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Sandy • Just when you thought the Real Salt Lake injury report was being whittled down, it expands once more.
Following Friday afternoon's training session at America First Field in Sandy, RSL coach Jeff Cassar confirmed that both Joao Plata (hip contusion) and Jordan Allen (quadriceps strain) are out for Saturday night's game against the L.A. Galaxy at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Reserve forward Chad Barrett is dealing with general soreness, Cassar said, and was held out of Friday's training session. The 31-year-old will, however, be available against the Galaxy.
A troublesome trend continues for RSL as it appears the center back rotation has taken another nick.
Defender David Horst is dealing with what Cassar described as "a little bit of a knee issue." The 31-year-old who has started each of RSL's first two matches in 2017 was seeing doctors Friday for the issue, Cassar said.
"But he could still be in the lineup," RSL's coach added.
Horst's recent injury adds to the list of issues for the team's center backs early in the year. The club has already had Justen Glad (knee), Chris Schuler (foot) and Aaron Maund (hamstring) miss time this season due to injury. Justin Schmidt, the second-round draft pick, who made his MLS debut in the 2-0 loss at Chicago last weekend is the lone center back not to pick up an injury this season.
Cassar said Schuler and Maund have progressed well in training sessions this week. Specifically to Maund, Cassar said the 26-year-old must work his way to being totally game-fit after picking up a hamstring injury during preseason.
As for the status of Plata and Allen ahead of next weekend's road trip at the New York Red Bulls, Cassar said the attacking duo are improving, but must see how they respond once they partake in full training sessions.
"But the dynamic part of it has to come," he said. "Running in a straight line and being able to control your environment, it's a lot different than having to make quick reactions and that's the last part to come and it still hasn't came."
Cassar unveiled that plans are to start two of three homegrown attacking options against L.A., naming Brooks Lennon, Sebastian Saucedo and Ricardo Velazco as options.
"We're going to have Brooks and Bofo and Ricardo in there with Yura," he said. "It's going to be young, it's going to be energetic and when they get the opportunities, they've got to seize them."
-Chris Kamrani
Twitter: @chriskamrani