Toronto FC have built an incredible postseason run without their influential striker Jozy Altidore, but is an MLS Cup win on the road a bridge too far?
That might be the $10,000 question facing the Reds this week as Altidore on Monday poured cold water on his own hopes of recovering from a quad injury in time to take part in Sunday’s MLS Cup final against the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field (3 pm ET | ABC, Univision, TUDN in US; TSN or TVAS in Canada).
Altidore told reporters on Monday it would take “a bit of a miracle” for him to play a part in Sunday’s clash. While gamesmanship cannot be ruled out, the comment prompts questions about just how much influence the strapping striker has over his side.
With Altidore on the sidelines, TFC have engineered defeats of D.C. United (5-1 at home in extratime), New York City FC (2-1 on the road) and Atlanta United (2-1 on the road) during the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs, typically with playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo filling his spot as a false No. 9.
That said, in the big picture Toronto have been measurably more successful with Altidore on the field since he joined the club.
With/Without Jozy starting |
PPG |
Goals/Game |
|---|---|---|
With (103 games) |
1.7 |
1.9 |
Without (82 games) |
1.4 |
1.7 |
A game-changing but injury-prone talent, Altidore has started 103 games for the Reds but failed to start another 82. He scored two goals in four postseason games (all starts) in TFC's run to the 2017 MLS Cup championship and was named Most Valuable Player of that year’s MLS Cup, a 2-0 win over these same Sounders at BMO Field.
