A calf strain will keep Portland Timbers central defender Liam Ridgewell out of Saturday’s match against the LA Galaxy (3:30 pm ET on ESPN, MLS LIVE in Canada).
Ridgewell will also miss the 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game against Arsenal on Thursday, according to Timbers head coach Caleb Porter who told MLSsoccer.com that the injury involves a 7-10 day recovery period.
Porter said Ridgewell felt some tightness in his calf following Sunday’s match against Seattle, and still felt it when he tried to return to training on Thursday.
The injury means Jermaine Taylor, who has played at left back and central defender, will likely slot in alongside Nat Borchers in the center of the Timbers defense, with Zarek Valentin starting at left back.
Midfielder Jack Jewsbury, who rolled his ankle against Seattle, will also miss Saturday’s match. Holding midfielder Ben Zemanski is expected to replace Jewsbury.
Porter noted that Taylor, Valentin and Zemanski have all played significant roles during the Timbers current nine-match unbeaten streak (4-0-5 record).
Ridgewell, who turned 32 on Thursday, missed eight games earlier this season with a hamstring injury.
New left back Vytas Andriuskevicius, who was signed on July 14, is not yet fit to play 90 minutes according to Porter, but will be an available substitute on Saturday.
All-Star head coach Dominic Kinnear has some shuffling to do at center back ahead of Thursday's match against Arsenal. Another MLS All-Star center back, Sporting Kansas City's Matt Besler, was also forced to withdraw from the summer showcase on Friday due to a strained MCL in his left knee.
