Sporting KC defender Jalil Anibaba out six weeks with quadriceps strain

Sporting Kansas City defender Jalil Anibaba will miss an estimated six weeks with a strained quadriceps muscle that he suffered in training this week, coach Peter Vermes shared during his weekly press conference Friday.

Anibaba, 26, has started 13 games this season at right outside back, recording one goal and four assists.

“Jalil, up to that point for us, had not missed a practice or a game — not one day,” Vermes said. “Sometimes there are just things that happen. You have to be able to deal with them.”

Sporting KC is in a better position to absorb Anibaba’s absence after the return of Chance Myers, who started his first MLS match in over a year during a 2-0 win against Colorado on June 27. Myers is also a right outside back.

Vermes said Myers could have started the club’s U.S. Open Cup match against FC Dallas the following week, though he opted for Anibaba instead.

Myers is looking at a heavier workload moving forward, and he will almost certainly be the starter in Sunday’s match at Vancouver, which is tied with Seattle atop the Western Conference standings.　　

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Sporting KC defender Jalil Anibaba out six weeks with quadriceps strain."