CHICAGO (April 4, 2025) – Chicago Fire FC II moves on to the second leg of a four-game road trip against New York Red Bulls II at MSU Soccer Park in Montclair, N.J. First kick is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT and the match stream will begin five minutes prior on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Chicago will hope to kickstart a three-game winning streak after a comeback 2-1 win at FC Cincinnati 2 on Sunday. Claudio Cassano opened his 2025 MLS NEXT Pro scoring account to equalize the match in the 10th minute. Five minutes after the second half whistle, the Italian winger smoothly shook off a defender on the left and sent a dangerous ball into the box that another Cincinnati defender accidentally tipped in for the eventual game-winning goal.
New York is undefeated for the season following a big 3-2 win in the Hudson River Derby against NYCFC II. Forward Julian Hall was involved in every Red Bulls goal, officially contributing one goal and one assist. For his performance, Hall was named MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchweek 3.
The two sides have met five times in the regular season since New York joined MLS NEXT Pro in 2023. The Red Bulls hold a 2-1-2-2 lead all-time, in addition to a 4-1 victory in the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.
By the Numbers
1 – Homegrown midfielder Dylan Borso played in his first match of the 2025 season on Sunday, racking up 55 minutes on the right wing. The match was Borso’s 10th in MLS NEXT Pro, having appeared in nine matches over the last two summers before heading to Wake Forest University in 2024. The midfielder appeared in all 24 matches for the Demon Deacons as a freshman, earning a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team.
9 – Winger Claudio Cassano has suffered nine fouls in the young season – over a quarter of all fouls suffered by the team. The mark is good for third in MLS NEXT Pro in only three matches played. The Italian midfielder has been a threat for opposing defenders, especially those on the right side, as he pinches in from the left to take right-footed shots or find open teammates. This has resulted in six shots on target, the fifth highest tally in the league.
23 – In his 23rd appearance in MLS NEXT Pro, midfielder Juan Miguel Calle was one of six Fire players to tally the full 90 minutes on Sunday. The match was also his second in a row starting as a left back, combining with Cassano on overlaps. He also defended well against Cincinnati’s top offensive threat in 2025, Kenji Mboma Dem. The flexibility Calle has offered – from playing as a defensive midfielder, to occasionally playing as an inverted fullback – has been of great service to Chicago in two seasons.
Player Spotlight
Diego Konincks holds on amid pressure from FC Cincinnati 2 (Photo Credit: FC Cincinnati)
Diego Konincks has appeared in all three regular season matches for Chicago Fire II in 2025, playing every single minute along the way. Konincks has done so despite signing two Short-Term Agreements with the first team, splitting his time between both teams. On Sunday, he flew into Cincinnati the morning after appearing on the first team bench, in Chicago Fire FC’s 1-1 draw against CF Montréal at Soldier Field.
The versatile Dutchman has played in different defensive-minded positions this season – first as a center back alongside Christopher Cupps on Matchweek 1, then as a defensive midfielder in Sunday’s match against Cincinnati. He has also played a clean brand of football, committing only six fouls with no bookings as the team’s captain.
