Paperwork might slow Umanzor’s debut

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The Fire has announced the acquistion of left back Deris Umanzor from Club Deportivo Aguila of El Salvador, but he’s not on the roster yet. The Fire still needs to get Umanzor’s International Transfer Certificate and P1 work visa before he can officially take the field.

That means he may not be on the field for Saturday’s home opener against the San Jose Earthquakes. Once the paperwork is done, however, coach Carlos de los Cobos figures to make good use of Umanzor, a player he has wanted since the Fire returned from six weeks of training camp on the road.

Umanzor, 30, is just 5-8 and 149 but de los Cobos likes his speed. Umanzor spent the last six seasons with Aguila but also made 33 appearances for El Salvador’s national team, which was coached by de los Cobos the last four years.

The left back spot was manned by Mike Banner in the season opener at New York and by Polish acquisition Krzysztof Krol in the second game at Colorado. Krol figures to start against San Jose if Umanzor’s paperwork isn’t completed.

The Fire has another international prospect in training this week in Croatian midfielder Filip Tapalovic. The 33-year old who played for NHK Rijeka of the Croatian first division last season is here on a tryout.

In other preparations for the home opener the Fire has regained central defender Wilman Conde, who missed the Colorado game with a left foot contusion, and Baggio Husidic could start in the midfield if Logan Pause’s sore knee doesn’t heal in time.

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