VANCOUVER, B.C. - The Chicago sports scene has always been one of intrigue and much amazement. In a city with the Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Bulls, Bears and Red Stars it can be difficult to carve out an identity and amidst a deep dish of competitive sports teams. The Chicago Fire are doing their best under first year MLS Coach, Velko Paunovic. The Fire have compiled a 1-3-4 record this season. One bright spot for the club, is designated player and leading-scorer, Kennedy Igboananike.
The second year MLS striker has scored 50 percent of Chicago's eight goals. He's counted on significantly to produce for the Fire and that's not as easy as it looks. His second half tally against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday featured some fancy step-over work that dazzled his teammates.
"When you get the opportunity you've just got to make it as you go", said a confident Igboananike. "I don't have any pressure within me. I know I just got to go in there and do my job to help the team. To win, that is my goal, to help the team win every game."
The 27 year-old has earned praise from his coach as a leader both on and off the pitch. For a young team like Chicago, that's exactly what you want to see from a player of Igboananike's calibre. Yeah, he could be sulking or upset with the record Chicago has this season, but that's not the case. He is a team first player.
"He's been very important this season," said Paunovic. "He is doing a great job for the team, not only in scoring goals, which is very important for a striker, but he's doing a great job as a leader in the locker room and as somebody who steps up in important moments and games like this one. We are very happy with his performance so far."
Coming over to a new league last season involved an adjustment period for Igboananike. He had previously played his entire professional career in Stockholm, Sweden with Djurgården, Vasalunds, and AIK. His final season in the Allsvenskan saw him score 4 goals for AIK in 2014.
Igboananike signed with Chicago on December 2, 2014.
"That was a really hard decision for me to make", said Igboananike, "At the end it came out that I had to come to Chicago and play. I had a lot of offers, but you just have to pick one. I think I made a good decision for myself to come here and play."
In his first season with Chicago, Igboananike scored 7 goals in 31 matches. Certainly not jaw-dropping numbers, but a comfortable season for a new player in a new league who is coming over from Europe.
MLS and the Allsvenskan League both follow a similar season schedule for matches with a March/April to late October/November setup. Although this helped Igboananike when he came to Chicago, it didn't make up for the different styles of football between both leagues.
"Yeah it's almost kind of the same season, but it's really different soccer. I think here (MLS) it's more direct, they play defense and then direct. Over there in Sweden they have a little bit patience to keep the ball and try to build up. The difference I can say, in MLS if you're not quick enough, I think it's going to be difficult for you to play in this league, so you have to be quick."
The physical style of football can take new MLS players by surprise. You tend to see a lot more time, space, and possession when watching a match from across the pond. In MLS, players close down on opponents much faster and not every tackle, hold, or bump is called for a foul or free kick.
"It is very physical," admitted Igboananike. "Sometimes you don't even know where you have the player, they'll just come from nowhere and hit you up, and the referee will just say, come on, play on. It's not like that in Europe, so it's more physical."
The day-to-day schedule of a footballer is also very unique in MLS. There is a bigger emphasis on media access, fan involvement, and most of all the travel can be gruelling if you aren't use to the size of North America. An Allsvenskan AIK vs Djurgården derby match would involve a team bus or quick subway ride through Stockholm. Chicago's closest MLS opponent is Columbus and that's a six-hour bus ride.
Chicago's travel itinerary just this week included a flight to Vancouver on Monday night, travel to Boston on Thursday, and next week, travel back to the east coast for a match against the New York Red Bulls.
"No, I didn't expect it from the beginning," a surprised Igboananike revealed. "I didn't know how anything works here. When I came here, you've just got to adapt to the system, but it's not easy travelling five hours to come play a game and then travel two hours. In Europe, it's like one hour the highest maximum, so you take the bus or the train. Here the traveling is a lot and if you don't have a good mentality, it's going to kill you a lot. You have to be strong to keep going."
That's exactly what Igboananike intends to do. Whether it be at the club level or on the international stage, he wants to keep playing football and offer his best each match. Igboananike makes his offseason home in Stockholm, and would like to represent Sweden or Nigeria at the international level. He'll have his Iphone at the ready for Sweden Coach Eric Hamren as he isn't shutting the door on either nation.
"For me I'm really open to it, anyone. If the Swedish call me or Nigeria, I'm just open to any."
"I'm already a citizen. I'm already Swedish. It's always going to be my home forever."
Chicago will me hoping for more of the Swedish touch from Igboananike on the pitch. When he is on form, the Fire have a strong offensive scoring threat. As Chicago looks to build for the future, Kennedy Igboananike is a name that could very well become well-known in that crowded Chicago sports scene.
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