Mike Havenaar had a hand in the match-winning goal but an injury to the former Japan striker took the sheen off ADO Den Haag's 1-0 win away to AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch first division on Friday.
Havenaar left the pitch 10 minutes into the second half after colliding with an opponent. The club's official website said hospital examinations revealed two broken ribs and that he will miss the remaining games before the winter break against Willem II and SC Heerenveen.
"(He was) not in a good way and I decided to make him go to hospital," Den Haag manager Henk Fraser said of Havenaar, who is his Den Haag's top scorer with eight goals in 14 games since joining them this season on a three-year deal from HJK Helsinki.
"His face was as white as a ghost from the pain," added Fraser.
Roland Alberg set up Danny Bakker for the decider on nine minutes following a cross from Havenaar as Den Haag posted their third win of the season to move up to 12th place in the Eredivisie standings.
Havenaar seemed set for a recall to the national team after his club received a written request from the Japan Football Association to make him available for last month's 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Singapore and Cambodia, only to be surprisingly overlooked.