Bridgeview, Ill. (July 21, 2024) – Chicago Fire FC II (8-4-6-5) earned three points in a 3-2 home win over New England Revolution II (4-12-2-2) Sunday afternoon at SeatGeek Stadium. David Poreba scored his league-leading 12th goal of the year, while Lamonth Rochester and Jason Shokalook each scored their second of 2024. The victory was an Eastern Conference-high sixth at home for Chicago this campaign.
The visitors kicked off a high-scoring first half on the front foot, as a foul committed in the box resulted in a penalty kick taken by former Fire winger Alex Monis. He converted his chance for his third goal of the year against his old side to give New England the early 1-0 lead.
It would not take long for the Fire to equalize as Rochester flung the ball out wide to Justin Reynolds on the right wing. The Homegrown right back crossed it to Rochester on the far post, whose header on goal was parried right back to him for the left-footed finish and the equalizer in the 17th minute.
Three minutes later, the scoring spree continued as Reynolds found Omari Glasgow open in the box, who immediately tapped the ball to Shokalook at the top of the six-yard box. The forward finished with a one-touch right-footer past the diving keeper in the 20th minute to give Chicago the lead. But the advantage would be short-lived as the Fire were a victim of an own goal just two minutes later.
With four goals in the books within the opening 25 minutes, the Fire continued pushing forward for yet another lead. Looking for an opening in the box, Shokalook was dragged down, giving his side a penalty kick. MLS NEXT Pro’s leading goal scorer Poreba stepped up to take the kick, driving his shot down the middle to put the Fire back on top.
New England sought to tie the match one again in the last hour of match play, but the Fire defense clamped down and held the visitors to half as many shots on target in the second half (three) as in the first. The Men in Red could not find a goal of their own, but calmly played out the match to earn three points at home for a sixth time this year, avenging an earlier road loss to the Revolution.
Social: X - @ChicagoFireFCII (Hashtags: #ChicagoFireII) | Instagram - @chicagofirefcii | Facebook
Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC II 3:2 New England Revolution II
Goals:
NE - Monis (6) (Penalty) (WATCH) 13’
CHI - Rochester (2) (WATCH) 17’
CHI - Shokalook (2) (Glasgow 2) (WATCH) 20’
NE - Shannon (Own Goal) 22’
CHI - Poreba (12) (Penalty) (WATCH) 26’
Discipline:
CHI - Los (Yellow Card) 13’
NE - Calderon (Yellow Card) 35’
NE - Leal (Yellow Card) 43’
NE - Klein (Yellow Card) 50’
NE - Tiago (Yellow Card) 65’
NE - Bolma (Yellow Card) 79’
Chicago Fire FC II: GK Los, D Rochester (Soudan, 65’), D Konincks, D Diouf (Cupps, 45’), D Shannon, D Reynolds (Calle, 45’), M Hlyut, M Poreba (capt.), M Glasgow, F Shokalook (Granda, 86’), F Koffi
Subs not used: GK Stechnjij, D Richards, M Norkett
New England Revolution II: GK Gunn, D Al-Hasnawi (Bueno, 76’), D Tiago, D Calderon, D McIntosh (Nichols III, 76’), M Klein, M Maciel (Quiñones, 44’), M Leal (capt.), F Bolma, F Diarbian (Butts, 61’), F Monis
Subs not used: GK Weinstein, D Kinner, M Ciampa, F Bjelajac
Stats Summary: CHI / NE
Shots: 16 / 18
Shots on Goal: 9 / 6
Passing Accuracy: 84.9% / 82.8%
Saves: 5 / 6
Corners: 3 / 8
Fouls: 7 / 13
Offsides: 1 / 3
Possession: 52.1% / 47.9%
Referee: Justin St. Pierre
Assistant Ref 1: Eric Burton
Assistant Ref 2: Justin Mack
4th Official: Ryan Homik
