UPDATE (Aug. 31, 6:05 pm ET): The Portland Timbers announced Tuesday that midfielder Eryk Williamson is out for the remainder of the 2021 MLS season after an MRI revealed a torn ACL in his left knee.
Willamson, who suffered the injury in a 2-0 win at Seattle over the weekend, will undergo surgery next week. A timetable for his return will be determined following the procedure.
Earlier in the day, the 24-year-old shared the news on Instagram and expressed confidence that he'll come back stronger.
"As much as I want to sit here dwelling and feeling bad for myself, I know the comeback starts now," Williamson wrote. "I’m in great hands, have a great support system, and know it’s always God’s plan for what’s in store. They will not let me fall. We will make sure I come back better and stronger than before."
UPDATE (Aug. 30, 10:30 am ET): Speaking after Portland won 2-0 at Seattle, Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese confirmed that Eryk Williamson suffered a serious ACL injury to his knee.
"Very unfortunate, it’s a severe injury, his knee, his ACL," Savarese told media. "We'll see more after evaluation to give the right comment on the full details but it doesn’t look good. It looks very severe and most likely he won’t play for a while. At the moment it’s a sad situation.
"So very unfortunate for a player that like Eryk that was doing so well, was growing. The future was very promising in what he was doing day by day, game by game. So it’s definitely the lowest point of the day and we just right now have to stay close to him support him, continue to work and make sure that he comes back strong. But it’s not a good situation."
ORIGINAL (Aug. 29, 11:50 pm ET): Portland Timbers midfielder Eryk Williamson was forced to exit Sunday's Heineken Rivalry Match with the Seattle Sounders on a stretcher after suffering a serious-looking injury.
Williamson, an important part of the US men's national team's Gold Cup victory this summer, went down in apparent agony after attempting a pass in the midfield without an opposition player around him. With teammates showing obvious concern, the 24-year-old was treated by the Timbers' medical staff for several minutes.
While he later got to his feet and briefly attempted to walk off the field, a visibly distraught Williamson was ushered onto a stretcher and replaced by Cristhian Paredes in just the 12th minute at Lumen Field.
"It doesn't look good. He's being assessed but at the moment it doesn't look good," Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese told the ESPN broadcast crew before the start of the second half.
Williamson enjoyed a breakout season for the Timbers last year and has backed it up in 2021, playing 13 matches and establishing himself as part of Gregg Berhalter's USMNT roster.
Portland have battled a series of serious injuries over the past year, including ACL tears for Sebastian Blanco, from which the midfielder has just returned to action, and Jaroslaw Niezgoda, which continues to sideline the striker.
