Toronto FC star Jozy Altidore could return in Chicago this weekend

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Toronto has struggled in 2018. After reaching the MLS Cup final the past two seasons, defending champion Toronto has notched just four wins through 19 MLS matches this season.

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TFC is second last (10th) in the MLS Eastern Conference and is 11 points back of the Montreal Impact, who occupy the final playoff spot.

Altidore played with a broken foot for 18 months before the surgery took place. Toronto FC’s CONCACAF Champions League success narrowed any possible window to deal with the injury earlier in the year.

“There’s never a good time to have the surgery,” Altidore said. “I held out as long as I could, but now I feel good and my foot feels better and I could have a good end to the season.”

Key injuries to players like Altidore have contributed to Toronto FC’s struggles. His return should help bolster a lineup looking to recapture the glory of the past two campaigns.

“Hopefully we can start to get him minutes and get him up to maximum fitness … and get him to be a 90-minute player,” Vanney said. “It’s going to take some work to get him there because it’s been a long break, but physically he looks good and he feels good.”

The injury situation is getting a bit better for TFC.

Defender Chris Mavinga could return this weekend from a hamstring issue that was complicated by a problem with a sore tooth. Defender Greg van der Wiel (mild Achilles ailment) also could also be available.

With the defence struggling, adding those two probably won’t hurt. Toronto has given up eight goals in its past three MLS games.

“Our issues right now are not the number of goals we’re scoring, it’s the number of goals we are conceding,” Vanney said.

Defender Drew Moor is about 10 days away from returning to action, Vanney said. according to Vanney. Moor sustained a quadriceps tear in training for the Champions League final back in April.

Toronto FC picked up a 1-0 victory over the Ottawa Fury in the first leg of their semifinal of the Canadian Championship on Wednesday. It was their first victory in any competition since June 8 when they defeated the Philadelphia Union 2-0.

“We’ve been looking for a game to get us going and hopefully Ottawa is that,” said TFC midfielder Jonathan Osorio. “But it depends on us. It depends on how we come out for the next game. We take it one game at a game.”

Chicago sits eighth in the East.

“They’re one of the teams we are trying to track down in front of us so the points taken or the points lost are going to be important ones,” Vanney said.

Chicago defeated Louisville City FC 4-0 on Wednesday during the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup.

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TORONTO FC (4-11-4) at CHICAGO FIRE (6-10-5)

Saturday, Toyota Park

BACK AT IT: This is the second game between Toronto and Chicago this year. The teams played to a 2-2 draw on April 28 at BMO Field.

HEAD-TO-HEAD ALL-TIME: The teams are evenly split at nine wins apiece with eight draws.

KATAI WATCH: Chicago’s Aleksander Katai has scored 18 goals in 20 games. He could look to expose a challenged Toronto defence.

CUP COMING: Toronto will play host to Tigres in the inaugural Campeones Cup, featuring the reigning MLS and Mexican league champions. The game will take place Sept. 19. TFC beat Tigres in a Champions League series this year.

David Alter, The Canadian Press