Chicago Fire FC picked up a point in the team's 2023 home opener on Saturday night in a 1-1 draw with visitors New York City FC at Soldier Field. Forward Fabian Herbers' second half equalizer helped deliver a share of the result. Following the match, Herbers, Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson, midfielder Jairo Torres, and forward Kei Kamara delivered their thoughts on the result. Read their quotes in full below:
Chicago Fire FC Quotes
Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson
On the status of Federico Navarro and Jairo Torres...
“They both, you know, suffered those injuries. It's hard to tell right now. We have to do an MRI or something tomorrow but we're hoping for the best. I hope it's nothing too severe and they're not out for too long.”
On adjusting to losing two starting midfielders early in the match...
"Yeah, well, it's difficult, you know, because then it changes what you do. Now you've lost two moments and you only get three moments to make subs. We felt like we had to make a sub at halftime just so we don't use up a moment, because that doesn't count. But then, you're still sitting on two subs in the second half and you just have one time to make it. We wanted to wait a little longer, but then once Chris (Mueller) couldn't go anymore because he took a knock – got a knee to the thigh – then we had to make both subs. So, we were just hoping that for the rest of the 20-25 minutes that nothing happened because we were out of it.
But you know, there's a lot of character tonight shown by the team. It could have been very easy to fold when we lose those two players like that in the first half. But we regrouped at halftime and the guys came out in the second half, and I thought played really well and showed the grit and the character and attitude, the mentality that we need to show to get the goal back. Possibly could have had another one but, you know, it was a really positive showing tonight by the players.”
On the decision to start Kei Kamara from the bench...
"Well, Kei just came here this week. Tuesday was his first day training with the team; Kacper's been here throughout preseason, and Kacper's had a very good preseason. So, we felt like the right choice was to start him tonight, and I thought he was playing well before he came out. But that sub, we had to make at halftime just to save a moment, because we only had one moment to make subs in the second half. So that was the reason for him coming out. But I thought he did well tonight; Kei, you know, he showed what he can do when he came in: he won everything in the air, and he held the ball up nicely for us and had an assist on that on that goal, bringing the ball back across like that.
So it's what we wanted here, it's competition at every position, and that's how your team gets better and that's how the training sessions become more competitive. And that's how guys do not become complacent, because they know the next guy up can do the job. So it's a way of starting to build a team and we're very happy with the progress that we're making. But you know, it was difficult to take those two injuries in the first half tonight."
On the fairness of the result...
“Yeah, I thought both teams played well; they might have had the better of the first half, but I thought we had the better of the second half. So 1-1 was probably a fair result. Questionable on whether it was a handball on their goal, leading up to that goal, but that's a wash. They're a good team, and they showed why they were playing for the conference finals last year. It's a team that we respected coming in.
But, you know, we wanted to show that we weren't just going to be a pushover, and I thought that guys did that tonight, even with those two injuries to those two key players. Fede Navarro, what he does for this team as far as recovering, ball recovery, it's unmentionable; you can't really put a price tag on that, so that was a big loss for us. But the guys who came in and had to fill in, I thought did well. So we'll move on from this and like I said, hopefully the injuries to those two guys are not too severe.”
On the composure of the defense and goalkeeper Spencer Richey...
"I thought Richey played well tonight. We don't put our keepers under too much pressure because we're very organized defensively as a team. But when he had to come up with saves tonight, he did. There were a couple of times where he had to make saves and I thought he did really well. So we trusted him once Chris [Brady] was out and we knew Chris couldn't play, we knew we could count on Richey. So again, it's all about having good competition in every position, and the guy that has to step up – whether it be due to injury or tactical changes – has to be able to do the job. I saw that tonight from a lot of players, so that was very promising.”
On the status of Chris Brady and his place on the starting XI...
“Yeah, I think he was, you would say, he's probably ahead as far as the starting position. But he just, a tweak in his thigh; he'll be back on Tuesday. We just didn't want to take a chance because it was cold out tonight, he might have to do a lot of kicks and reinjure that thing. So we want to be very cautious about that. But like I said, Richey's number got called and I thought he stepped up well tonight for us.”
On the performance of the two outside backs...
"Yeah, we want them to be joining us in the attack, but not so much just going up and down, up and down unnecessarily; just when the timing is right, so that we don't leave ourselves naked at the back. But I thought these two guys, Miguel and Arnaud, both are very good at that and I thought they did that well tonight. I wasn't too happy with the final crosses at times – I thought we messed up on all of those – but, you know, we'll get better at those things. But getting them into our attack and joining our attack is something that we want to do. And that's why we have, we play with two pivots: we always have that cover in the back when these guys go forward. So, very good from them getting forward, just like to see a little more efficiency, a little more effectiveness, once we get into the final third.”
