Chicago Fire defender Mbekezile Mbokazi will miss the rest of the year and undergo surgery in Finland, head coach Gregg Berhalter announced after a 2-0 victory over Mexican side Necaxa in the Leagues Cup. Berhalter said in a post-match interview that having the South African center-back out for the entire year is difficult for the team. Mbokazi has not played a single minute since the start of this season.
The victory over Necaxa came in Chicago Fire's opening match of the tournament, played overnight from Thursday to Friday, where a top-three finish secures qualification for the CONCACAF Champions League. The result leaves Chicago Fire with two wins and two losses in four matches this season, following a 3-2 defeat to Inter Miami, a 3-1 loss to New York City, and a 2-1 win against Charlotte FC featuring two goals from Robert Lewandowski.
World Cup duty and upcoming matches
Mbokazi earned a spot in South Africa's World Cup squad after playing 12 matches for Chicago Fire during the spring. South Africa unexpectedly reached the round of 32 by defeating South Korea 1-0, drawing 1-1 with the Czech Republic, and losing 0-2 to Mexico, before being eliminated in a 1-0 loss to tournament co-hosts Canada.
Chicago Fire will play their next Leagues Cup matches over the coming week. The club faces Santos Laguna on August 10 and Cruz Azul on August 14.
