CHICAGO (April 25, 2025) – Chicago Fire FC II wraps up a four-game road trip with a rematch against Toronto FC II on Friday, April 25 at York Lions Stadium in North York, Ontario. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and the match will be available on MLSNEXTPro.com.
Chicago will look forward to a quick turnaround following a 5-0 loss on the road against Huntsville City FC on Sunday. The home side overcame an early push from Chicago before opening the scoring with a penalty kick in the 20th minute. Three minutes later, a red card shown to the Fire broke the game open for Huntsville, scoring four unanswered goals with a man advantage to complete the shutout for the Boys in Blue.
Toronto saw a better result in its home opener against Carolina Core FC last Friday. Carolina scored first just past the half hour mark, but the Young Reds responded within two minutes via midfielder Patrick McDonald’s first goal in MLS NEXT Pro. The teams held on for the 1-1 draw, but the visitors were perfect in the shootout to win the additional point.
Friday’s match will be the second between both sides this season, with the first ending in a 1-0 home win for Chicago on March 13. Chicago is 6-2-0-0 all-time against Toronto in MLS NEXT Pro play, including a 2-2-0-0 mark at York Lions Stadium.
By the Numbers
1 – While chasing an “iron man” streak of his own with the first team, Sergio Oregel, Jr. is in danger of losing first place in minutes played for Chicago Fire II all-time to Diego Konincks this season. Oregel currently holds the team record with 4,326 minutes, while Konincks trails with 2,371. The difference of 1,955 minutes means the Dutchman would have to play 22 full matches this season to take the lead. It may be a tall task, but Konincks has played every minute of the 2025 season – and he is hungry for more.
5 – Chicago Fire Academy Defender Bryce Richards matched his season-high of five appearances for Chicago Fire II on Sunday, doing so in only the fifth match of the season. In 2024, Richards had to wait until July 28 to make his debut alongside five other fellow Academy players. He made four other appearances in 2024, and has since gained a bigger role on the 2025 Chicago Fire II roster.
14 – Midfielder Claudio Cassano continues to be a threat on the attack. His 14 shots have him tied for sixth in the league in total scoring attempts, while his eight shots on target are tied for seventh. His 10 fouls suffered this season – opposing defenses’ response to his attacking prowess – make him one of only 23 players in MLS NEXT Pro with a double digit figure in that category.
Player Spotlight: Jean-Alpha Diouf
Jean-Alpha Diouf beats a Huntsville City FC forward to the ball (Huntsville City FC)
In a squad with ample options in defense – from college all-stars like Olu Oyegunle to Academy prospects like Christopher Cupps – Jean-Alpha Diouf has claimed an important role in the squad in 2025.
Acquired in March 2024, the Senegalese defender has filled in at several spots over 20 regular season matches in MLS NEXT Pro. Recently, Diouf has filled in at center back alongside Cupps or Oyegunle, and has played a consistent brand of defensive football in every match of the 2025 schedule. He has also filled in as a fullback on both sides, and has occasionally pushed up to the midfield to help recover the ball.
With over 1,300 minutes and two postseason appearances under his belt, Diouf is waiting for another first: a goal, which he is more accustomed to clearing off the line than scoring as a defender.
