CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

July 23, 2022

Ezra Hendrickson

Press Conference

Chicago Fire FC 3, Vancouver 1

Q. Your initial thoughts on the win and the performance tonight?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: Well, it's a very big win for us, probably one of the bigger wins that we've had this year. We just wanted to be consistent and continue with this momentum that we built at home, and the boys came out tonight and did just that.

Even when the game was tied 1-1 in the second half, I had no doubt that we were going to win the game. Just because we were playing so well, and I knew that eventually we'll get the goals that we needed.

And you know, wow, two good goals, Rafa again, scoring on a header; and then Chris, that awesome goal.

So I'm very happy for the guys. I'm very proud of the way the team is playing, and it's just good to be back in that playoff hunt. That's where we wanted to be all along the entire year and we're happy we're here. As I told them just now, we have to continue to do this. Don't become complacent. You know, don't think that we have reached because there's a lot of season to play. But we are happy right now and we are going to enjoy this one.

Q. Of the last three wins, which do you consider the biggest of the three?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: Probably the Toronto one. Because what happened in the game prior to that could have been devastating to us for the rest of the season.

But the boys dug deep. We met together as a team the next day in practice and we just talked about what's going on, what are we doing wrong, how are we not able to close out games. There was a coming together. A lot of guys spoke up and we went out against that Toronto team and scored early, fourth minute.

Yeah, we made some changes in the lineup but I think the team as a whole, coming together like that, after such a devastating loss at home against Columbus was big for us, and I think that gave us renewed belief that we are doing the right things, and if we continue to play the way we've been playing, we'll win more games than we lose. And that's what it's about right now for us.

We know we have to win our home games and we have to come like this and pick up games on the road. That game right there gave us some renewed hope, renewed belief, and we've stretched it to three games now in a row. Hopefully we continue on this load.

Q. With Rafa's goal tonight, he's now (one of) the team's leading goal scorers this season. Can you speak about him and what his leadership has been on and off the field to get this team turned around?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: Yeah, he's our leader. He's our captain. He leads by example, and.

I'm telling you right now, I don't know how that guy is not an All-Star in this league. Maybe we'll get voted in or something or added by the Commissioner, I don't know, but he deserves it. We are talking about a center back leading his team in scoring and leading his team on a resurgence, so to speak.

Big time for him. I'm happy for him. He's a very good player, very strong player. Tonight him, Shaq, Chris, all the guys that we need to play well for us, even John Duran, he don't score tonight but he played well. He was a handful for that team, and going forward, we just need to continue to play like that. Rafa has had a great season, and hopefully he gets added on to that All-Star Team because it's well deserved and he's our leading scorer. He's our center back. That speaks for itself.

Q. Talk about the play of Carlos Terán, another player that's improved very well, specifically the last two games?

EZRA HENDRICKSON: Yeah, Carlos, both center backs have been playing well. Carlos, has come in, he's stepped up big time. You know, Wyatt going down with an injury like that, stepping in like that and playing so well, it's been good for us.

I think him and Rafa are forming a very, very formidable partnership back there, and we like to see that. When you have two guys that strong with enough pace back there, it's going to be difficult for teams to score against us, and then you have Gaga behind them.

It's good to see how well Carlos is playing. I'm very happy for him. He's still learning. He's still a young guy. I think he's 21, maybe 22 but he's done well, really well for us.

Q. Do you have any updates on Guti? Looked like he came off with what looked like a head injury.

EZRA HENDRICKSON: I don't have any immediate update right now but I think he should be fine. So nothing too seriously I hope.