Postmatch Quotes
Chicago Fire 3:0 FC Cincinnati
Match Recap
Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Raphael Wicky
On the feeling of returning to Soldier Field…
"Thank you, we're obviously very happy about the result and the victory. Look, it's an absolutely amazing stadium. I was lucky enough in my career to play in some of the biggest stadiums in Europe, and also in my coaching career in Champions League, I was coaching in some very, very big stadiums. But this is actually really, really nice. It's a big stadium but it's still very, very tight. It's a great experience. Obviously, we wish that today there would have been 50, 60 thousand people here and the team would have been able to celebrate, in a normal world obviously, this victory because I only can imagine how it must be to win games here and score goals in a full stadium. But the experience overall is great. I think it's a great start for us, coming back to Soldier Field for the club and having a clear victory."
On the importance of scoring the first goal…
"It was a little tricky. That was a beautiful play, beautiful goal, the whole build-up and then the passing behind and the run and then obviously you just don't know, is it offside, is it not offside; So it was a long break and then we were very happy. Look, we wanted to come out strong, we wanted to pressure them. We obviously had a game plan, we also watched how they played and they played out of the back a lot in the last games and we wanted to put immediate pressure on them, which we actually did, which worked well. So, like I said in the last couple of weeks or in the last couple of months, it obviously helps when your first chance is a goal and we had as well. The first big chance in Columbus was ours, we had a big chance, we don't score there. So, it's obviously always important that we don't need five or six chances to score a goal. Today, it was in our favor and we're very happy about that.”
On his emotions after the win…
"I am very excited about this but it's just probably me, I'm humble so I won't be over-excited. But I can appreciate this win. No one likes losing, so obviously a win is always a great feeling. The feeling of a loss stays a very long time for a coach, at least I think, but not every loss is because you were really bad, but obviously you don't want to lose. So tonight, we are very happy about the way we played, the energy we had, the result, everything. I'm very happy that we didn't concede a goal, I think that was very important, that was our first clean-sheet, and this is important, that the team didn't concede a goal. So, I'm happy about everything; obviously in a perfect world, the stadium would have been full and that's what they keep working for, so that one day, hopefully we can be with a lot of fans."
On Ignacio Aliseda's goal scoring his first goal…
"It's probably huge for him. I don't know how much about the history of Chicago Fire and Soldier Field he knows, actually, he's a very young kid. But still, it's huge for him to score in his first game in the stadium. But you could see in the last weeks already, against Vancouver, that he slowly gets into the team, he had good movements, he had good moments against Vancouver in Orlando, he had a good game in Columbus, where he was a threat. We felt that over the last four, five weeks that he's getting better and better integrated in the team and like I said that's not only for him. Those players didn't have preseason with the team, they didn't really have friendly games with the team that you can try things. With Nacho, the goal was important but especially, I think the performance, the way he works with his teammates is getting better and better and that's positive."
Chicago Fire FC Midfielder Álvaro Medrán (translated from Spanish)
On how long it takes to feel at home in a new stadium…
“This year has been a little bit different. A little bit bizarre for everyone. We were really, really looking forward to playing on the 21st against Atlanta. We knew there were more than 40,000 tickets sold. We were really looking forward to sharing this with them. Well, things changed, and we have to adapt and make the best out of every situation. Even though there were no fans in the audience, we have to do our best to make the stadium feel at home, grow strong here and make this a place where we can go out and win games.”
On the importance of getting a victory in the first home game…
“Well, we can start off by saying that things didn’t go very well in Orlando; it didn’t go how we wanted it to. When we had the opportunity to come back and train and prepare against Columbus, we also didn’t do a good job. So, now it was a chance to come back and show everyone that we are not doing poorly, that we really are working hard, and that the things that we’re working on we’re learning and adapting. Coming here for the first time, it was more motivating, it was more exciting. There was also a bigger expectation from fans to see what we’re doing and how we are evolving and adapting. Now we need to keep playing well and doing a good job and giving people what they want to see so that we can keep playing here and make this our home.”
On his thoughts when the ball bounced out to him for his goal…
“It was a really quick play; I made the pass for Frankie (Przemysław Frankowski). I saw that the play was going to happen inside the box so I got closer just in case it would bounce out. I saw that there was a little bit of space, I got closer, tried to hit it and luckily this time it went in. I’m really happy and hope to keep scoring goals.”
On his partnership with Gastón Giménez…
“Being able to speak the same language helps a lot. We can talk a lot on and off the field. We can get to know each other and ask each other how to help each other be better players. He's a player like me who likes to play good soccer. We like to play well, we like to give good passes and keep possession. So, being able to speak the same language helps a lot. We are also both players that need games to get the rhythm going and I think with the passage of time we will be able to get a better rhythm and continue to play better soccer.”
On the team’s attacking potential moving forward…
“Like you said, there were three goals from three midfielders. I think that shows we have a really good midfield who can adapt to any situation and any position. I think that’s what the coach wants. He wants us to be able to step up into different positions and adapt. Fabian (Herbers) is really good, I think you can see one of his qualities of being able to play with his back to goal. The goal showed how well he did running in having his back to goal. Nacho (Ignacio Aliseda), as a number 10, did well to get into a good spot, receive the ball and make that play. My goal, well it was a good goal, I got it where it needed to be, anyone could’ve scored it but it was good and I was there. Coach just wants us to adapt and this shows how well we can play and adapt together. We can keep going from here.”
Chicago Fire Midfielder Fabian Herbers
On building momentum off tonight’s win…
"Yeah, definitely. As you mentioned, we were struggling in the past games to really be clinical in front of goal. We just didn't get our chances and were losing some games even though we had the chances to win those games, actually, or to at least get a tie out of those games. Today, we showed that when we are clinical in front of the goal, that we can really dominate teams and be a good team and win games. (We) didn't even give up much defensively either so I'm really proud of the team. Hopefully, we can stay that clinical in front of goal."
On having to wait for VAR before celebrating his goal…
"I thought for sure, personally, that I was offside. I thought I was one or two steps ahead. But thanks to VAR, you know, they called it back and credited me with the goal, so I was obviously very pleased. On social media, they wrote that I made history, but I'm just happy to help the team, that we got an early goal, got ahead and got those three points. That's what matters most to me and to the team in this moment of the season."
On scoring the Fire’s last goal at SeatGeek Stadium and first goal at Soldier Field…
“That’s a nice statistic. I wasn’t aware of that – that I scored the last goal at SeatGeek Stadium. So, it feels nice. I just try to help the team when I’m out there. The statistic doesn’t really mean much to me. It’s just important that we get the three points and move on from here. Hopefully we can confirm that in the next game against NYCFC. That’s what really matters right now for the team.”
On the team’s counter-pressing tonight…
“Yeah, I agree. I thought we did really well when we lost the ball in the final third. We counter pressed very well and won the ball back and created a couple of opportunities off of that. I think it helps that the field here is a little bit more narrow. Cincinnati had a little bit less space to play so it plays into our advantage to really press up high. Going forward to New York City FC, they have a small field as well so that can help us there as well. Hopefully, we can build off of that and maybe steal one or two to create some chances and maybe some goals as well.
