CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 22, 2026

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE

Press Conference

New York Red Bulls 1, Chicago Fire FC 1

Q. With this group, a successful few weeks, how do you sum up tonight's result, not what you wanted and you had a chance to win?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Yeah, I think despite the result, we wished for three points and I think the performance deserved three points. We are in a really good flow. I wouldn't sum it up yet because we are not done yet. I would just say we are in a good flow and everybody is in a good form and as you saw today, we had some exchanges but a lot of them didn't drop. It's not an easy place to come play the way that we did.

We got a little tired towards the end. Probably should have finished off our chances before but it's definitely a performance to build on.

Q. Is that the best goal you've scored in your professional career?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Yeah, it's definitely up there. Yeah, you know, I feel like I have a good technique of shooting. I just feel I should take a chance more often. That's going to give me more confidence for the future for sure.

Q. Can you walk us through that moment? You were there at the top of the box, you had options to pass as well as the look at net. That decision to make to shoot, is not always the choice you or any other player would make.

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: We've had similar situations before, and even after the game, and you're right, usually we like to combine in those spots to get a more clear chance to score.

But I felt like I had time and space and I just went for it. You know, obviously hit very good and went through the goal.

Q. Especially that first half, obviously the goal came from one of these chances. What were you seeing out there that you thought that allowed for and Joe and Victor to be combining so well and finding space on the left side and creating opportunity, including the one that leads you to the goal?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: I would say just our movement and understanding of the game. I feel like we have a good relationship on the field, as well, and it was also good to see Victor having that same understanding and also had a very good game. I feel like the left side was revery good today. Yeah, we could have been even more clinical. I feel like we had good chances and also semi-chances, where the last pass maybe wasn't perfect but like I said, the form is to build on.

Q. Looked like you had a lot of positional freedom today. Can you talk your role and what it was like playing with a traditional striker again.

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Yeah, with the ball the idea was for me to be between the lines and also to drop. If I feel like there's space to come lower, come lower. I feel like we did I good job in combination with the center backs, and Mauri, as well, who did a very good game in my opinion.

Robyn, he's a very smart player. Sometimes you don't really have to have a player who just like is a hold-up player. He likes to combine and also to shift, to drift. The idea also was for us to -- the changes a little bit, I feel like that worked well but obviously would have wished for three points.

Q. What are your thoughts about the game against Monterrey Tuesday in the Leagues Cup?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Ready. Like I mentioned before, we rotated some guys, and again, very good performance, but we are looking forward to start the game fresh, hungry, hungry guys full of information, and yeah, to build on our momentum because I think SeatGeek is a stadium that we have won all the games so far in Leagues Cup, and yeah, we are looking to continue that on Tuesday.