Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid told the media on Friday that striker Nelson Valdez will be available for Saturday’s match against Philadelphia after missing last weekend’s draw in Houston. Erik Friberg, who has been out for much longer with an MCL strain, was back in training on Friday but Schmid said that his availability will be a late call.

Schmid had his own injury to deal with this week. He showed up at the team’s training session on Wednesday sporting a boot on his left leg and crutches after slipping off his back porch and breaking his fibula.

“I wish there was a fantastic story, but the referee never red-carded the guy, don’t know what the deal was with that,” Schmid joked. “I thought it was a red at least. I thought the yellow was a little soft.”

Other notes

• Saturday’s match is a huge milestone for two of Seattle’s most-capped players. Brad Evans and Osvaldo Alonso, if selected, will officially have made 200 MLS regular-season appearances. Both players have been with Seattle since the club’s inaugural MLS season in 2009, though Evans made 30 appearances for Columbus Crew prior to joining the Sounders. “It’s fantastic for both of them, and it’s fantastic for our franchise to have players already that have gotten 200 games,” Schmid said. “It shows their commitment to the team and the importance that they’ve had to this team over the years.”

• Sounders FC 2 broke a three-game losing streak on Tuesday, earning a 2-2 draw with Rio Grande Valley FC at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila. Defender Tony Alfaro and forward Victor Mansaray scored S2’s goals, but poor defensive work early in the second half allowed RGVFC to score twice and eventually earn the draw.