BURNABY, BC – It may have been a bye week for the Vancouver Whitecaps, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t come without its challenges.
Eric Hassli was down in Las Vegas getting married this past weekend and had a number of teammates, including captain Jay DeMerit, on hand to see him tie the knot with his bride, Candice.
For Davide Chiumiento, though, it was no holiday. Appointed best man by the big Frenchman, the dynamic midfielder was pushed to his creative limits.
“I’ve never had to prepare a speech,” Chiumiento told MLSsoccer.com after a training session at Swangard Stadium on Tuesday. “It was my first time as a best man, so I had pressure – there were a lot of people there. But I just spoke from my heart. I wanted to say things to Eric and his wife. It was nice, we had a great day and I’m really happy for them.
As for Hassli, who has opted to play the wedding down, he summed up his weekend wedding briefly.
“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” he told reporters with a smile.
News and notes
San Francisco native Anton Peterlin is on trial with the club until June 12. The 25-year-old most recently played for Walsall in England’s third tier, but notably signed for Premier League side Everton in 2009 after reportedly turning down contract offers from MLS clubs Chicago Fire and the San Jose Earthquakes. However, he never made a competitive appearance for the Toffees.
Alain Rochat fractured his nose against the Portland Timbers in Vancouver’s last match, and as a result was wearing a face shield during training. The club doesn’t expect the full back to miss any action as a result of the injury.
Martin MacMahon covers Vancouver Whitecaps FC for MLSsoccer.com.
