Following a two-week stay in Tampa and a brief stopover in Chicago, 2016 preseason training reaches its third and final phase for the Chicago Fire with the club's recent arrival in Portland, Ore. The Men In Red are one of four teams competing in the 2016 Simple Invitational, which begins for the Fire Sunday (Feb. 21) vs. fellow MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC and continues with preseason friendlies against NASL side Minnesota United FC (Wednesday, Feb. 24) and reigning MLS Cup champions Portland Timbers (Saturday, Feb. 27).
All three matches will be played in Portland's Providence Park and stream live on Chicago-Fire.com.
In addition to its roster of signed players and two unsigned 2016 MLS SuperDraft draftees, there are seven additional players currently on the team’s training camp roster, including six trialists: MF Arturo Alvarez, GK Matt Bersano, MF John Goossens, GK Callum Irving, GK Matt Lampson and MF Christian Volesky. Chicago Fire Academy player Mauricio Pineda also remains with the First Team.
Below is the complete training camp roster as of Feb. 16:
GOALKEEPERS: Matt Bersano^, Sean Johnson, Callum Irving^, Matt Lampson^, Patrick McLain
DEFENDERS: Kingsley Bryce, Jonathan Campbell, Joey Calistri, Patrick Doody, Eric Gehrig, Michael Harrington, Johan Kappelhof, Vincent Keller, João Meira, Mauricio Pineda#, Rodrigo Ramos, Brandon Vincent
MIDFIELDERS: David Accam, Arturo Alvarez^, Razvan Cocis, Drew Conner, Collin Fernandez, John Goossens^, Nick LaBrocca, Alex Morrell, Matt Polster, Michael Stephens, Christian Volesky^
FORWARDS: Gilberto, Kennedy Igboananike
*Unsigned 2016 MLS SuperDraft Pick
^Trialist
Chicago Fire Academy Player
The latest of three goalkeeping trialists to join camp, Bersano spent four years as a member of the Oregon State University men's soccer team before moving on to Penn State for his redshirt senior season in 2015. Fellow newcomer to camp Christian Volesky was a college teammate of Fire midfielder Matt Polster at SIU-Edwardsville -- and, like Polster, a Las Vegas-area native -- who was drafted by the Portland Timbers in 2015. Volesky recorded eight goals and three assists for the Rochester Rhinos (USL) last season.
Brazilian defender Rodrigo Ramos will join the team upon completion of his visa process. Additionally, Parker Maher and Vincent Mitchell have departed camp.
