Over the weekend, Chicago Fire forward CJ Sapong returned from an extended excused period away from the team.
The 31-year-old’s 11-minute shift as a second-half substitution in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Columbus Crew SC marked his first appearance for head coach Raphael Wicky’s side since July 23, the Fire's final match at the MLS is Back Tournament.
Sapong missed the following five matches of the Fire’s return to regular season play to attend to a personal matter -- becoming a father to a baby girl. Returning from the absence then meant adhering to the league’s health and safety protocols in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which meant waiting to receive medical clearance before rejoining his teammates fully.