Omar Jasseh's San Jose Earthquakes have dealt with injury problems all season, and it seems that won’t change ahead of Saturday's Eastern Conference Championship at Colorado.
The injury bug has set its sights firmly on the Quakes back line for the most important game of their season.
Head coach Frank Yallop reiterated on www.sjearthquakes.com on Wednesday that it is likely captain Ramiro Corrales will miss the match at Dick’'s Sporting Goods Park with a right hamstring strain he suffered in last weekend's win at New York.
Yallop said he hasn't seen enough progress from the veteran defender to make him believe he’ll be ready by Saturday.
Also coming up slightly lame is centre-back Jason Hernandez, who tweaked his calf ahead of that game but is hoping to be ready for the Rapids.
As far as the rest of the lineup is concerned, Yallop won't shed much light on his starting 11 in Colorado, but did say he was pleased with the front six he fielded at New York - Sam Cronin and Scott Sealy in the middle, Chris Wondolowski and Bobby Convey on the wings, and Ryan Johnson and Geovanni up front.
It's a good gamble Yallop will stick with that starting sextet in Colorado against a side with which he believes San Jose match up well.
The Quakes departed for Denver on Thursday after a morning training session. Yallop said he’ll run the team through a final light practice in Colorado on Friday.
The Earthquakes and Colorado Rapids met twice in the regular season, with each team winning 1-0 at home.
The San Jose Earthquakes previously made the playoffs in 1996 and from 2001 to 2005, and have won two MLS Cup Championships in 2001 and 2003.
LA Galaxy, who are anticipating for a difficult road to the MLS Cup, will host strong opponents, FC Dallas in the Western Conference Championship on Sunday.
The winner of the Eastern Conference Championship will face the winner of the Western Conference Championship on 21 November in MLS Cup at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario.
