There are only two less-than-ideal starters in Saturday’s lineup against the Columbus Crew SC. Gustav Svensson is filling in for the still-injured Brad Evans and Will Bruin is in for Jordan Morris, who is out with a minor ankle sprain described as not “serious or long-term.”
That means that Stefan Frei and Osvaldo Alonso are getting their first starts of the preseason. Clint Dempsey is starting his fourth match and will have his fifth appearance. Those are great signals for opening day against the Houston Dynamo (Saturday March 4, 5:30 PM, broadcaster TBD).