Sporting KC’s Vermes, two players in league COVID protocols, could miss Wednesday game
Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said Monday that he and two unnamed players are currently in Major League Soccer’s safety protocols for COVID-19.
The news comes just two days before Sporting KC hosts the San Jose Earthquakes at Children’s Mercy Park on Wednesday.
Vermes said it is “probably unlikely” that the two players will be available for selection against San Jose. He is also unsure whether he will be able to coach the game from the sideline.
If Vermes is unable to be in the stadium for the game, an assistant coach would step in as the squad’s temporary head coach.
Although that decision has not yet been made with Vermes still possibly able to coach Wednesday, that responsibility would most likely fall to one of two SKC assistant coaches: Kerry Zavagnin or Zoran Savic.
Vermes noted that 100% of the players, coaching and technical staff have been vaccinated.
The current MLS safety protocols state that vaccinated individuals who meet the requirements of a “High-Risk Close Contact” — exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 — are exempt from a five-day quarantine period.
Vaccinated individuals who fall under the MLS safety protocols must still be tested on a daily basis for 14 days following the last day of high-risk exposure. Those players would also be encouraged to avoid using indoor club facilities throughout a 14-day period following their exposure.
The news brings a selection headache for Vermes, who is already without Gianluca Busio and Alan Pulido for Wednesday’s match against San Jose. The pair are with their respective national teams for the 2021 Gold Cup, Busio with the U.S. team and Pulido with Mexico.
Vermes also said that midfielder Felipe Hernandez is on leave for personal reasons, leaving the club without a key piece of its midfield.
“It’s going to definitely cause shuffling in the lineup,” Vermes said. “We’ve also got players away on national team duty, so it’ll be shuffling. But we’ll put a good team out on the field like we always try to.”
Get a shot, score a scarf
Two vaccination drives, the first Wednesday night during the SKC-San Jose game, will take place at Children’s Mercy Park this month. Fans who get vaccinated at the game can take home a free Sporting KC scarf. Vaccines will be available through halftime Wednesday and again during Sporting’s home game at CMP on July 31.
The vaccines will be administered at the stadium’s Mazuma Plaza gates once the gates open. Free COVID-19 testing will also be available at both games, which are scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. The Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available for fans ages 12 and up, and those 18 and older can choose which vaccine they want.
The Star’s Cora Hall contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 19, 2021 at 2:31 PM with the headline "Sporting KC’s Vermes, two players in league COVID protocols, could miss Wednesday game."