VANCOUVER, BC – If Kenny Miller isn’t fit to play Saturday against Real Salt Lake, there’s a good chance Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s leading goalscorer could take his place in the starting lineup.
Miller did not train on Monday or Tuesday, as he is still suffering from some tightness in his right adductor. Whitecaps FC head coach Martin Rennie said he’s hopeful the Scotsman will train later this week.
The injury forced Miller to leave last weekend’s tilt against Montreal Impact at the hour-mark, at which point Camilo entered the match. The Brazilian striker proceeded to score a brace in the dying stages of the match, his 15th and 16th goals of the season, to secure the 3-0 victory for Vancouver.
“Last game, Camilo came off the bench and did very well so he might be in line to start this one,” Rennie told reporters after Tuesday after training.
Canadian winger Russell Teibert could also be an option, after he too came on as a second-half substitute against Montreal. Prior to that, Teibert missed a pair of matches due to international duty and illness respectively.
As for striker Tommy Heinemann, who made his first start in over five months last weekend, Rennie said he'll have to wait for an update on Miller's status before making a decision on Heinemann's place in the squad.
"With Montreal, we specifically saw things that we thought Tommy could exploit and I think he did a good job doing that," Rennie said. "Every game is a little different, but we want to keep the team as settled as we can."
Tuesday’s training session, which consisted of mostly possession and small-sided games, lasted about two hours at UBC’s Dhillon Field. Centre backs Andy O’Brien and Johnny Leveron both trained in full, and Rennie said they’re both available for selection.
For the first time since undergoing surgery in April, winger Omar Salgado also spent some time training with the main group on Tuesday. The 20-year-old American, who continues to recover from a fractured right foot, has yet to be available for selection this season.
After a three-match road swing, the ‘Caps are back at BC Place this Saturday for an important Western Conference tilt with Real Salt Lake. Tickets are still available at whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
