A technician walks around the field after the Vancouver Whitecaps and Real Salt Lake MLS soccer game was postponed due to unplayable field conditions at Empire Field in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday July 16, 2011. Temporary grass sod was laid over the artificial turf at Empire Field in preparation for an international friendly on Monday between the Whitecaps and England's Manchester City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckDarryl Dyck/The Canadian Press
The Vancouver Whitecaps remain hopeful that repairs to its damaged temporary grass playing field will enable it to get in Monday night's exhibition match at Empire Stadium against Manchester City of the English Premier League.
Heavy rains turned the turf to a sloppy mess forcing the club to postpone Saturday's Major League Soccer match against Real Salt Lake throwing the prospect of playing Monday's game into question.
However the club said in a statement on Sunday night that a team of grass and stadium specialists have been working around the clock to remove water from the pitch and that optimism continues to grow that the newly laid temporary grass pitch at Empire Field will be in playable condition for Monday's international friendly.
"This has certainly been an unusual challenge, but our stadium and turf partners have been incredible," said Paul Barber, Vancouver Whitecaps FC chief executive officer. "Earlier this morning we brought in resources to assist the natural drying process. We are feeling very positive about the progress to this point."
The temporary field consists of 8,360 square metres of sod and was laid at a cost of about $200,000. The sod includes a mixture of earth and sand that doesn't lend itself to drainage.
Last year's EPL third place finishers are currently on a tour of North America and defeated Mexico's club America 2-0 on Saturday night in San Frnacisco.
The Whitecaps have yet to announce a makeup date for Saturday's game.
With a report from The Canadian Press