The Portland Timbers will be without starting goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey for the next month or so due to a finger injury, according to head coach Caleb Porter.
Porter told media on Tuesday that Kwarasey, who left Saturday’s win against San Jose in the 50th minute, tore a ligament after getting his finger caught in the Providence Park turf while picking up a shot. Kwarasey will not need surgery, but must wear a splint on the finger.
Jake Gleeson, who came in for Kwarasey on Saturday, will start while Kwarasey is injured.
“The guys have a lot of confidence in Jake Gleeson, and it’s a great opportunity for him because he’ll be playing the next month at least,” Porter said.
The 25-year-old Gleeson has been with the Timbers since their inaugural MLS season in 2011. Prior to Saturday’s match, he hadn’t played a regular season game since 2011, though he did start in a scoreless draw with Vancouver in the first leg of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals. Kwarasey missed that match due to illness.
Kwarasey is far from the only injured Timber. Porter gave updates on several other banged-up players on Tuesday, indicating that Darlington Nagbe (ankle) and Dairon Asprilla (foot) will both be available for Portland’s next game at New England on April 27, and that Liam Ridgewell (hamstring), Ben Zemanski (groin) and Darren Mattocks (concussion) could be available for the New England match or the Timbers’ May 1 contest at home against Toronto.
More information on the Timbers’ health woes can be found at The Oregonian and The Columbian.
