Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard
Link copied to clipboard

Marco Fabián, Sergio Santos back healthy with Union set to host Colorado Rapids

The news comes when both players are badly needed to restore some punch to the Union’s attack.

Marco Fabián is finally back at full health after dealing with a sprained ankle for the last few weeks.
Marco Fabián is finally back at full health after dealing with a sprained ankle for the last few weeks.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Midfielder Marco Fabián and forward Sergio Santos are back at full health, Union manager Jim Curtin announced after Tuesday’s practice. The news comes when they’re badly needed to restore some punch to the Union’s attack.

“They’re both available for selection to be starters,” Curtin said. “Marco brings a ton of quality, and right now we need all our guys to be killers around the box. That’s been a little bit of a downfall in the past couple games. We’ve created a ton of chances, but being a little more ruthless in front of the goal is something we’ve worked on all week.”

Fabián has played just once since suffering a sprained left ankle on April 14, missing the last two games after a brief return on May 11. Santos has been slowly recovering from a knee injury suffered in early April. His longest appearance in four games since returning was 57 minutes against Seattle two weekends ago.

Fabián’s return should help ease the burden on Brenden Aaronson, who has played well but is an 18-year-old rookie. When Fabián starts, Aaronson can come in as a substitute and provide energy against tired opponents. The Medford native also could play a deeper role in midfield, allowing him to run forward with the ball more often.

“If there’s one thing I need him to work on and improve on — and we’ll continue to do it every day in training — it’s that ability to arrange his feet quickly in the box and get his shot off,” Curtin said. “He’s been in really dangerous situations, but the margins are very small.”

Curtin plans to make lineup changes at other positions, too, as his team faces games Wednesday against the Colorado Rapids (7:30 p.m., PHL17) and Sunday at the Minnesota United (4 p.m., PHL17). That includes right back, where Ray Gaddis has been caught upfield too often lately.

"I just said to Kai [Wagner] and Ray, they're defenders first and foremost," Curtin said. "Are there going to be certain moments when they can get forward and get those two to three crosses a half that we ask for? Yes, certainly, that's still going to be available. But if one's forward, the other has to stay. ... Keeping the clean sheet is most important."

Curtin added that it’s “likely” Olivier Mbaizo will play one of the next two games.

The Rapids (2-9-2, 8 points) are one of MLS’ worst teams, but they’ve won their last two games, over notable opponents Los Angeles Galaxy and Columbus Crew. Former Union forward Conor Casey, a fan favorite while playing here from 2013 to 2015, has been the interim manager since Anthony Hudson was fired on May 1.

Colorado’s roster includes former Union right back Keegan Rosenberry, a Lancaster-area native who also was a fan favorite. He played the first three seasons of his professional career in Chester and was traded to the Rapids in December, as Ernst Tanner overhauled the Union’s tactical setup.