KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Dom Dwyer wasn't called back to Sporting Kansas City to be a spectator.
“He's coming back to be a part of the 18, for sure,” manager Peter Vermes said on Friday, during the club's weekly news conference. “He's been in form. He's done a very good job in Orlando, and he's kept his form very consistent over that time period. So based on him playing well, and some of the things that are going on within our team, we felt it was a good time to bring him back.”
The forward was recalled Thursday from his loan to USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC, where he scored a record 15 goals in league play and another three in US Open Cup action, and will be available for Saturday's home game against the Columbus Crew (8:30 pm ET, watch on MLS Live).
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Sporting will also be without one of its regular forwards against the Crew, after Vermes elected not to appeal C.J. Sapong's red card from last weekend's 2-2 away draw to FC Dallas.
“I want to be involved,” Dwyer told MLSsoccer.com after Friday's training session. “I've been playing, so I expect to come here and play. Whether it's starting or on the bench, I can't say yet, but I want to be involved and I want to be playing.”
Dwyer didn't learn about the recall until after Orlando City's 5-1 loss to the Chicago Fire in the Open Cup quarterfinals.
“They told Orlando before the Cup game,” he said, “but they didn't tell me until after the game so I could focus on the game. I was disappointed with the loss, but then they told me I was coming back, so it's a bit of mixed emotions.”
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Also on Friday, Sporting mutually parted ways with defender Yann Songo'o to clear roster space and an international slot for the upcoming transfer window. Songo'o had been on loan to Orlando City since the start of the season, with one goal in 12 matches.
The affiliation agreement calls for Sporting to have at least four players on loan to the Lions, but Vermes has not said when the next loans will be made or whom he plans to send.
“We're talking back and forth on what they may need, position-wise, and what we would be willing or able to send down there,” he said. “I would say maybe sometime next week, but I don't have a deadline at the moment.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
