Chicago Fire II player Chinoso Offor (left) and Rochester’s Lamar Batista make nice in front of an official after they were jostling and shoving for a few minutes during the teams’ 0-0 tie on Sunday in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Pro Soccer Report: Fire II gets a point, but still no goals after three games
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
The new Chicago Fire II team is winless and scoreless through three games, but coach Ludovic Taillandier knows wins and losses are not the team’s main focus.
The Fire II, which tied Rochester 0-0 April 10 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, is a mix of youth and Chicago Fire players who need to get work in.
“When I speak about this team, we have three objectives,” Taillandier said. “The first objective is to give time of play to the players that are in the MLS group, so those players get some time of play at a good level and they can stay in shape for when we need them with the first team. The second objective is to develop the young players and to give them some room to prove themselves … to get to a first professional contract.
“And the other one is to play each game to win it. On this third objective, we want to do better. We expect to be a little more competitive on the field and to be able to score goals.”
Through three MLS NEXT Pro games, the Fire II are 0-2-1 and have been outscored 3-0. On April 10, they picked up the first point in team history, but lost, 6-5, in a shootout for an extra point.
First-team goalie Chris Brady had a clean sheet in regulation with two saves, but Rochester (0-2-1, 2 points) scored six goals in seven attempts in the shootout.
“This year with it being a new rule, ties go to PK shootouts. It’s something that we’ve had to work on a little bit more obviously, myself included,” Brady said. “I haven’t faced many, but it’s a good chance for me, bring the game down, calm, and make sure that it’s just me and the next shot. So going into that PK shootout, I felt good. I felt like I had a clear mind.
“Obviously, during the game, during the run of play, we’d look for hopefully a few more goals, but it’s definitely challenging. It’s my bread and butter. I like it.”
New Stars
The Chicago Red Stars recently signed two players.
If she scores goals, the team should consider playing “Chelsea Dagger” for Australian import Chelsie Dawber, 22, whom the Red Starts inked to a two-year deal with a third-year option.
“Chelsie is an impressive young player,” Red Stars coach Chris Petrucelli said. “She has proven she can score goals at a high level, play multiple positions and still be effective. She adds versatility and athleticism to an already dangerous attacking group.”
Dawber, a forward, played 15 games for Adelaide United FC of the Australian A-League Women and accounted for 10 of the club’s 33 goals. She also had three assists and helped lead the team to the A-League semifinal round.
“I am really excited to be joining the Red Stars,” Dawber said in a news release. “Growing up it has always been my dream to play overseas. I am very grateful to Chris and the team for providing me this amazing opportunity.
“I can’t wait to start training with the girls, playing in front of all the fans and push towards winning a championship this season.”
Dawber’s arrival is dependent on approval of her visa application.
The Red Stars also signed Amanda Kowalski to a three-year contract with a fourth-year option.
The Arlington Heights native joined the Red Stars this preseason as a non-roster invitee out of Butler University. While at Butler, Kowalski played in 72 matches with 46 starts, scored four goals and assisted on 11 others.
Kowalski’s signing was made following the season-ending injury to star defender Tierna Davidson. Kowalski earned her first start with the Red Stars April 2 against the Houston Dash. She played all 90 minutes and completed 80 percent of her passes, and made two key stops to help the team earn a clean sheet.
Pugh still scoring
There were no Red Stars games last week because of international play, but one Chicago player still made an impact.
Mallory Pugh, who has four goals for the Red Stars in Challenge Cup play, scored a goal and added three assists in the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 9-1 friendly victory over Uzbekistan in Columbus, Ohio, on April 9.
House moves to new home
The Chicago House, which played its debut season at SeatGeek Stadium in 2021 has moved. The team will play its games at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Stuart Field in Bronzeville. The home opener is May 13.
FIRE II AT HOME
Here are the remaining Chicago Fire II games to be played at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Games are free and gates open an hour before the listed starting time:
April 24 vs. Philadelphia Union II, 6 p.m.
May 8 vs. MNUFC 2, 4 p.m.
May 15 vs. Cincinnati 2, 5 p.m.
June 4 vs. Crew 2, 5 p.m.
June 11 vs. St. Louis City 2, 7 p.m.
June 26 vs. New England II, 4 p.m.
July 17 vs. Orland City B, 6 p.m.
Aug. 20 vs. NYCFC II, 7 p.m.
Aug. 25 vs. TFC II, 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 vs. Inter Miami II, 2 p.m.
Local News
Police Blotter
Spread the loveCHICAGO RIDGE DUI Orlando De La Rosa, 32, of Berwyn, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol following a traffic stop at 2:29 a.m. March 8 in the 9200 block of South Harlem Avenue. Police said he failed field sobriety tests and refused to submit a breath sample. He was also…
Oak Lawn seeks participants for Fourth of July parade
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle It may be spring, but it is not too early to talk about a summer parade. The Oak Lawn Village Board approved a resolution Tuesday morning authorizing the submission of a permit request to the Illinois Department of Transportation for the 2024 Fourth of July Parade. The resolution approves the…
Sandburg welcomes new associate principal of instruction
Spread the loveConsolidated High School District 230 Board of Education is welcoming Dr. Veronica Shaw to Carl Sandburg High School as its new Associate Principal of Instruction. She begins July 1 and replaces Anita Huffman who was recently appointed as District 230’s Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services. With ample education leadership experience, Shaw is currently…
Obituaries March 28, 2024
Spread the loveHONORATA BIS Honorata Bis (nee Donicz), age 71, passed away peacefully with loving family by her side February 27. Beloved wife of Adam Bis; loving mother of Konrad Bis and Monika (Mariusz) Sarna; dear grandmother of Michael, Matthew, Amelia and Szymon; dearest daughter of the late Irena (nee Szaniawska) and the late Jan…
Residents warm up to Hills Chamber Business Expo
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Spring has arrived but winter continues to leave its calling card. However, that did not prevent the Hills Chamber of Commerce from holding its 10th annual Business and Community Expo Saturday at Conrady Junior High School in Hickory Hills. While the temperatures were frigid and windy outside, the spirit inside…
Palos Park to tweak outdated village zoning codes
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The village of Palos Park has no grand plan to change the village landscape. But officials want to modernize some of its zoning codes. “The village has not comprehensively updated its development regulations since 1960,” Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters said at the March 25 village council meeting. “Due to this, there…
SD122 psychologist resigns over Islamophobic posts
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam A psychologist for Ridgeland School District 122 has resigned after hundreds of parents demanded she be fired for social media posts that were pro-Israeli and anti-Palestinian. District Supt. Joseph Matise announced at a schoolboard meeting last week that Dr. Laurie Hoke had resigned. “Dr. Hoke will no longer be working…
Will the month of March leave like a lion?
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . The days are getting longer and slightly warmer. But my prediction of a few weeks ago–March is certainly not leaving like a lamb–may prove to be correct. A sure sign of spring in…
Robin sighting a sign of new beginnings
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . I saw a robin the other day. This was the first sighting of the season for me. I remember my mom saying that the first robin of spring is a promise of new beginnings. May it be so. Is…
Neighbors
Appeals court skeptical of Mike Bost’s case to stop ballot counts after Election Day
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A panel of federal appellate judges on Thursday seemed skeptical of legal arguments made on behalf of Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, who claims Illinois’ law allowing counting of mail-in ballots for two weeks after an election is in violation of federal law. Bost’s late 2022…
DCFS hires on-the-spot at hiring events
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Cyrenthia Threat spent Wednesday morning at a hiring event in Fairview Heights waiting for word on whether she was hired by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Threat wants to move to Illinois from Georgia where she works as a social worker. She has 20 years…
Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance
By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the case of actor Jussie Smollett, who was convicted for staging a hate crime against him in 2019 in a case that drew criticism for Cook County’s top prosecutor. Smollett made what turned out to be…
Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact. That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools,…
Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal
COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Two bills that would regulate battery disposal and storage are awaiting action from the full Illinois Senate after unanimous committee approval. Senate Bill 3481, sponsored by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, would require facilities that store electric vehicle batteries to register with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency…
Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The longtime chair and a relatively new member of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board have resigned, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office announced Monday. The governor’s office announced the pair’s resignations within hours of each other nearly two weeks after Crosetti Brand was released from Stateville Correctional Center. Brand is…
Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com The night before Rebecca Hooks started at the Illinois State Police Academy in 2002, she spoke on the phone with her father and her brother – both of whom worked in law enforcement. Her father encouraged her, telling her she was strong and could get through the…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…
After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…