It is not likely that Yura Movsisyan will see the field when Real Salt Lake takes on the Philadelphia Union on Sunday from Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, PA. However, the RSL forward will still be with the club while it embarks on a seven-day road trip starting Friday with a flight to the Keystone State.
“He’s a competitor. He wants to go on this trip with us and put himself in a possible position to contribute on this road trip,” RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar said on the O’Connell and Swinney Show on ESPN 700 on Wednesday. “We’ll have to see. That game against Philadelphia is not going to happen. Yura is doing everything in his power to put himself available against Toronto. That seems a little bit close. Our goal is to have thoughts about him for Toronto but really have him ready for Chicago at home.”
Movsisyan suffered a strained hip flexor on Friday in the first half of a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes. He has started in 19 of RSL’s 21 matches this season, scoring a team-high seven goals thus far.
According to Cassar, the DP forward may have to wait until the return to Rio Tinto Stadium to get back on the field because of the sensitive nature of the injury and possibility of reinjury if he isn’t given a full recovery.
“It’s a tricky one. He’s going to feel better, but you have to strengthen that area, not just have it feel better so it doesn’t reinjure again,”Cassar said. “Yura is an experienced professional and he’s going to do everything in his power to get back as soon as possible. I know he’s going to come back from this just as strong as he was before. We just have to make sure that we’re being a little bit smart for him so this injury doesn’t happen again the rest of this year.”
