Nyarko looks to be ready Thursday

Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko -- Getty Images

Chicago Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said he was "a little lucky" that his injury during Saturday's 2-1 loss to Seattle Sounders FC was not severe.

Nyarko was dealt a vicious knock from Sounders midfielder Servando Carrasco at the end of regulation and into second-half stoppage time. But Nyarko said Monday that Carrasco's cleats-to-the-shin blow should not keep him out.

That is good news for the Fire (1-1-1) and last year's assists leader, who also assisted on Chicago's lone tally by Diego Chaves over the weekend. Chicago has a busy agenda over the next week with a Thursday match at the expansion Portland Timbers (televised on ESPN2), followed by Sunday's return to Bridgeview when the Fire host the Los Angeles Galaxy at Toyota Park.

"Initially I thought it was bad myself," Nyarko said of the injury. "It's nothing but a big bruise. We just got done with training [Monday], even though we didn't do too much, and I'm shooting for Thursday."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.