Atlanta United can count on their captain in MLS Cup.
Briefly limited in practice by an ankle injury, Michael Parkhurst is now back to being a full participant and ready to lead the backline Saturday (8 pm ET | FOX, UniMás, TSN 1/3/5, TVAS) against the Portland Timbers.
"I feel great," he said at Thursday's press conference. "I'm 100 percent ready to go."
Parkhurst sustained the injury during a collision with center back partner Leandro Gonzalez-Pirez in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship against the New York Red Bulls.
Tata Martino told the media he has no plans to tinker with the defense that brought his team this far.
"It’s a final, so we’re not changing anything, save for that we had to be cautious with him the first two days of the week because of the knock he had," he said. "He’s had a very good week. What we’re expecting from him is the same that we’ve expected from him each match in the last two years."
Playing in his fifth MLS Cup, Parkhurst is striving for his first title after losing three times at this stage with the New England Revolution and once with Columbus Crew SC.
