TORONTO – The stage is finally set: a rematch it shall be.

After dispatching the Houston Dynamo on Thursday night, the Seattle Sounders will have the chance to defend their MLS Cup title on December 9 as they return to BMO Field to take on Toronto FC.

For head coach Greg Vanney, the rematch is a fitting end to the 2017 MLS season.

“These are two good teams, two teams that deserve to be there,” he said following Saturday’s training session. “These are also two big clubs, clubs that spend a lot of resources on their teams, their scouting, academy, sports science, all that stuff. It’s a tip of the hat to both of these clubs that are pushing the league forward.”

The chance to right last season’s wrongs is at the forefront of many minds around the training ground, but defender Justin Morrow is expecting a different challenge this time around.

“Obviously, we have history there, so it’s exciting,” he told reporters. “Our goal from the beginning of the season was to get back here and give ourselves a chance to win. It’s against an opponent that we saw last year, but they’re a quite different team this year. It’ll be an exciting matchup.”

On the injury front, Vanney revealed that forward Jozy Altidore is continuing to make progress after sustaining an ankle injury in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship. The head coach remains optimistic that the U.S. international will be good to go come December 9.

“He’s rehabbing, he’s not ready to get back on the field yet,” Vanney stated. “We’re confident that he’ll be ready. The MRI and the reports on how he’s feeling have been positive.”

Hear from Vanney and Morrow following Saturday’s training session.

Greg Vanney

Justin Morrow