TUKWILA, Wash. – The Seattle Sounders’ journey to the 2016 MLS Cup final has been eight years in the making for veteran midfielder Osvaldo Alonso.
The 31-year-old has been a staple of the franchise since Seattle’s MLS expansion season of 2009, making 226 appearances and entrenching himself as one of the league’s most versatile and valuable two-way players in that time frame.
So, despite a Tuesday MRI confirming that he suffered a slight knee sprain in the second leg of Seattle’s Western Conference Championship triumph over the Colorado Rapids, it should come as no surprise that head coach Brian Schmetzer said he doesn’t expect the knock will prevent Alonso from suiting up when the Sounders take the field for MLS Cup on Dec. 10 (8 pm ET; FOX, UniMás, TSN, RDS).
“I expect him to play,” Schmetzer said after Seattle’s practice at Starfire Sports Complex on Wednesday. “He has waited for this for a long time. I don’t think much could keep him from playing.”
The Sounders are all too familiar with the implications of trying to complete a postseason run without the services of their engine in the midfield. Alonso was largely absent in the playoffs for each of the past two seasons due to injuries, with each of those excursions ending in a narrow defeat for Seattle.
Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan touched on how crucial his presence could be while speaking with reporters on Wednesday, calling Alonso “the heart of the team.”
“Anytime you lose your best player, it’s tough,” Roldan said. “But I think he’s prepared to put everything on the line for this game. He’s a competitor. He has eight years of experience with the Sounders and now that he has [the chance] to play in his first MLS Cup, he’s not going to miss it for the world.”
Schmetzer also indicated that rookie forward Jordan Morris should be good to go following his legendary performance in Sunday’s second leg, a fixture that saw him fight through a stomach illness and take a cleat to the knee from Colorado goalkeeper Zac MacMath while he slotted home the game-winning goal in the 56th minute.
“[Morris is] good,” Schmetzer said. “He had a big gash on his leg but his dad [Sounders Chief Medical Director & Team Surgeon Michael Morris] fixed him up.”
The Sounders have a handful of other health concerns to work through between now and their upcoming championship bout, including captain Brad Evans (ankle), resurgent forward Nelson Valdez (groin) and midfielder Erik Friberg (calf strain).
On Wednesday, Schmetzer said his hope is that trio should be ready and available as well.
“They are doing everything humanly possible to get on the field and play,” he said. “And if they’re able to, I’ll put them on the field.”
