Their comeback 1-1 draw at Real Salt Lake over Memorial Day weekend three weeks ago remains their only game since a May 15 home victory over FC Dallas. Internationals Jan Gregus, Robin Lod and Jukka Raitala left immediately after that RSL game to play for national teams in the UEFA European Championship.

"It's not ideal, but it has given us the opportunity for different players to do different things," Loons coach Adrian Heath said. "That's what we've managed to do. Ideally, you don't want this after you've won two and drawn one for the seven points out of nine. We'd like to keep that going, but it doesn't get any easier."

The Loons used their break to work Argentine striker Ramon Abila into what Heath calls the best shape since he joined the club in March. They've given newly acquired forward Adrien Hunou extra work after he hadn't played a full game in seven weeks before he transferred from his French first-division team.

It also provided two weeks away from team training for star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso to heal his body with athletic trainers alongside veteran Ozzie Alonso. Both rejoined the team this past week.

"We've never gotten a full clean bill of health until now," said Heath, who's awaiting the return of Lod, Gregus and Raitala from Europe near month's end at the earliest.

Heath praised Reynoso's training this week, calling him in top shape while he is being integrated in training with Hunou and new left-side attacker Franco Fragapane.

"Not long," Loons midfielder Hassani Dotson said when asked how that long process might take. "You can see it in training if you just come out here for five minutes. They link up really well together."

Reynoso hasn't played a game since a 1-0 home victory over FC Dallas on May 15.

"We've managed to do an awful lot of work with Rey," Heath said. "He's probably in the best condition since he got here. Good players want to play with good players, and he loves playing so much. We have to temper that with the fact we play Saturday, we're at home on Wednesday, then we've got Portland away the next Saturday.

"We've got all these games coming up. We're not going to jeopardize what might be the next five, six months for the sake of one 90 minutes."

Hunou made his MLS debut at Real Salt Lake. He started and played into he 65th minute before Abila subbed into the game for him.

Fragapane will make his MLS debut Saturday after a COVID spike in Argentina delayed completion of necessary paperwork. He accompanied the team to Utah while he and the team awaited documentation that didn't arrive in time.

"He's a great player, a great teammate already and he's clicking with the group," said Loons starting left back Chase Gasper, who'll play that left side with Fragapane. "You can see he has a lot of skill and will help our team a lot. He has been amazing in practice and we're looking forward to see it in the games as well."

Heath calls Fragapane "so frustrated" his paperwork was delayed while he waited for it in Salt Lake City last month.

"He traveled to Salt Lake hoping and praying it'd go through, but it didn't," Heath said. "He's really looking forward to getting on the field with his teammates. He's good to go now."