That reprieve didn’t come in the form of a vacation. Dike spent the last month in Orlando recovering from tendinitis and a shoulder injury picked up during the Concacaf Gold Cup.
But after logging 49 games, 22 goals and four national team call-ups in the first 13 months of his professional career, four weeks off the pitch offered a much-needed opportunity for Dike to collect himself before the Lions make their playoff push at the end of the MLS season.
“I didn’t ever really consider it a problem,” Dike said. “I enjoy playing games. This break, I think it was good for me.