Report: Bright Dike Out with a Torn ACL, Out Until August [Confirmed]

We all saw it happen. Bright Dike's injury against the Seattle Sounders was certainly not dramatics. We also knew it was much more serious when the Portland Timbers brought him back to Portland earlier than expected in order to be examined by the doctors here. It was hoped that it might be something relatively minor, a few weeks out maximum.

It's looking like our hopes are to be dashed.

According to NASN Portland, they have a source that is telling them that Bright Dike is out with a torn ACL and isn't expected to return until August.

Just heard from a source that Bright Dike tore his ACL. Leg is currently in a brace. He's hoping to be back in August.

— NASN Portland (@NASNPortland) February 8, 2013

Obviously this has not been confirmed by the club, though their silence on the matter certainly isn't reassuring.

This is all the more devastating to Dike who is coming off a great final few months with the club in 2012, followed by an encouraging, if ultimately short lived, stint with his Nigerian national side. For him to now be unable to contribute from the onset of the Portland Timbers 2013 season would be devastating to his confidence and morale, not to mention his recent form.

We'll keep our ear to the ground and let you know if we hear anything, but right now it's not looking good. So far, emails to the club have gone unanswered.

What do you think of this development? What happens to Dike if he's out for the majority of the season?

UPDATE: The Portland Timbers have confirmed that Dike has torn his left ACL. They did not specify a return time table.

Press release:

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers announced today that forward Bright Dike will undergo surgery on Monday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. Timbers Director of Medicine Dr. Richard Edelson will perform the procedure at Sports Medicine Oregon in Tigard, Ore.

Dike sustained the injury in the second half of the Timbers' preseason match against Seattle Sounders FC on Tuesday. He traveled back to Portland on Thursday for further evaluation by club doctors.

Dike, 26, was one of the Timbers' leading scorers in 2012, recording five goals in 12 games over the final half of the campaign. Additionally, he tallied five goals in five appearances with the Timbers Reserves last season. Dike, who has family ties to Nigeria, recently earned his first two caps with the Nigeria National Team, scoring his first international goal in a friendly against the Catalonia National Team on Jan. 2.