UPDATE: The Whitecaps released an injury update via their Twitter account on Saturday evening, describing Davies' injury as a hip flexor strain:
The Vancouver Whitecaps will have to face the red-hot Portland Timbers without their most dangerous weapon.
'Caps head coach Carl Robinson
confirmed on Friday
that
Alphonso Davies
is nursing a
groin
hip flexor injury, ensuring that "there's no chance" the teenage phenom takes the pitch at Providence Park, where the Timbers are undefeated this season, in their Cascadia Cup clash on Saturday night (11 pm ET | TSN1/4 -
Full TV and streaming info
).
The 17-year-old Homegrown played 87 minutes in Wednesday's first leg of the Canadian Championship final against Toronto FC, a 2-2 draw that puts TFC in pole position to defend their trophy, but did not train on Thursday or Friday.
Robinson suggested that Davies might recover in time to take part in next week's decisive second leg, set for Wednesday at BMO Field.
Vancouver inked an MLS-record transfer deal for Davies with German powerhouse Bayern Munich last month, and the Edmonton native will move from British Columbia at season's end, after he turns 18 in November.
At least one observer suspects that Davies' injury troubles may be more significant than they appear. TSN analyst and former TFC defender Steven Caldwell suggested on Friday that the 'Caps "should be concerned" about the situation as they look to make the most of the teenager's final months on their roster (video available to Canadian audiences only):
MLS Fantasy Impact: Real Salt Lake's Albert Rusnak ($9.7m) is a potential replacement for Davies. Play today!
