(Photo credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports)

Portland Timbers veteran midfielder Diego Chara underwent an emergency appendectomy on Thursday.

Chara will miss approximately one to three weeks, beginning with Sunday's road contest against Austin FC, the team said.

The Timbers (8-11-9, 33 points) are tied with Austin one point behind FC Dallas for the ninth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Chara, 37, has spent his entire MLS career with the Timbers after joining the team ahead of the 2011 season. He has four assists in 27 games (all starts) this season.

The native of Colombia has played in 365 regular-season games and 21 playoff games for the franchise, helping the Timbers win the 2015 MLS Cup. He's recorded 12 career goals and 33 assists in regular-season action and one goal and two assists in the playoffs.

--Field Level Media