Nagbe missing at Atlanta United training; Williams out for season

ajc.com

Darlington Nagbe didn’t participate in Atlanta United’s team training session on Monday at its facility in Marietta.

The team is practicing ahead of its MLS Eastern Conference final playoff game against New York Red Bulls. The first game will be at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday. The second game will be in Harrison, N.J., on Nov. 29.

Manager Gerardo Martino last week said that he think Nagbe will return to training this week.

The midfielder was one of two notable absences among players who aren’t out on international duty. That group includes goalkeeper Brad Guzan (U.S.), Miguel Almiron and Hector Villalba (Paraguay) and Josef Martinez (Venezuela).

Striker Romario Williams was also out. The team announced on Monday that he will miss the remainder of the season after suffering  a ligament injury in his left ankle. The injury occurred during a training session for the playoff series against NYCFC. He appeared in 17 matches this season, scoring one goal.

Among the players who missed some sessions last week but who trained on Monday were midfielders Jeff Larentowicz and Andrew Carleton.

Larentowicz and Nagbe have been key performers for the Five Stripes this season. Nagbe made 23 starts during the regular season, and two more in the Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series against NYCFC. He sustained a strained hamstring in the second game.

Larentowicz made 33 starts during the regular season and started the first semifinal series game at Yankee Stadium. He suffered a strained hamstring in the game that forced him to miss the second game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.