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City SC鈥檚 center back position, where everybody is hurting somewhere, remains uncertain headed into Saturday鈥檚 game with New York City FC at CityPark.

Injuries on the back line led to coach Bradley Carnell having to use City2 callup Michael Wentzel and right back Jake Nerwinski in the center of the team鈥檚 back line in the second half of Tuesday鈥檚 1-0 CONCACAF Champions Cup loss against Houston.

At practice Thursday, the players who started Tuesday weren鈥檛 on the field for practice 鈥� standard practice when the team has a midweek game. Tim Parker was on the field with the group, but Josh Yaro, who didn鈥檛 suit up for the game after taking two blows to the head Saturday, jogged on his own prior to practice. Joakim Nilsson, who left the game late in the first half with what Carnell described after the game as 鈥渢ension in his glute,鈥� worked separately with a trainer.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still evaluating Josh Yaro, Tim Parker, Kyle Hiebert,鈥� Carnell said. 鈥淛oakim Nilsson came out the game, but he鈥檚 responded well to treatment and there was nothing wrong there. We expected a lot of him and we didn鈥檛 expect to turn him around. That he鈥檚 done an admirable job of getting his body turned around on short notice has been incredible. So credit to the medical team and credit to him for giving us the option of having him. We鈥檒l just continue to monitor and see what we can put out there Saturday. So it鈥檚 too early to call now. But it鈥檚 just observations right now.鈥�

Carnell said after the game Tuesday that had it been a scenario where City SC was defending a lead rather than where they were needing a goal that Parker could have played Tuesday. He left the Real Salt Lake game before halftime feeling tightness in a leg muscle. Carnell said Parker is closer to playing than Yaro.

鈥淭im looked OK today in training,鈥� Carnell said, 鈥渟o hopefully that鈥檚 some positive news for us, but it鈥檚 still open.鈥�

Despite all the uncertainty in the back, City SC鈥檚 defense has allowed one goal in each of its three games and no more than one in any game. While a shutout has eluded them, the group hasn鈥檛 been overexposed.

鈥淚 think we鈥檝e had some very good contributions from the back line,鈥� Carnell said. 鈥淭he guys that have started those games, we haven鈥檛 given up as many hard counters as the first five games of last season. Roman (Burki) had a big save to make just before halftime, and that was a big one. But other than that, the guys who have come in and defended over three games now, we feel that we鈥檝e been pretty much in control of those things. We鈥檝e seen an improvement overall from that. But now we鈥檝e thrown guys in. We鈥檝e had Jake. There鈥檚 been Michael Wentzel there, too. We鈥檙e trying to, in layman鈥檚 terms, plug the hole with a Band-Aid and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e doing. And everyone鈥檚 fully committed to getting over this hump together. And I think if you look across the league and across the board, a lot of teams are in some situations like this. We just have to get used to it and embrace it and then move forward.鈥�

None of the injuries are deemed serious.

Opening for Dyhr?

New left back acquisition Nikolas Dyhr is one of just three field players for City SC who hasn鈥檛 played in the team鈥檚 first three games. The others are Hiebert, who has missed the past two because he鈥檚 been hurt, and midfielder Rasmus Alm, who is recovering from offseason sports hernia surgery. Dyhr鈥檚 absence has been because of his delayed arrival in training camp as he waited for his work permit, but it seems like his time to get in a game may be coming soon.

鈥淗e鈥檚 given a good account of himself over the last two or three training sessions,鈥� Carnell said. 鈥淔irst of all, you have to get up to the way we play, the speed and the intensity. Then you have to get up to your own fitness level. And then contribute in the ways that we are looking for. I think over his last two or three sessions he鈥檚 done all of that, which makes him now, I think, the doors open for him to be in contention.鈥�

As for Alm, he trained with the team Thursday and has started to pick up the pace in practice. Maybe too much.

鈥淚t looked like he had never left,鈥� Carnell said, 鈥渟o we actually had to break him a little bit in terms of his intensity because he just came out in training session flying.

鈥淲e had to tell him to calm down a little bit, but that鈥檚 just Rasmus. He empties the tank every time he gets on the on the grass and on the field, and he鈥檚 chasing the ball like, first day we鈥檝e ever had him.

鈥淪o it鈥檚 good to have him around the group because he brings a certain energy and a different type of aura. And an energy we need right now.鈥