BEAVERTON — Darlington Nagbe returned to training Friday with the Portland Timbers, just five days after suffering what looked like a severe injury in Sunday’s match at Los Angeles.
Coach Caleb Porter said Nagbe is unlikely to play in Saturday’s home match against San Jose, “but it’s good to see him back running.”
Nagbe in training was a needed bit of good news for a Timbers team that lost another starter to injury. Porter said that right back Alvas Powell will miss at least six weeks because of a wrist injury suffered in Wednesday’s loss to FC Dallas. Powell underwent surgery Friday morning.
Winger Dairon Asprilla (foot) was also back in training on Friday, but Porter said he didn’t know Asprilla’s status for Saturday’s match. Central defender Liam Ridgewell (hamstring) and reserve midfielder Ben Zemanski (knee) remain out. Each is expcted to return to training next week.
One other bit of good news on Friday was that midfielder Ned Grabavoy was not suspended for a tackle that earned him a yellow card in Wednesday’s match.
Porter said there will be a lot of game-day lineup decisions on Saturday — the third game over seven days for the Timbers.
Wearing a bandage across his nose that was bloodied but not broken on Wednesday, Nat Borchers said Nagbe’s quick recovery from the ankle injury gives the Timbers a lift.
“He’s like Wolverine. He takes hits and he’s able to recover within a matter of days,” Borchers said.
Porter said Nagbe has always been a fast healer, but admitted he was surprised when told Friday the midfielder could train.
“I think he’s got super-human blood or something,” Porter said. “That’s the way he is. I’ve seen him pull a hamstring where guys would be out months and he’s back in a week.”
Los Angeles midfielder Nigel de Jong on Friday was suspended by Major League Soccer for three games for the foul that injured Nagbe. Porter said the three-game ban was what he expected given Nagbe’s quick recovery.
Porter said that he didn’t learn of Powell’s injury until after Wednesday’s game. The torn ligament must be surgically repaired right away to prevent permanent damage to the wrist, Porter said.
The injury situation limits Porter’s lineup options for what is his team’s third game over a seven-day stretch. But that cannot be an excuse for a sub-par performance against San Jose. The coach said he will make a few changes to inject energy into his lineup.
“We have a good team, with depth. We have a good locker room,” Porter said. “We’re being tested right now, but I’m confident we’re going to get a good performance and a good result.”
