Chicago Fire FC II Completes Five-Goal Comeback to Earn 5-5 Draw at New York Red Bulls II

April 14, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Chicago Fire FC II News Release

Chicago Fire FC II battle New York Red Bulls II
(Chicago Fire FC II)

Montclair, N.J. – Chicago Fire FC II (1-0-3-2) earned one point in a 5-5 draw at New York Red Bulls II (3-0-2-2). Harold Osorio scored a hat trick and captain David Poreba added a brace of his own to help Chicago complete a five-goal comeback on the road. Roald Mitchell scored four goals for the home side to lead MLS NEXT Pro with eight goals.

First-place New York got off to a hot start within minutes of the opening whistle. Jair Collahuazo spotted a streaking Mitchell in the final third, lofting a ball into the box. The forward then chipped the pass from the corner of the box and above Patrick Los to open the scoring and add an East-leading fifth goal of the year. Just two minutes later, he got his second of the game on a penalty awarded to the home side. Although Los guessed the direction of the shot correctly and even got a hand on it, the effort was too strong and the forward added to his league-leading goal tally.

New York continued its lightning-fast counter-attacks, and one such counter in the 17th minute led to a handball in the box that gave the home side yet another penalty kick. Mitchell had an easier time with his second kick from the spot, putting it away for his first hat trick and seventh goal of 2024. He then added a fourth in the game right before halftime, getting on the end of a long ball from Aidan O’Connor before dancing around a defender for the goal.

Chicago responded in a hurry in stoppage time. Seconds after the restart, Lamonth Rochester lofted a ball to David Poreba in the box. The Fire captain was knocked down and the referee once again pointed at the spot. Osorio stepped up and finished for his second goal of the year. Within seconds of the score, the referee awarded the fourth penalty of the day, this time for a foul on Omari Glasgow. The Salvadoran midfielder stepped up again and gave the Fire a manageable 4-2 deficit going into the locker room.

Both teams made tactical changes at halftime, but the second half started as hot as the first ended. Christian Koffi found open space on the left wing before being brought down in the box. The referee called his fifth penalty of the day, and Osorio once again stepped into the limelight for his third penalty kick goal of the evening in the 50th minute. The hat trick gave Osorio sole ownership of the team’s golden boot and got Chicago within a…