The Portland Timbers are rested but without their top scorer as they prepare to play Saturday at struggling Toronto FC.
The Timbers (8-4-6, 30 points) will miss Antony (six goals) for six to eight weeks after he sustained a hamstring injury versus San Jose on June 13.
“Disappointing because Antony was in incredible form,” Portland coach Phil Neville said on Tuesday. “What are we now, 10 days into Antony’s injury? So hopefully that six to eight weeks is now five weeks, but it’s going to be near six to eight weeks because his game is built on speed and that sort of acceleration at top speed. And with hamstring injuries, with those types of players, you’ve got to take it safe.”
Omir Fernandez, acquired from the Colorado Rapids in April, is expected to get more minutes with Antony out.
Toronto (3-10-5, 14 points) has its own problems with star forward Federico Bernardeschi (muscle strain) missing a third straight match on Wednesday, a 1-1 tie with the New York Red Bulls that ran its winless streak to 0-3-1.
Coach Robin Fraser said Wednesday he did not have a timetable for Bernardeschi’s return.
“He continues to have some lingering effects from prior to the break,” Fraser said.
Toronto also is missing Richie Laryea and Jonathan Osorio, who are playing for Canada at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Defender Zane Monlouis left Wednesday’s match in the first half with a leg injury and Fraser is unsure of his availability for Saturday. A positive was the return of forward Deandre Kerr, who had been out since March 29 with an ankle injury.
The absences have made it tough for Toronto, just 2-6-1 in the past nine matches, to gain traction.
“What I do believe in is a character of this group and they need to believe in it themselves,” Fraser said. “And truly, you can put yourself in games, you can win games through mentality. You can will yourself to do it. And I believe that this is a group that’s capable of it.”
–Field Level Media
