If Atlanta United can get through Sunday’s game at Sporting KC without any of its players suffering new injuries, the team could be almost fully healthy when it next plays at D.C. United on Aug. 23.
Manager Gerardo Martino on Friday said that he expects Greg Garza (shoulder), Josef Martinez (foot), Mark Bloom (back) and Kenwyne Jones (knee) should return when the season re-starts. The only player who he said may not be ready is goalkeeper Alec Kann (quad).
Martinez has nine goals and has missed the past two games, as well as 10 absences in a stretch before that, with different injuries.
Bloom, a native of Marietta, has filled in as a spot starter and a reserve.
Jones has two goals in 12 appearances. He was bothered by knee inflammation while playing for Trinidad and Tobago in June.
Garza suffered a separated shoulder in Wednesday’s All-Star game and is expected to miss 7-10 days.
The team made two other personnel announcements earlier this week: the recall of Harrison Heath from his short loan at Sacramento and the extension of Anton Walkes’ loan from Tottenham Hotspur for another six months.
“That was always one of the possibilities,” Martino said of Heath, who made two starts for the Sacramento. “I don’t know if it was up the player or the technical staff, but he got back on Monday.”
As for Walkes, Martino said “he brings a lot of good things to our team: he’s very fast, he’s very brave, he’s good technically, he’s good in the air.”
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