Hamstring strain forces Grabavoy out of second leg v LA Galaxy

Update: 12:20 p.m., Nov. 6: Salt Lake Tribune reporter Chris Kamrani is reporting that Ned Grabavoy has been ruled out of contention for tomorrow's match.

Jason Kreis said Ned Grabavoy is OUT for tomorrow's second leg against the Galaxy.

— Chris Kamrani (@chriskamrani) November 6, 2013

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With news emerging that Ned Grabavoy might be out for tomorrow's match against LA Galaxy, Jason Kreis will surely not be impressed with the latest turn of events.

Which, of course, isn't to say that there's any blame to spread around. Grabavoy apparently sustained a hamstring strain during Sunday's match, which, for all his fitness this season, comes as a real blow.

His worries may be steadied by the success Sebastian Velasquez saw in that position, and it was ostensibly his best performance in months. He looked eminently dangerous and likely to make things happen, and with an extra shot or two, he may have even scored a goal, such was the quality of the positions in which the young character placed himself. (And a character he is, surely.)

There is a possibility Grabavoy could be ready for the match tomorrow, though. In an ESPN700 interview yesterday, Jason Kreis described him as "a big question mark," but said he has been feeling better and underwent an injection to attempt to reach fitness for the match.

But should Grabavoy not be ready for 90 minutes, it's difficult to see him starting. Perhaps he can come in as a second-half substitute if needed, and there's certainly going to be risk even in that. But that risk is mitigated by the fact that if we don't make it out of this match with a win, our season is over, and the fitness issue is a moot point.

Should he be deemed unfit to start, Sebastian Velasquez is an easy first choice to start in his stead, but Khari Stephenson and Cole Grossman will be hoping to enter contention. Both provide something certainly different than Velasquez and perhaps more similar to the Grabavoy of previous years.