The Portland Timbers welcome back a pair of important players right on time, with central defender Liam Ridgewell and striker Fanendo Adi both fighting fit for the MLS Cup final against the Columbus Crew on Sunday.
Timbers head coach Caleb Porter confirmed the duo's return from injuries, telling reporters "they'll both be ready to go (and) available."
Ridgewell aggravated a recurring calf issue in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship against FC Dallas, while Adi left the second-leg fixture in the 85th minute with what he described as a "hard knock."
"I just tweaked my calf a little bit," Ridgewell said of his injury after the first leg, then added after the second-leg fixture: "I'll be good to go by next week. I can't miss another one. It was bad enough watching today."
The two will provide a welcome boost, as Adi led Portland's goal-scoring efforts in the 2015 season with 16 goals. Ridgewell, the club's captain, provides defensive stability, too, a factor that his central defensive partner Nat Borchers is glad to have back.
"Liam's our captain and he's had a fantastic season," Borchers told reporters. "He's been one of our most consistent players and brings a lot of leadership to the field, so having him back is going to be huge for us in a big game like this. We're going to need his experience."
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