The Sounders appeared as healthy as they have been in a long while today, as they gathered at Starfire Sports Complex for their first training session since Thursday.

“Gspurning’s full in,” coach Sigi Schmid said. “Caskey was full in. Evans still has a little bit of swelling, but we sort of said, ‘OK, see what you feel comfortable doing,’ and he felt comfortable doing the whole practice. Cato already trained the last day before we left. So all those guys are OK.”

For the first time in months, all four keepers trained: Gspurning, Weber, Ford and Meredith.

The notable absences were the Sounders two All-Stars — Eddie Johnson and Osvaldo Alonso Read more »

After Steve Zakuani returned to MLS play on July 7 against Colorado, coach Sigi Schmid raised the possibility of loaning him to another team in order to get him the game-minutes needed to complete his comeback from his leg fractures.

Zakuani got a few minutes at the end of last night’s friendly against Chelsea FC. And now the Sounders MLS Reserve team is about to begin play again, and the first team is about to go into a month that will juggle MLS, the Open Cup final and the start of CONCACAF Champions League. But Schmid said today that the loan for Zakuani remains a possiblity.

“It’s sort of a week-to-week thing,” Schmid said. “There are some teams that have expressed sort of an interest in that. Either the timing hasn’t been right, or it hasn’t worked out. We’re getting closer to where we’re getting some reserve games coming up here shortly. It’s a very fluid situation, so I don’t know if it’s going to happen or not happen. It could happen, Read more »

Here’s some of what Steve Zakuani had to say tonight as he returned to MLS action for the first time since suffering a fractured right tibia and fibula April 22, 2011, on a reckless tackle by Colorado midfielder Brian Mullan. (And here is a great picture of the shirt-swap, and a few quotes from Mullan.)

On finally being back) “I am honestly overwhelmed. I tried to visualize what that moment would be like for almost a year. It was something I can’t describe. Those fans are something else, and I think that they out did themselves tonight. I am emotional obviously and it is a great emotional check mark in my mind. I am also happy the team won. It is a great night for the Sounders organization all around.”

On exchanging jerseys with Brian Mullan after the game) “I went up to a bunch of their players, and I went up to him Read more »

Sounders coach Sigi Schmid indicated that the health of his club is improving, and wouldn’t even rule out Steve Zakuani’s reappearance on the 18-man roster against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday.

“Gspurning continues to make headway,” Schmid said. “He did more today than he’s done. Zakuani is definitely improved his training and so forth. He’s taken another step forward. For sure not 90 minutes or anything like that fit, but he’s stepped forward. Ianni was in full training today. Johansson was pretty much in full training. … Leo was back as well today.”

Noting that his comment on Zakuani merely …

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