianchi covers the Colorado Rapids for MLSsoccer.com.
