Jozy Altidore: “I’m going to put every right foot forward I can to make sure I’m in the team and playing that game.” (Photo courtesy of MLS)
By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor
Jozy Altidore says that he will be ready to play for Toronto FC in MLS Cup Saturday.
The U.S. international striker hasn’t participated in a full practice session with the club since suffering an ankle injury in the second leg of the Eastern Conference final last week.
Altidore will have only three precious training sessions to prepare before Toronto FC takes on Seattle Sounders FC at BMO Field Saturday. The former Red Bull forward took part in portions of the Canadian side’s practice Tuesday.
“It was good. I got to take part in the warm-up and see how I was feeling. I felt OK,” Altidore said during a conference call Tuesday afternoon. “Obviously, it won’t be perfect, but like I said on Wednesday night, it’s a big game, a one-off, and with everything we put into this season, I’m going to put every right foot forward I can to make sure I’m in the team and playing that game.”
Hobbling around with an ankle injury he incurred in the second half, Altidore tallied the lone goal of the match in the conference final to lift Toronto FC to a 1-0 win over Columbus Crew SC.
And he would love to be a difference maker in MLS Cup as well.
“I would love to try to make the difference,” he said. “I think every player would love to make a difference. It’s a final. I think every player goes to bed, when you dream about the final, you dream about yourself making the difference. For me, it doesn’t matter. Obviously, it would be great to score in the final.
“At this point, it doesn’t matter how we win. It just matters that we win. I don’t care if it comes from me, if it comes from Seba [Sebastian Giovinco], from Drew Moor, it doesn’t matter to me. All that matters is that we give everything we have, put everything into it and try to become champions.”
