CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 5, 2026

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE

Press Conference

Chicago - 4, Toronto - 4

Q. 4-4 game. From your perspective, what do you think made it such a wide open game?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: I think, first of all, both teams in attack have quality, and I feel like that was on display today. If you score four goals away, you should probably win the game, and it felt like we could have even had more goals. We had the chances for that of course.

Yeah, very disappointed that we let up the goals, we gave away the goals we did in the way that we did. Yeah, for sure, felt like we lost two or three points.

Q. So you have four goals in three games individually. How important is confidence when you're on a run like that?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: It's important for sure. Every successful action in a game gives you confidence for the next game and for the next action. I feel like I'm in a good flow, but I'm very self-critical.

So some moments when I look back at one action when I took the shot, I should have made the pass, and it would probably decide the game. That's what frustrates me right now more than me being happy about the two goals.

Q. We know that you can play a lot of positions. That's one of the main things we've talked about with you. In the last two games, you've played five or six different positions just in the last two games. How do you feel about that in the moment? Is it difficult to keep a rhythm when you're doing all that?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: I wouldn't say it's difficult. Like you said, I'm pretty flexible as a player, and I feel like I can do the job in many positions. Obviously I've been helping the team a lot recently going forward, attacking with creating chances and goals. So I just hope to continue doing that.

Q. Nice goals tonight. Curious, how difficult is it when you're operating alongside Robert and those types of attacking players to know when to take the shot and when to let the ball go through? Thinking about Robert's goal where you created all the space by letting the ball go through your legs.

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: I think with every training session, with every game, the understanding is getting better. I also feel like you can see that on the field.

Yeah, on the goal that he scored, I feel like we had a good connection, like the whole team, and it started with a pass and me realizing that, if I fake it, then it's going to be an open shot for Robert.

We're trying to serve him as well because we know the quality that he has. Yeah, I think it's trending in the right direction.

Q. Just in terms of this club's recent games, you've had a long road stretch. What do you think it says about the group that you guys didn't take a loss in this road stretch? You had lead stuff, but it was three draws and a win in this last little run.

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Yeah, it speaks for the mentality of the group. It's not easy to play this amount of consecutive away games against good teams as well. It's very good that we get away with points, but again, today it feels like we lost points here. So it's very hard to feel in a content way right now.

Hopefully over the next days we get to get back together and look forward to the next game.

Q. Maren, again, congrats on the two goals. I know it's very Swiss of you to be down on yourself when you've surpassed your overall contribution record. You've now got 15 goal contributions in MLS. But what do you think this group takes, tough game against Inter Miami coming up in a week. You were down twice and the group still found a way to battle back. It didn't end the way you wanted, but it takes mentality to come back from being down on the road.

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Yeah, like I mentioned before, the group has a great mentality. Even halftime we were a little bit disappointed because we should have probably been leading the game at that point.

Yeah, we're doing a great job. We're playing good football. It's just some of the defensive things that we've got to sort out, and then that's going to make our lives very much easier because offensively we're always going to create and score chances.

So we've got to look back at that game for sure and take our points for the next game.

Q. Only one other game you scored two goals in MLS. I'm sure you remember it quite well, and you're playing them again Wednesday. Does that give you any extra excitement for this game coming up?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Not necessarily the two goals. Like you said, I have good memories playing at home in front of a soldout crowd against them.

Hopefully next game we're going to have an amazing fan base again pushing us for three points at home, and hopefully I can again help the team.