On Xherdan Shaqiri's choice to attempt two ‘Olímpico’ kicks on corner kicks...
"Well, I think it's him probably seeing the ’keeper not being in good position and trying it. When you have special players like that, they see these kinds of things, so he has the freedom to try that if he sees it. They didn't come off tonight, but that's all his doing. I thought we were good. They're a very tall team, they have some big guys, but I thought we were very good on set pieces tonight. So that was good to see."
Chicago Fire FC Midfielder Jairo Torres
On a potential injury…
“No, we don’t know what it is. I felt a little bit of something on the posterior but we hope it’s not serious.”
On how the injury came about…
“I don’t know to be honest. I didn’t feel anything before the game or during the game and then suddenly I felt a sting behind.”
On if the medical staff has made any recommendations…
“No, we just need to wait. Tomorrow they will run tests and we’ll see what comes from that.”
On his thoughts on the game and the result…
“Very good, although in my eyes, it looked like there was a handball. There was a goal in their favor, we were able to recover, in the second half the team went forward. We were able to get the tie and we were almost able to get the 2-1.”
On if the potential injury was the same one or a different one…
“No, it was a totally different one. It has nothing to do with. Here, it’s the ischiotibial muscle. I had no idea, I didn’t feel overloaded, it didn’t hurt, nothing, and then suddenly I felt a sring.”
Chicago Fire FC Midfielder Fabian Herbers
On how he felt the team performance was today…
“I think we showed a little bit more energy in the second half, I think the first half was difficult with two key players going down. Two of our most important players, in the center of the park going down was not easy, but I think the guys that came in, stepped up well, I think Mauricio did a good job. Myself, I tried to give everything for the team and I think we brought in the energy even though being down one zero coming back with that one goal. And then I think we were even closer to the second goal than NYCFC was so I think there was a good response from the team and that shows the character of the group.”
On how the team responds when you lose both starting deep line midfielders before 45 minutes…
“Yeah, I mean, you have to adjust. You know, you obviously don't expect that going into that game. You try to adjust. You know, it's not necessarily my natural position. I think Mauricio hadn't played as much. He had to deal with a small ankle injury throughout the week and I think we've battled well and just tried to give everything for the team and ultimately, I think that worked out. Guys stepped up and yeah, luckily, we came away with a point, but I think it was also a deserved point.”
Chicago Fire FC Forward Kei Kamara
On how he felt about the team’s performance…
“Good, really. I mean yes, definitely. It's a bit different. Not been around the team during the preseason and to see the style of play and everything. So it was good to sit outside for a little bit and then watch. Obviously, you know, we were hurting in the first half, with a couple of the key guys, but kudos to all of us from the bench that the coach says, ‘Hey, go in and, you know, let's get back into this game.’ So for us to do that showed a lot of character and really we almost pulled, you know, three points there, but we'll take the point instead of losing everything.”
On what the message was at halftime…
“Well actually, I was sent back outside to warm up so I wasn’t in the locker room when the message was given. My message was definitely, we need to press higher, you need to put pressure on the center backs, you know, when they get the ball and make them make mistakes, and I was happy to be able to add that on the team.”
On how the team can unlock the offense this season…
“What do you want me to say? Are you asking me that because I’m a goal scorer? New season. The thing that's really good, it’s how many players are returning from last season. So the coach doesn't really have to focus and tell the team the style of play because most of the guys already know it. Since I've been here for a few days, I can see that they know the pattern, the style of play. So to focus on the final point where we have to score goals it's not going to be that difficult because when the coach has to show the beginning and what the style of play is, then it takes too long. But now the team has an identity and so bringing myself in and I'll help, you know, a couple of the other guys around me. Like tonight, the number nine or a striker don't score the goals other guys are gonna score.”
On if takes more than just the strikers to score…
“It has to be. I mean, when you have a team and you focus on one guy to score goals, then you know it doesn't become a team there. But if you can take the load off of the number nine and somebody else is scoring and that's why you know you can never just pinpoint one guy.”
On how he is feeling personally in terms of match fitness and being ready…
“I’m good. I think I'm a little bit of the weather kind of got me, took my voice away. But I'm good. I've been training full preseason and everything. Again, I'm just trying to adapt. You know, it's not easy to jump into a team right away and get into the game. It's not easy, but the guys have been very helpful from training the way they've talked to me and it's been very good.”
