Reyna back at practice

By BRIAN LEWIS

Central midfielder Seth Stammler still wasn’t back at practice today, but captain Claudio Reyna was _ along with forward Oscar Echeverry, training with the full team for the first time in a month.

After getting Monday and Tuesday off, the Red Bulls started preparing in earnest for Sunday’s bad-blood clash with Chicago. Striker Jozy Alidore and Stammler both sat out today’s practice, the former with an in-grown toenail and the latter with a back injury, still listed as questionable.

“I think he’s doing well at the moment. I think he will not be ready Sunday, personally,’’ said coach Juan Carlos Osorio. “If he is not 100 percent, I will resist the temptation to put him back in there.’’

Stammler missed the past two weeks with a herniated disc suffered trying to defend Juan Pablo Angel in practice. He got a second epidural yesterday _ one he said was NOT cortisone _ in hopes of suiting up vs. the Fire.

“I’m doing allright. I got a second epidural yesterday. The next couple days I’ll be pretty sore then I should reap the benefit. Optimistically, we’re still shooing for this weekend,’’ said Stammler, who led the Red Bulls in minutes logged last year with 2,547, fourth the season before.

“It’s a lot more stressful up (in the box) than on the field. You’re wrapped up in it when you’re down there. It’s frustrating: You want nothing else but to be back on the field as soon as possible. It’s been a tough two weeks, to be honest. It’s day-to-day. I get up in the morning and take it from there. That’s been the hardest thing to take for me.’’

Reyna left at halftime of the game in Toronto with a left calf strain, and hasn’t played since. He’s also listed as questionable.

“I think he’s a possibility,’’ Osorio said. “He trained with the team today. Obviously we’re monitoring his training. He wasn’t part of my finishing session, but he was part of the games Richie (Williams) was doing on the other side of the pitch. Hopefully he can compete for a position Sunday.’’

Echeverry started each of the first two games _ one for Angel, the other for Altidore _ then injured his knee in training. Today was his first practice since, although Osorio felt the striker was likely another two weeks away.

Rookie left winger Danleigh Borman _ who has scored the past two games _ hurt his back while being taken down from behind in practice. Osorio seemed to think he could play, saying “I hope so. At the moment’s he’s very important to us.’’