Seattle Sounders Designated Player Clint Dempsey will miss his first match of 2016 on Saturday night against the Colorado Rapids after skipping the team’s trip to Denver with tightness in his groin.
Dempsey was held back from the trip as a precautionary measure, according to the Sounders. Dempsey had logged every minute of the team’s six MLS regular season games and played all 180 minutes of team’s Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series. He’s scored one goal in league play this season.
Designated Player Nelson Valdez was also held back from the trip for precautionary reasons after he felt tightness in his hamstring during the team’s training session on Friday.