Carlos Mendes is expected to be ready to play against San Francisco Saturday. (Andy Mead/YJC Photo)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

BROOKLYN — Though he said that captain Carlos Mendes was a possibility to play against Jacksonville Armada FC last week, Cosmos head coach Giovanni Savarese decided not to dress the veteran center back for Saturday’s game.

Mendes suffered a hamstring injury that has limited his availability in recent weeks. He has missed three games this North American Soccer League spring season.

“He wasn’t ready to be able to play,” Savarese said after the 1-1 deadlock at MCU Park. “He’s still recovering. He will be ready for next week. He didn’t train with us the whole week. He’s going to start practicing tomorrow.”

David Ochieng and Dejan Jakovic teamed at center back against Jacksonville.

“We are fortunate to have two very good center backs,” Savarese said, adding that [Darrius] Barnes could have played as well and he could have gotten the job done as well.”

During training last Thursday, Savarese said that Mendes could play vs. Armada FC.

“I think if we wanted to he could play this week,” he said. “But we’ll see if that is what we want to do. That tells you a lot because he is ready to start playing.”

The Cosmos visit the expansion San Francisco Deltas Saturday at 10 p.m. ET.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.