Portland Timbers' Diego Chara undergoes successful surgery to stabilize third metacarpal fracture in left hand

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced that midfielder Diego Chara has undergone successful surgery to stabilize a fractured third metacarpal in his left hand. Dr. Conrad Hamilton performed the procedure Monday afternoon at Sports Medicine Oregon in Tigard, Ore.

Chara, who sustained the injury in the Timbers’ 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy on Sunday, is expected to miss two weeks.

In his fourth season with the Timbers, Chara, 28, started each of the team’s first 10 matches this season, recording two goals. Since signing with the club in April 2011, Chara has appeared in 97 matches during his MLS career, including 96 starts. Chara, the Timbers MLS-career leader in minutes played (8,489), saw a stretch of consecutive minutes played snapped at 1,688 when he was substituted out of the match against the Galaxy.