Osvaldo Alonso returns to full training

A week after missing five of their most important players and dressing only 17, the Seattle Sounders should effectively be at full strength when they face the Houston Dynamo on Saturday.

Injured starters Osvaldo Alonso, Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins and Chad Marshall all participated in varying degrees of training on Monday and appear to at least be in line for near-term returns. Marco Pappa, who is still with the Guatemala national team, will rejoin the Sounders after Tuesday's friendly against El Salvador.

"Everybody trained today," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said. "We kept Clint and Oba as neutrals. We'll see how they feel and push forward. Chad is just a matter of a protocol with his heading and Ozzie is full in training this week."

Marshall apparently injured his back against the San Jose Earthquakes, while Martins injured his quadricep in the friendly against Club Tijuana. The Sounders had hoped to have both back in time for Saturday's game against FC Dallas, but decided to err on the side of caution so early in the season.