COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Crew SC coach Gregg Berhalter believes Kei Kamara will be available to play in Sunday's MLS Cup against the Portland Timbers after the star striker was injured in training on Saturday.
Kamara, who leads MLS in goals this year with 25 in the regular season and playoffs combined, fell clutching his right leg near the end of the final pre-Cup training session at Mapfre Stadium.
Berhalter said he hadn't seen what caused the apparent injury, but said he thought Kamara would be OK to face the Timbers for the league title on Sunday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN).
"I haven't had a chance to evaluate it yet," said Berhalter, who confirmed that Kamara walked off the field under his own power. "I think he'll be all right."
A Crew SC spokesperson didn't have an immediate update on Kamara's condition, but the club later revealed on Twitter that he would be a game-time decision:
Update: Kei Kamara suffered a right leg knock during Saturday's training session and will be a game-time decision on Sunday.
- Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) December 5, 2015
Berhalter admitted that in the event target man Kamara couldn't go, it would alter his team's game plan considerably.
"It would change -- the top goal-scorer in the league would not be playing in this game, so it would affect us," Berhalter said. "We'd have to regroup, come up with another idea, another plan, and execute it in a short period of time."
Asked if he'd be willing to play Kamara even if he wasn't fully fit, Berhalter was noncommittal.
"I can't say right now. I have to really assess what's wrong with him," he said. "I wouldn't put a player at risk. That's not my style, that's not our style as a club. We'll have to assess where he's at.
"I know he wants to play in this match."