Fitness. Tactics. Chemistry.
The foundations for all three have been established within Chicago Fire preseason camp over the course of the last four weeks. And in the next eight days, head coach Veljko Paunovic is looking to take all three to the next level.
A trio of matches in the upcoming 2016 Simple Invitational hosted by the defending MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers will provide the perfect opportunity for Pauno and his side to do just that. The Fire make their first appearance at Providence Park with a 4:30 p.m. CT kickoff Sunday vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, with the match streaming live on Chicago-Fire.com.
CHICAGO FIRE -- 2016 SIMPLE INVITATIONAL
All three of the following matches will stream live on Chicago-Fire.com
- Chicago Fire vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC; Sunday (Feb. 21), 4:30 p.m. CT
- Chicago Fire vs. Minnesota United FC (NASL); Wednesday (Feb. 24), 7 p.m. CT
- Chicago Fire vs. Portland Timbers; Saturday (Feb. 27) 7 p.m. CT
“We are very excited about our preseason,” Paunovic said. “We think guys are doing a great job and we’re very satisfied. Now we have to forge more and improve the level of quality in the areas that will help us the most on March 6. These games are going to be a very good test for us, they’ll prove and show where we are at this point of the season.”
Paunovic has observed some standout individual performances during Chicago’s organized preseason friendlies, most notably in the form of three goals in two games by an in-form David Accam.
Dutch trialist John Goossens, who provided the pass to spring Accam toward his second goal vs. Philadelphia, on Thursday raised his profile further with a spectacular left-footed volley in a scrimmage with the University of Portland.
“It’s a great goal,” Paunovic said Friday of the strike. “All we can say is he’s doing good and improving very well. In the next week he’ll again have the opportunity to show how he can perform against MLS teams.”
As in-match workloads extend beyond the 45-minute shifts most players have experienced in friendlies to date, Paunovic and his staff will have a truer sense of what work remains to be done ahead of the March 6 season-opener.
“There are so many things that we’re going to be able to take out of these next three games,” said veteran midfielder and Fire newcomer Nick LaBrocca, who scored once in the 4-2 win over Philadelphia. “We see where we stack up, it’s a chance to increase our fitness level and most importantly it’s time for us to all get on the same page since it is such a new group.”
On Sunday, they’ll be doing so against a Vancouver Whitecaps side that finished second in the Western Conference a season ago before bowing out of the playoffs to the eventual champion Timbers. Carl Robinson’s side scored three wins from three during a Tucson training stint, topping the Seattle Sounders (2-1), New England Revolution (3-2) and Houston Dynamo (2-0) in preseason action.
Aside from offseason trades of midfielders Mauro Rosales (FC Dallas) and Gershon Koffie (New England Revolution), the ’Caps return the core of their 2015 roster and have added veteran forward Blas Pérez (36 goals, 14 assists in MLS) as well as Japanese striker Masato Kudo to their attacking fold.
Of course, the Simple Invitational will be more about the “us” and less about the “them” for the Chicago Fire. And as someone now participating in his 10th MLS preseason training camp, LaBrocca likes what he’s seen from his new club.
“This preseason is by far the most organized and one of the best groups I’ve been part of,” he said. “Everything is with the ball and there’s a purpose for everything that we do. This time of the year is about making sure you’re ready for the first game of the season and making sure you have a good base to carry you through 34 games."
Also of Note:
• Dutch defender Johan Kappelhof met up with his new club in Portland earlier this week and has spent the ensuing days getting acclimated to his new surroundings. Kappelhof arrives in Fire preseason training after having played 18 matches this season for his former club of five seasons, FC Groningen.
“He’s doing very good, we are working on his adaptation into the team,” Veljko Paunovic said of the 25-year-old’s arrival. “He worked fully with our guys (Friday) and it was great, he’s a great guy and a very good addition for our team. We expect a lot from him.”
• The Men In Red shared lodging and accommodations Friday with the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors, in the Rose City to take on the Portland Trail Blazers.
A well-known hoophead, goalkeeper Sean Johnson made sure he was in the building for the game Friday night, which saw the home team hand the high-flying Warriors just their fifth loss of the season with a convincing 137-105 victory. Like nearly everyone else at the Moda Center, Johnson had high marks for Portland guard Damian Lillard’s 51-point effort in the win.
