Injury Updates
- OUT: GK — John Alvbage (left thumb)
- OUT: M — Bernardo Anor (left lower leg)
- OUT: D — Marc Burch (sports hernia surgery 6/20, out 8-12 weeks)
- OUT: F — Abu Danladi (right hamstring)
- OUT: M/D — Thomas de Villardi (left Achilles)
- OUT: D — Brent Kallman (pelvis)
Training Notes
- After being signed earlier in the week, midfielder Sam Nicholson and defender Michael Boxall are now training at full speed with the squad. Early on, they were working more on fitness after the offseason for Nicholson and a great deal of travel for Boxall. At this point, neither is expected to suit up for the friendly against Atlas FC this weekend.
Gaffer’s Quote
- Adrian Heath on what a friendly can do for the side: “I think the most important thing tomorrow for us, is that there are four or five players that have been really disappointed that they haven’t played lately, and they have an opportunity. I always say this to the guys, every time that you play — whether it be in training, or a game — it’s an opportunity to impress. And we have four or five tomorrow that I think it’s really important for them to really start to push on in the second half of the season and try and force their way into the starting XI.”
Marquee Matchups
- The backline vs. Matias Alustiza: Alustiza was Atlas’ leading scorer in the 2017 Clausura — Liga MX’s season is split into two championships, the Apertura and the Clausura — and the Loons’ defenders will have their hands full, especially with captain Francisco Calvo and Jermaine Taylor still away for Gold Cup play with Costa Rica and Jamaica, respectively.
- Jose Madueña vs. the left side: Madueña likes to dig into the defense with long runs that can allow him to serve the ball into the box, so the MNUFC midfielders on his side of the field — whether that ends up being Miguel Ibarra or Ish Jome or someone else — will have to match him step for step.
Horseshoe Winners
- Every Friday, the team plays a game called horseshoes where teams of two set up flat cones roughly 20 yards apart. Teammates send lofted passes to each other with the receiver having to settle the ball in one touch before it hits the ground. Closest to the cone wins a point.
- THIS WEEK'S WINNERS: No horseshoes this week.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
- T -- Davis + Brovsky (1) / Calvo + Ibson (1) / Thiesson + Danladi (1)
