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Sandy • Before Chris Wondolowski became one of Major League Scorer's most prolific goal-scorers, he was the same relentless striker pestering back lines and goalkeepers in the now-defunct MLS reserve league.
The goals came in droves, but came behind the scenes. As a striker then buried on the Houston Dynamo depth chart behind names like Brian Ching, Kei Kamara, Alejandro Moreno and Dominic Oduro, Wondolowski had to wait his turn.
Craig Waibel saw Wondolowski's taste for the goal develop first-hand. Real Salt Lake's general manager was Wondolowski's teammate for six years in San Jose and Houston. What people either forget or don't even realize, Waibel explains, is that prior to Wondolowski scoring his 119 MLS goals, he led that reserve league in scoring — twice.
"It's not like he just kind of accidentally became this guy who scored goals," Waibel said.
Wondolowski is the primary target any time a fellow MLS club faces the San Jose Earthquakes. RSL faces that familiar target this weekend.
Despite being the focal point of every opposition's game-plan, he's still managed to score. His 10 goals in 2016 ensured that for the last seven-consecutive seasons, Wondolowski has reached a double-digit scoring output.
And he has eight career goals against RSL. His latest, in a 1-1 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium in July, made him the leader among active players for goals against RSL. Until Landon Donovan, he of 13 career goals versus RSL across all competitions, surprisingly came out of retirement a few weeks ago.
"He's the kind of guy if you forget about him for a second," said right back Tony Beltran, "he's going to punish you."
RSL coach Jeff Cassar said preparation for Wondolowski demands two priorities on game day: deny San Jose's wingers from providing Wondolowski service into the box and, most of all, locating the Earthquakes star.
"And that is a job that takes 90-minutes plus," Cassar said.
Waibel's scouting report on his old teammate? "He's a right-place, right-time guy." A blue-collar goal-scorer whose positioning is impeccable and has the ability to finish with both feet.
"If anyone figures out how to mark those kind of guys," Waibel said, "go ahead and tell us."
Tuesday training update
Forward Yura Movsisyan (bruised heel) jogged around America First Field on Tuesday morning. The 29-year-old striker, who has nine goals in 2016, missed Saturday's 0-0 draw against FC Dallas, but is improving ahead of the match at San Jose Saturday, Cassar said.
Javier Morales spent time going through drills with the RSL training staff. The 36-year-old midfielder returned to the RSL starting lineup against FC Dallas after dealing with a lingering quadriceps strain for two weeks.
"Just taking a day off from soccer, from games," Cassar said. "No problem at all."
RSL youngsters Jordan Allen and Justen Glad were absent from the session. The duo was in New York City as part of the official launch of the FIFA17 video game. Cassar said the pair is expected back at training Wednesday.
Dempsey ruled out for rest of 2016
While the Seattle Sounders are making a late-season run at the MLS Cup postseason, they'll do it without star Clint Dempsey. On Tuesday, Seattle announced that the 33-year-old forward is out for the remainder of the 2016 season due to an irregular heartbeat.
"His return to play is not important relative to his health, both short- and long-term," Sounders general manager Garth Lagerwey told The Seattle Times. "We feel ruling him out today, it puts us in the best position to get him back hopefully for the 2017 season."
Dempsey had eight goals and two assists in 17 regular-season matches this season.
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
RSL at San Jose
P Saturday, 8:30 p.m. MT
TV • KMYU