FRISCO - Few teams in MLS are more banged up at the moment than the Vancouver Whitecaps, who have eight players out with an injury ahead of Saturday night's match against FC Dallas at BC Place.
Vancouver Whitecaps
OUT: Midfielder Christian Bolanos (right shoulder sprain), Defender Christian Dean (left foot stress reaction), Defender David Edgar (PCL, MCL, meniscus tear), Striker Erik Hurtado (left foot fracture), Defender Brett Levis (ACL tear), Midfielder Nicolas Mezquida (right high ankle sprain), Midfielder Yordy Reyna (left foot fracture), Defender Kendall Waston (left hip injury).
QUESTIONABLE: Midfielder Bernie Ibini (right hamstring strain).
The laundry list of injuries for Vancouver features players who were injured as recently as this week and as long ago as last season. Brett Levis tore his right ACL in the 2016 regular season finale against Portland, but is still in the recovery process. Additionally, David Edgar and Yordy Reyna were both injured prior to the start of the 2017 season.
Vancouver had a pair of important players go down during the FIFA International window last week. Christian Bolanos, who leads the team with four assists, sprained his right shoulder during Costa Rica's 0-0 World Cup Qualifying draw with Panama on June 8th. His club and national team teammate, Kendall Waston, was injured in Costa Rica's next match, a win against Trinidad and Tobago, just five days later.
FC Dallas
OUT: Defender Walker Zimmerman (MCL strain).
The return of Paxton Pomykal from left knee surgery during Wednesday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup victory meant that only one Dallas player was still on the mend.
Walker Zimmerman was injured during the May 28th Texas Derby match against Houston and is approaching his third week of injury recovery. With a four to six-week timetable period placed on the injury, it slots him for a return sometime in early July.
Dallas will receive a boost from the additions of Kellyn Acosta, Maynor Figueroa and Matt Hedges, who all return from international duty.
