Omar Cummings and Corey Ashe head into the 2013 season as projected starters for the Houston Dynamo, but now both may miss the start of the season after undergoing surgeries to repair some knee issues.
The the procedures are being deemed minor by the Dynamo, the timetable on the returns of Ashe and Cummings is between four to six weeks, which leaves both players for the March 2nd against D.C. United.
Cummings was acquired via trade from the Colorado Rapids earlier in the off-season and was projected to be a strike partner for Will Bruin. His time on the sidelines could pave the way for rookie Jason Johnson to earn some playing time.
Ashe’s surgery could help trialist Mike Chabala and rookie Jimmy Nealis gain more reps in pre-season as they fight for a place on the Dynamo roster.
The Dynamo kicked off their pre-season activity on Saturday with a 3-0 victory against Houston Baptist University, with Cam Weaver netting two goals and Giles Barnes adding another.
Here are some other results and some other news and notes from the MLS pre-season:
SPORTING KC TIES REVS IN PRE-SEASON OPENER
The first match-up of MLS teams this pre-season went off in rather uneventful fashion on Friday as Sporting Kansas City and the New England Revolution played to a scoreless draw in Tucson, Arizona.
Generation adidas rookies Andrew Farrell and Mikey Lopez made their debuts for their teams, both coming on as 31st-minute substitutions.
CHIVAS ROLLS OVER UC-IRVINE IN SCRIMMAGE
Four different players scored goals to give Chivas USA a 4-1 victory over UC-Irvine in their first pre-season match, and first match under new head coach Jose “Chelis” Sanchez Sola.
Jose Correa, Tristan Bowen, Rodrigo Lopez and Ben Zemanski delivered goals for the Goats, who will return to action Wednesday with a friendly against the Santa Clarita Storm.
Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, the subject of heavy trade rumors, sat out the match, with Patrick McClain and Tim Melia playing one half each in goal.
FIRE LOAN FERNANDEZ
The Chicago Fire continued to trim down their roster on Friday by announcing the departure of Uruguayan midfielder Alvaro Fernandez on a six-month loan deal to Qatari side Al Rayyan, confirming the SBI report on the move more than a week earlier.
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What do you think of these developments? See the Dynamo getting off to a slow start to 2013 without Cummings and Ashe? Looking forward to seeing Farrell and Lopez in action among the rookie class?
Share your thoughts below.