Jeremy Christie (Waitakere United)

Christie scored a goal from a PK against austin azteks:

INJURY NEWS: Midfielder Jeremy Christie was expected to return to the lineup against Portland but was held out again because of a groin injury. Dalglish didn't sound too upbeat when asked if Christie would be available Saturday at Austin.

"We thought when we rested him last time that he would have been ready to go," Dalglish said. "He tried to train a couple of days when he came back, and he felt a reaction to it so we just had to pull him out again. � We've got no idea how long it'll be because if you had asked us before, we would have thought he'd be ready now. With a groin injury, you've just got to try to be patient and wait until the player tells you he's ready."

Should return to training this week:

The Rowdies are eliminated from the ussf d2 playoffs after a 3-0 loss vs montreal impact

Also not making the trip to Sunrise will be starting goalkeeper Daryl Sattler, defender Yendry Diaz, and midfielders Jeremy Christie and Keith Savage, all nursing and rehabilitating injuries. Christie is rehabilitating from hip surgery as is expected to miss the first month of the season. The others are expected to be healthy soon, nursing minor injuries.

Out of the box

M Jeremy Christie, who continues to rehabilitate his left hip after offseason surgery to repair a labral tear, hopes to meet up with the New Zealand national team in Denver on June 1 when the All Whites take on Mexico in a friendly. On Wednesday, he said he felt like his rehab is progressing ahead of schedule, but wouldn't know for sure until national team trainers can examine him and report back to the surgeon in New Zealand who performed his hip operation during the offseason. Christie, 27, hopes a better-than-expected diagnosis from the national team doctors will let him ramp up his rehab routine and add some on-the-ball training. The club targets a late September return. Tampa Bay's regular-season finale is Sept. 24. The thought is Christie should be available for the postseason if the club qualifies.

Even midfielder Jeremy Christie looks to get back in the fold soon. The New Zealand national team player said he is targeting a full return in a couple of weeks.

Christie returns

Midfielder Jeremy Christie, who has missed the season recovering from offseason hip surgery, is eyeing a return Aug. 20 against Puerto Rico.

"I feel good; my fitness has a little ways to go," Christie said after Tuesday's practice, his second full session back. "For it only being the second day after having six months off, I feel pretty good. There's no pain so that's the biggest thing."