Minnesota United saw the return of a familiar face to practice Thursday at the National Sports Center.

Midfielder Johan Venegas, who was one of three Loons away on national team duty, was back practicing with the team.

Venegas, along with center-back Francisco Calvo, was competing with Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. However, he endured an apparent knee injury about half an hour into Costa Rica's first match July 7, and the first diagnosis was a two-week recovery. While Costa Rica will face off against the U.S. in the semifinals Saturday, the national team sent the midfielder back to his club.

Center-back Jermaine Taylor plays with Jamaica Thursday night in hopes of making the semifinals as well. Both Calvo and Taylor will return to United as soon as their teams finish the competition and will be immediately available to play. But it is possible they will need to sit out a match or so in an effort to get readjusted to club life.

New additions winger Sam Nicholson and Michael Boxall were not back at training yet after making a trip to Toronto to sort out their visas and passports, but they will be available to play Saturday. But because they've missed three days of practice already, it's possible they won't be ready to play.

Midfielders Sam Cronin and Kevin Molino missed practice Thursday, resting from small knocks endured in Wednesday's 0-0 draw with the Houston Dynamo. Defender Joe Greenspan was also absent, recovering from a broken nose and possible concussion also from that draw.

Forward Abu Danladi, midfielder Rasmus Schuller and defender Kevin Venegas, who have all been recovering from injuries, participated in practice. Forward Christian Ramirez was also around but didn't partake in much training after he went knee-to-knee with Houston's goalkeeper late in the draw. Goalkeeper John Alvbage was also back after having thumb surgery.

Minnesota United also donated a giant soccer ball statue for outside the National Sports Center on Thursday. The ball has logos from every club team in the state on it. United defender Brent Kallman, who went through Woodbury Soccer Club, said the statue is symbolic of Minnesota's soccer community.

"It's best if everybody comes together," Kallman said. "It brings the level up. And then, obviously, hopefully, it leads to a lot of these kids wanting to come to the academy and push our academy to get better."

Speaking of United's academy, it named its first Under-13 and U-14 rosters recently, with players from 14 different Twin Cities clubs.