The Portland Timbers will be without defender Nat Borchers for the remainder of their 2016 season. Borchers suffered an Achilles injury during Portland's match against the Los Angeles Galaxy this past weekend. The injury report states that it is a ruptured left Achilles tendon and that surgery is required for the Timbers center back.
Borchers was injured late in the first half in their 2-1 loss to the LA Galaxy. After landing awkwardly from an aerial challenge, he tried to play on, but couldn't make it before having to be taken off of the pitch.
The surgery is scheduled for a later date. After evaluation, Borchers will then go through rehabilitation.
Borchers gets his start
Borchers got his start in MLS with the Colorado Rapids in 2003. After two years, the center back was shipped to their Rocky Mountain rivals, Real Salt Lake, where he played six years. In those years, Borchers racked up 10 goals, and four assists, while playing a total of 16,000 minutes in his six-year spell with RSL.
From the Rocky Mountains to Cascadia
2014 saw the American center back traded to the Portland Timbers. After playing and starting 31 games for the Timbers, Borchers only scored three times throughout his first season with the reigning MLS Cup champions. But things would get better, as he was the mainstay for the Timbers backline throughout their remarkable 2015 MLS campaign, which ended in joy after capturing the first MLS Cup in franchise history.
The Timbers defeated Columbus Crew SC on the road in front of a sold-out MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, by a score of 2-1. Goals from Diego Valeri and Rodney Wallace helped secure the Timbers their first championship.
The loss of Borchers for the season is yet another blow to Portland's central defensive core, as the Timbers also missed captain Liam Ridgewell this past weekend due to a calf strain.
The Timbers travel to Children's Mercy Park to take on Sporting Kansas City, in their first game of the home-and-home series.