Toronto FC striker Jozy Altidore expected to return to action against D.C. United

“He’s not going 90 minutes the first game,” coach Greg Vanney said of Altidore after a short practice Friday in blistering heat.

Giovinco, for one, will take what he can get.

“I definitely welcome him back,” Giovinco said this week through an interpreter. “He’s an important player because he reads the situations, he reads the passes, he understands what’s going on the field and I’m really happy to have him back playing with me.”

Giovinco may be cheered by the memory of scoring against D.C. United within the first minute of a 1-0 win on April 16, with Altidore providing the cross that eventually led to the goal.

Vanney says team medical staff believe they may have found a reason for Altidore’s series of hamstring injuries. The theory is that the hamstring on one side is doing more work because it is not getting the support of other muscles, which causes it over time to “over-fatigue” quicker than it should.

Altidore, who declined to speak to reporters Friday, has been working to strengthen those muscles to help balance things out.

“I’m excited to have him back on the field. I’ve seen him in training so I know he’s ready,” Vanney said.

Giovinco, who sat out last week’s game in Columbus, has been hard on himself during his eight-game drought.

“Unfortunately you can’t score every game and I’m really sorry to have stopped scoring but I hope to be back on the road to scoring again … I’m searching for goals. I’m really trying,” he said.

Vanney says the team is working to get Giovinco back on the scoresheet “to put the smile back on his face.

“Because I do think when he’s having fun and he’s loose is when he’s most dangerous.”

Vanney will likely also look to give Tosaint Ricketts his Toronto debut. The Canadian international, who had been training with the team since mid-May, finally signed this week.

Alex Bono is expected to start in goal, with Eriq Zavaleta likely returning to partner Drew Moor at the heart of the Toronto defence.

Michael Bradley, Will Johnson, Clint Irwin, Daniel Lovitz and Ashtone Morgan are all injured, leaving Vanney with 19 fit players to choose from.

Toronto, which has picked up just five points in its last five games, is coming off a painful 2-1 defeat in San Jose to the nine-man Earthquakes. Altidore was on the bench that day but only to make up the numbers.

Saturday marks the first of four straight home games for Toronto, whose league schedule was skewed by eight consecutive road games at the start of the season due to stadium renovations. The schedule is in their favour now with 10 of Toronto’s remaining 15 games at BMO Field.

It’s truly go-time for Toronto with 13 of its remaining 15 games against Eastern opposition.

D.C. United (5-7-7) has just one win away from home this season but has managed to pick up points in seven of its 10 road games (1-3-6). But like Toronto, United has wobbled of late with one win in its last six league matches (1-2-3).

Offence has been the issue. Ben Olsen’s team ranks 19th in the 20-team league in goals, 18th in shots on goal and has been shut out eight times while scoring just once in seven other league outings. Toronto hasn’t been much better, standing 16th in goals.

United looked to shake up its offence this week by trading Fabian Espindola to Vancouver for Patrick Mullins.

Former Toronto FC defender Damien Perquis, a French-born Polish international, signed with Nottingham Forest on Friday. The second-tier English club is managed by France’s Philippe Montanier.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Toronto FC striker Jozy Altidore expected to return to action against D.C. United

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