PORTLAND, Ore. – With the Portland Timbers attack firing on all cylinders, there has been little reason to question the recent absence of a player head coach Caleb Porter said would be very important as the team balanced its busy schedule in the season’s final stretch.

But after being held out of the 18 for the second straight CONCACAF Champions League game, Porter was asked about the status of forward Steve Zakuani. The answer wasn’t a positive one for the former Seattle Sounders’ No. 1 overall 2009 SuperDraft pick who has been battling various injuries since fracturing his right tibia in 2011, with Porter saying he’s likely done for the season.

“He’s not healthy,” Porter said following Portland’s 6-0 CCL victory Tuesday night over Alpha United. “He continues to pick up little strains. He’s got a groin strain right now, so for him it’s been tough.”

Portland picked up Zakuani in the Re-Entry Draft over the offseason after he was let go by the Sounders.

He’s made 17 league appearances – with nine starts – his most in a season since the injury. But with no goals and three assists, his performance has been a far cry from the player who scored a career-high 10 goals and recorded six assists in 2010, his second year out of the University of Akron where he also played for Porter.

“We’re probably going to end up shutting him down for the season and figure out the next steps with him and his body, try to get him in to see a specialist,” Porter said.

His last appearance came in a 64-minute shift in which he scored a goal in Portland’s 4-1 CCL win over Alpha on Aug. 19 in Guyana. The last time he was included in the 18 was Aug. 24 against Seattle.

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In addition to his CCL start, he also made two US Open Cup appearances, recording an assist in a 3-1 loss to the Sounders on July 9.

“He continues to have problems,” Porter said. “I don’t know if it’s biomechanics or what, but he continues to have problems with muscle strains. I think it stems ultimately from that broken leg, most likely.”

Dan Itel covers the Timbers for MLSsoccer.com.