Chicago Fire II defeat Red Bull New York II 3 – 0

in The Township of Lyons Chronicle

Chicago Fire II player in a red uniform runs toward a ball in the air preparing to take a header, with several opposing players chasing behind him on a field.

Jason Shokalook prepares to head the ball (Photo credit: Claudio Rodriguez).

By: Alex Murphy – Editor in Chief

The Chicago Fire II defeated Red Bull New York II 3-0 on July 12 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. This marked the first time the teams met since New York knocked Chicago out of the 2025 Major League Soccer NEXT PRO (MLSNP) Playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

MLS NEXT Pro was created by Major League Soccer (MLS) and launched in 2022. It offers professional male soccer players in the United States and Canada the opportunity to play professionally by creating a pathway from MLS Next to MLS first teams. 

Chicago came out strong, riding a four-game undefeated streak, when player David Poreba assisted Jason Shokalook in scoring a goal three minutes into the game. Around ten minutes later, Shokalook logged his second goal of the evening, making the score 2-0 before the first hydration break. 

30 minutes into the game, the referee called for a hydration break, surprising many players. Hydration breaks are a new measure introduced by FIFA for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to “prioritise player welfare” as higher temperatures were expected throughout North America for the 2026 Cup. 

Chicago Fire II player in a red uniform shields the ball from a Red Bull New York II player in a black uniform near the sideline.
Chicago Fire II player guards the ball from a defender (Photo credit: Claudio Rodriguez).

“It was really nice to have the hydration breaks,” Shokalook said. “I was a little surprised when we got it, but it was very nice to do that, and I think it’s good for the players to hydrate well.”

Typically, hydration breaks occur at around the 22-minute mark in both halves and are approximately three minutes. 

After the hydration break in the first half, no more goals were scored, but various yellow cards were handed out to both teams before the halftime whistle blew. 

Within a minute of the second half starting, Chicago put another point on the board  making the final score 3-0. 

Shokalook, the top scorer of the game, scoring two goals, has been recognized various times in MLSNP for his skills. Last year, he was the 2025 MLSNP Golden Boot Winner and a 2025 MLNP MVP finalist. Following these awards, Schokalook was signed by the Chicago Fire FC in December to an MLS contract.

Chicago Fire II player in a red uniform runs with the ball across the field, with empty blue bleachers and a sideline advertisement in the background.
Chicago Fire II Damian Nigg #55 runs with the ball (Photo credit: Claudio Rodriguez).

His contract will run through the 2026 season, with club options for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Schokalook is the third player to sign with the Chicago Fire MLS team after playing with the Chicago Fire II team. Currently, he plays for both the Chicago Fire and Chicago Fire II. 

After the game, Chicago rose from 10th place to ninth place in the Eastern Conference ranking of the MLSNP and fifth place in the Southeast Division. Like MLS, MLSNP also has a playoff tournament kicking off in late September. 

The MLSNP playoff tournament features 16 teams, the top 8 from each conference. The Eastern and Western Conferences then compete in the playoff tournament for four consecutive weekends. Chicago qualified last year but will need to continue winning games up until September to qualify this year. 

As MLSNP enters its fifth season in 2026, more individuals are able to play soccer at the professional level. Some may be able to work their way up to playing for MLS, not just MLSNP, like Schokalook did. 

Red Bull New York Player in a black jersey prepares to kick a soccer ball with his right foot in the air.
Red Bull New York II player prepares to kick the ball (Photo Credit: Claudio Rodriguez).

MLS is the premium professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It has continued to offer male soccer players the opportunity to play at the professional level since its creation in 1996, after the USA hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

 

 

 

MLS entered its 31st season in 2026, while MLSNP entered its fifth season in 2026. Currently, MLSNP has 30 teams with plans to expand to Cleveland, Jacksonville, Grand Rapids and Long Island.

There are two types of MLSNP teams: MLS-affiliated and independent teams. Currently, there are 27 MLS-affiliated MLSNP teams; an MLS-affiliated team is the reserve squad that is owned and operated directly by its city’s MLS club. The Chicago Fire II and Red Bull New York II are MLS-affiliated teams, along with 25 others. Additionally, there are also three independent MLSNP teams: Carolina Core FC, Chattanooga FC, and CT United FC. Independent teams are privately owned teams that compete with other NEXT PRO teams but are not directly owned or operated by an MLS franchise team. 

The Chicago Fire II will continue to play regular season games throughout August and September as they battle it out to secure a spot in the playoffs. 

 

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