FC Cincinnati 2 and Chicago Fire FC II are set to meet for the first game of a three match regular season series Sunday afternoon at Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET and tickets for the match can be claimed through the FC Cincinnati App or on seatgeek.com.
The match will also stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
FC CINCINNATI 2 vs CHICAGO FIRE FC II – SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2025 – 4 P.M. ET – SCUDAMORE FIELD AT NKU SOCCER STADIUM
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FC CINCINNATI 2 vs CHICAGO FIRE FC II MATCHUP NOTES
DOUSING THE FLAMES – Sunday’s match will be the ninth all-time meeting between the two Northeast Division sides. While Chicago swept a three-match series in 2022, the Orange and Blue have taken points in four of the last five, including a 5-0 home win in July of 2024. Stefan Chirila and Kenji Mboma Dem scored first half goals in the 5-0 results to help lead the Orange and Blue.
THE SHOOTOUT – Three of the last five matches between FCC 2 and Fire II have finished tied and advanced to a shootout. The Orange and Blue have taken an extra point from two of those matches with Paul Walters in net for both. Walters has made one appearance for FCC 2 in MLS NEXT Pro play in 2025 where he made four saves against Toronto FC II in the season opener on March 9.
BACK TO SCUDAMORE FIELD – FCC 2 host Fire II for the fourth time since August of 2023 when the teams face off this Sunday at Scudamore Field. The Orange and Blue have played just one match in Chicago since 2023, a game which ended in a 1-1 draw and eventual shootout win for FCC 2 at SeatGeek Stadium. The Orange and Blue will play the next two matches this season against Fire II on the road in May and September.
SCOUTING CHICAGO FIRE FC II (1-1-0, 3 PTS., 9TH IN EASTERN CONFERENCE)
Chicago Fire FC II finished 2024 as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Fire II ended the year fourth in the conference standings with 47 points, and won their first MLS NEXT Pro Playoff match against Orlando City B. Chicago have split results to start the 2025 campaign – a 4-1 loss to Huntsville City FC and a 1-0 win against Toronto FC II – but will have their sights set on postseason play once again.
However, Chicago will have to navigate the year without forward David Poreba, the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot winner, who signed a first team contract in December. Poreba scored 18 of the team’s 51 goals last season including five matches with multiple goals. Harold Osorio, the team’s second leading scorer in 2024 with nine goals, will be asked to fill the void left by Poreba but has been called to first team duty four times this year on short term agreements.
Offseason signing Trip Fleming and Chicago Fire FC Academy defender Bryce Richards were on the scoresheet for Fire II through the first two matches of the season. Flemming, a former Fire academy product, rejoined the organization from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he played 17 matches in 2023. Before playing collegiately, Flemming tallied four goals and six assists for Fire II from 2022-23.
Patrick Los has started in goal through the first two matches of the campaign and looks poised to remain Fire II’s first-choice goalkeeper in 2025. Despite allowing four goals in the opener, Los and the Chicago defense bounced back with a shutout against Toronto where he made three saves. Los started 19 matches for Chicago in 2024 where he made 70 saves and kept four clean sheets.
