BRIDGEVIEW, IL (March 22, 2026) — Carolina Core FC battled through grueling conditions at SeatGeek Stadium on Sunday afternoon, securing a 0-0 draw against Chicago Fire II before falling 5-4 in a tightly contested penalty shootout. On a day defined by 38-degree temperatures and heavy winds, the Foxes earned a valuable road point in MLS NEXT Pro play.
The match saw several key lineup shifts, with midfielder Tim Zeegers earning his first MLS NEXT Pro start and new signing Khalid Balogun making his league debut. Balogun provided an immediate impact upfront, utilizing his physical presence to hold up play and draw multiple fouls to spring the Core onto the counter-attack.
CCFC looked dangerous early, nearly breaking the deadlock in the 7th minute when Mehdi Zerkane unleashed a powerful strike toward the far post, forcing a sprawling save from the Chicago keeper. Ten minutes later, Thomas Raimbault saw his rocket of a shot deflected wide for a corner following a goal-mouth scramble.
Defensively, Nick Holliday was a standout performer in his first start for the Core in MLS NEXT Pro play. Holliday rose to the occasion in the 33rd minute to deny Chicago’s best chance of the half, stopping a low drive from inside the box. He continued his run of form through the interval, making several key interventions to keep the match level at 0-0 heading into the break.
The second half saw the introduction of Anthony Sumo Jr. as the Core looked to break the stalemate. While the weather worsened with the arrival of rain after the 70th minute, the Foxes nearly snatched a winner in the 83rd minute. Substitute Mohamed Diakite played a brilliant ball into the path of Sumo Jr., whose effort whistled just past the post.
The game opened up in the final minutes, requiring another massive save from Holliday on a long-range effort to preserve the clean sheet. With the score tied after 90 minutes, the match proceeded to a shootout. In a humorous scene, the intense winds forced players to replace the ball on the penalty spot before their attempts. Despite the valiant effort, Chicago Fire II secured the additional point with a 5-4 victory in the shootout.
Carolina Core FC returns home to Truist Point this Saturday, March 28, to take on Inter Miami CF II.
MATCH DETAILS
Date: March 22, 2026
Competition: MLS NEXT Pro
Venue: SeatGeek Stadium | Bridgeview, IL
Kickoff: 4.00 p.m. ET
Weather: 38 degrees, cloudly
SCORING SUMMARY
FT: 0-0 (5-4 Chicago Fire II on PKs)
LINEUPS
CCFC: Nick Holliday; Jair Caiza, Charles Orbaugh, Nolan Evers (C), Tim Zeegers; Medhi Zerkane (Robinson Aguirre 86'), Thomas Raimbault (Mohamed Diakite 80'), Ricardo Montenegro; David Diaz, Khalid Balogun (Nathan Brown 61'), Dyllan John (Anthony Sumo Jr. 46')
Substitutes not used: Trevor Jackson, Santiago Yepes, Dominique Colon
Chicago Fire II: Owen Pratt; Dylan Borso, Christopher Cupps, Jack Sandmeyer, Chase Nagle; Vitaliy Hlyut (Oscar Pineda 63'), Trip Flemming, Robert Turdean (Dean Boltz 72'), Puso Dithejane (Damyan Villanueva 85'); David Poreda, Damian Nigg
Substitutes not used: Omar González, Tidiane Diawawa, Mateo Clark, Hugo Berg, Emir Herrera, David Molenda.
STATS SUMMARY
CCFC / CHI
Shots: 10 / 18
Shots on Goal: 4 / 6
Saves: 6 / 4
Corners: 3 / 7
Possession: 36% / 64%
Fouls: 15 / 11
Yellow Cards: 1 / 0
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CCFC: Anthony Sumo Jr. - 56'
