FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – An extra day of rest might be just what the doctor ordered for Juan Agudelo.
The New England Revolution forward missed last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Toronto FC because of what head coach Jay Heaps called “a little bit of a muscle strain,” but there is hope that Agudelo could be ready to play a part in Sunday afternoon’s nationally-televised tilt with Orlando City SC (3:30 p.m. on ESPN).
Agudelo wasn’t involved in Wednesday’s training session as the Revs returned from a few days off, but that’s partially because New England know they have an extra day built into the weekly routine.
“We wanted to build in a little bit of time knowing that we were playing on a Saturday and we’re following it up with a Sunday game,” Heaps said. “We wanted to build in an extra day there.
“I think Juan is definitely better than he was on the weekend and closer, but at the same time, we want to be cautious and not overdo anything too soon. But with that extra day, we’re hoping that we’re going to get him on the field this week.”
Heaps is also hopeful that Charlie Davies could once again be a starting option at the Citrus Bowl. Davies has appeared off the bench in three straight games after missing time through a combination of a hamstring strain and the birth of his twin sons, but he’s approaching full fitness.
Davies played the final 12 minutes against TFC and appeared to win a stoppage-time penalty, only for those claims to be waved away by the referee. The spark Davies provided, however, was enough to convince Heaps that perhaps last year’s leading scorer is ready for an increased role.
“I really liked what Charlie did the other night,” Heaps said. “I always say this, but if I could’ve done it over, I probably would’ve gotten him on five or 10 minutes sooner … When Charlie came in, you saw an instant uptick. Right away there was a vertical presence.
“I thought Charlie looked a lot better than he did in previous weeks. I’m really excited about getting one more week underneath his belt so that he can be an option for Sunday.”
