BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos revealed Tuesday that if midfielder Mike Banner is healthy, he’ll start against FC Dallas at Toyota Park on Thursday night.
“If he’s healthy he’ll play,” de los Cobos said after Tuesday’s training. “He’s a good player and he’s working very good. If he’s good he’ll start.”
Banner is listed as questionable for Thursday night’s match with what is being called “left quad tightness.” According to team sources, the 25-year-old left midfielder trained on Wednesday, perhaps indicating that he’ll be ready to start against Dallas.
Banner made his only MLS start of the year in the Fire’s season opener at New York. However, Banner – who played left back against the Red Bulls – didn’t perform very well and has been relegated to a substitute’s role ever since. He has made five appearances off the bench in the Fire’s ensuing seven league matches.
If healthy, Banner will likely replace fellow midfielder Justin Mapp in the starting lineup. Mapp, who returned from an injury of his own to start in last Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Legia Warsaw in the Chicago Sister Cities International Cup, has started three league games in 2010.
Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com.
