KANSAS CITY, Mo. – There's a chance that Sporting Kansas City could have forwards Dom Dwyer and Jacob Peterson back for Saturday's home match against the Seattle Sounders (8:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE) – but neither is yet certain to be available to face the Western Conference leaders.
“Both [Dwyer] and Jake are, I would say, questionable to probable,” manager Peter Vermes said on Thursday, during the club's weekly news conference. “They both had a little time on the field today. So we've got to see how they react from that. We'll get more evaluation with them tomorrow because sometimes you've got to wait 24 hours to see where guys are.
“What I will say is that they were OK today. It wasn't like they were both full-on because I only had them in training for a little while. I'm just trying to see each day how we build up with the progression.”
Sporting already know they'll be without leading scorer and May MLS Player of the Month Krisztian Nemeth, whose six goals this season – on six shots on goal – landed him a call-up to the Hungarian national team for upcoming Euro 2016 qualifying.
Dwyer, who has four goals this season after a slow start at the center-forward spot, has missed the last two games after being scratched before Sporting's scoreless away draw to the Sounders on May 23. Peterson pulled up with a right hamstring strain in that match and sat out last weekend's 4-0 home rout of shorthanded FC Dallas.
“With Dom, he's just banged up in a couple of different places,” Vermes said. “We're just trying to manage that piece of it as well. The whole thing is, we want to make sure nothing flares up on either guy.”
Dwyer's injury was originally characterized as neck stiffness, but Vermes also referred to a groin strain on Monday when discussing Sporting's injury-depleted roster situation.
“Other places, too,” he said on Thursday, but would not elaborate.
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If neither Dwyer nor Peterson – who usually plays on the wing but can go up top if needed – can suit up against Seattle, Vermes said third-round MLS SuperDraft pick James Rogers could make his debut.
Rogers is the only healthy outfield player on Sporting's roster who has not yet appeared in a match this season, and one of only two who has not made at least one start – rookie fullback Saad Abdul-Salaam being the other.
Other options? Vermes smiled and started listing goalkeepers.
“Tim [Melia]. [Jon] Kempin,” he said. “Yeah. That's where we're at.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
