Sporting KC captain Matt Besler will miss Saturday’s match because of concussion

The match inside Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday evening will feature the only two remaining unbeaten teams in the MLS Western Conference.

But neither will have the full complement of its roster.

The biggest absence for the home side: Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler will miss Saturday’s match against Real Salt Lake because of the lingering effects of a concussion, coach Peter Vermes said Thursday. Besler sustained the injury while training with the U.S. men’s national team on March 24, when he was struck in the top of the head with a ball.

“He’s still not quite right. He’s still just trying to recover a little bit,” Vermes said. “We’re giving him the time to rest. We’re in no rush. It’s the same thing with any other injury — and obviously this one has a little more (sensitivity) — but I’m never going to put a guy in harm’s way, whether it’s a kick in the leg or a kick in the head.”

Before returning to play, Besler will have to go through the league’s concussion protocol. Prior to the season, MLS players are given neuropsychological tests to establish a baseline assessment. Because he was diagnosed with a concussion, Besler must pass an evaluation that compares his post-injury test results to the preseason outcome.

Vermes said Besler has not yet taken the post-injury evaluation.

In addition to its center back, Sporting KC will be without midfielder Roger Espinoza, who is serving a one-game suspension for receiving a red card in the win against Toronto FC. Vermes said Paulo Nagamura (calf) and Justin Mapp (toe) won’t be ready for Saturday, either.

On the other hand, the club welcomed Graham Zusi and Soni Mustivar back to training Thursday after they represented their respective national teams earlier this week. Both will be available against Real Salt Lake.

And there’s another shorthanded team. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Real Salt Lake conducted its practice Wednesday with only 14 players eligible to participate Saturday. The club has three players on red-card suspension — defensive midfielder Kyle Beckerman, midfielder Jamison Olave and forward Burrito Martinez. The Tribune reports that Phanuel Kavita (knee), Javier Morales (rib), Boyd Okwuonu (concussion), Fito Ovalle (personal reasons), Emery Welshman (hip) and Omar Holness, who suffered a seizure over the weekend, will not play in Kansas City. Forward Olmes Garcia is questionable with an ankle sprain.

“Whoever is available, they always play us tough at our place,” said Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber, who is set to make his season debut Saturday after returning from an abdominal strain. “They still have pieces that can hurt you offensively. It’s always going to be a tough match against them, like it always is.”

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Sporting KC captain Matt Besler will miss Saturday’s match because of concussion."