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MLS West Notes: McBean undergoes surgery, multiple players embark on loans; and more

Jack McBean, Aurelien Collin

BY MIKE DONOVAN

One of the bright spots for the LA Galaxy this season has been the play of 18-year-old Jack McBean, who has played in all seven league matches so far this season. But McBean’s season has been derailed after suffering a broken collar bone in a collision with Real Salt Lake centerback Nat Borchers.

Prior to the injury, McBean had enjoyed a great start to the season with a goal and two assists. McBean is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks.

While Tab Ramos stated in the past that McBean was unlikely to represent the US at the U-20 World Cup, this injury has put an end to any chance of him being chosen.

Here are some more news and notes from around the Western Conference heading into MLS Week Ten action:

CHIVAS USA

Salvadoran International Steve Purdy made his Chivas USA debut for the Goats in their 2-2 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes. Purdy, who had played 16 MLS games prior to this season with FC Dallas and the Portland Timbers, went the full 90 for Chivas USA. Purdy started at his preferred centerback position after playing mostly right back last season for the Timbers.

COLORADO RAPIDS

When Hendry Thomas became the ninth Rapid to be placed on the injured list, Colorado decided to pick up some re-enforcements and signed defender Brenton Griffiths. The Jamaican Griffiths has been training with the club since he was selected in the second round of the MLS supplemental draft.

Griffiths is also the 30th player on the Rapids roster meaning Colorado will be unable to sign another player without waiving or trading a current player first.

FC DALLAS

Three months after being drafted in the first round of the MLS Superdraft, Walker Zimmerman finally made an appearance on the FC Dallas practice field Tuesday. Zimmerman had been sidelined with a groin injury.

The Furman product was the No. 7 overall pick and is the only player picked in the top-12 of this year’s Superdraft that has yet to play in a league match.

PORTLAND TIMBERS

Despite leaving the field injured during the Timbers 3-2 victory over Sporting KC, Futty Danso did not miss training this week in the buildup to Thursday’s match against New England Revolution. Head Coach Caleb Porter said recently that he expects Danso to play against the Revolution.

REAL SALT LAKE

Enzo Martinez, who was RSL’s first-round pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, has been loaned to the NASL’s Carolina RailHawks. The Uruguayan has yet to play in a league match for RSL, but has featured in seven reserve matches this season.

The move to the RailHawks will give Martinez games in a familiar setting. He played his college soccer at the University of North Carolina, which is just 22 miles from the RailHawks stadium. Martinez is the third member of the 2012 Generation Adidas class to be loaned out by a MLS club this season, joining Tyler Polak and Dom Dwyer.

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

Steven Lenhart has become the second San Jose forward to be suspended multiple games this season. Lenhart was suspended two games by MLS following his foot striking Chivas USA’s Mario de Luna in the face during Saturday’s 2-2 draw.

Fellow forward Alan Gordon still has two games remaining on his suspension for uttering a gay slur during a match on April 14. Lenhart and Gordon will miss home matches against Montreal and Toronto FC before returning to eligibility for a match at the Seattle Sounders.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS

Any momentum that Seattle might have had after their first victory of the season two weeks ago, might have come to a halt due to a bye week that immediately followed the win.

“We’d have probably rather played,” coach Sigi Schmid told the Seattle Times. “A lot of times when you win, you want to play again. … Hopefully it will just delay our momentum by a week, not slow it down.”

With the bye now behind them, the club is entering a stretch that will see them play three games in eight days starting with Saturday’s match at Philadelphia.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

Vancouver Homegrown player, Bryce Alderson, has been loaned to the Charleston Battery of the USL Pro league. Alderson is the third Whitecap to be loaned to the Battery this season, following the loans of Ben Fisk and Emmanuel Adjetey.

Alderson was Canada’s captain at the 2011 U-17 World Cup and was signed to the Whitecaps in November of 2011. He has seen time for the club’s PDL and reserve sides, but is yet to make a MLS league appearance.

Comments

    • I can only guess that you’re talking about McBean’s injury. You do realize that McBean, although only 18, is about 6 ft 180 lbs, right? He’s a kid only in age, but certainly big enough to play with “grown men” It’s not even worth pointing out that there are countless players much much smaller than McBean who play in the league, in fact why am I even responding at all?…

      Reply
      • Furthermore, if you watch the reply, Borchers tumbles to the ground while McBean was still upright, then immediately grabs his shoulder. Freak accident. The play set up a great chance as well. Tough break, bright future.

    • He would have had to kick him A LOT harder for that to be “way worse than biting”.

      That said, if they made it 3 games I wouldn’t disagree.

      Reply
  1. several, east and west, teams have 3 games in 8 days going on or coming up. bad timing injury for McBean.

    Reply

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