South Africans preparing for new MLS season

New Chicago Fire signings Puso Dithejane and Mbekezeli Mbokazi are heading to California early next month for a mini tournament with their new club, Chicago Fire, before the new season gets underway later in February.

Dithejane was signed just weeks ago from TS Galaxy, while Mbokazi is already in the US at Chicago’s training camp in Florida after his R50-million move from Orlando Pirates.

Chicago will be heading to Indio, California, for the second part of their pre-season preparation, where they will take part in the Coachella Valley Invitational, a 12-team tournament where Minnesota United, with ex-Bafana striker Bongokhule Hlongwane, are also competing.

Chicago will have three games against LA Galaxy, Austin, and Portland Timbers in the tournament between 8-14 February, while Minnesota have Sporting Kansas City, D.C. United, and Charlotte FC.

Bradley Carnell’s Philadelphia Union, who finished top of the table at the end of last year’s regular season, have been in Spain over the last week, playing against European opposition at their training camp in Marbella, Spain. They drew with Czech club Sigma Olomouc 1-1 last week and then lost to Denmark’s FC Nordsjælland 2-1 on Friday. They have another friendly on Thursday in Marbella against FK Buducnost from Montenegro.

After that, Philadelphia, who have former Stellenbosch centre back Olwethu Makhanya in their squad, will finish off their preparations at a training camp in Florida, where they have arranged friendlies against Tampa Bay Rowdies and CF Montréal.

The new Major League Soccer season starts on Saturday, 21 February.