The Vancouver Whitecaps lost 3-1 to the Chicago Fire on Tuesday evening.
The Story
The Vancouver Whitecaps’ 3-1 loss to the Chicago Fire came in a rescheduled match played at Soldier Field on Tuesday evening, a game the Whitecaps were not expecting to lose on the conditions described as an American football field “two days after use.”
The contest was delayed after the original summer date was changed because massive fires in central Canada produced enough smoke to make the air in Chicago unsafe. The match was originally supposed to be played in mid-July.
The Whitecaps faced several storylines, including a matchup between Thomas Müller and his former teammate Robert Lewandowski. Vancouver entered the game with its roster noted as depleted because the international window was still ongoing.
Jesper Sørensen’s side was described as “disjointed and ugly” in play, with the pitch conditions including faded lines, worn grass painted green, visible divots and sand visible on the field.
Vancouver’s lineup was also affected by absences. The Whitecaps were missing three first-choice players, Ralph Priso, Édier Ocampo and Andrés Cubas. Cubas’ absence was described as related to his time with Paraguay for a closed-door friendly versus the New York Red Bulls, and the Whitecaps were also without injured Jeevan Badwal.
After the match, Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen said, “We were too far from each other and (Chicago) were able to create chances like I have not seen against us in a long, long time.”
The international window closes after Tuesday’s game, meaning the Whitecaps are expected to regain players who were away. Vancouver now turns to a demanding stretch on the road, starting Saturday against LAFC, followed by a mid-week match against St. Louis and a game against Austin a week after that, with the extended run continuing until Oct. 24 in Colorado.
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