CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 26, 2026

Josh Cohen

Press Conference

Chicago Fire FC 1, Charlotte 0

Q. Josh, your first Chicago Fire start, how does it feel to come away with that zero on the scoreboard?

JOSH COHEN: Feels great. Always a good day to go out and get a clean sheet, especially first time playing for the club, and so it feels really good.

Q. Was it tough at the beginning coming in to your first MLS game in quite a while?

JOSH COHEN: Yeah, there's always a bit of nerves, a bit extra when you haven't played in a while. And it's also trying to feel into the game, shake off a little bit of rust. You can do so much in training, but it always feels a little bit different in the game.

Q. What was it like having Mbokazi in front of you, his first game in a long time?

JOSH COHEN: Felt great to have Mbo back. He definitely gives us a lot of confidence in the back line. I thought he did great. Was feeling good. It was nice to see him out there after a while, and especially after we thought he wouldn't be back this season.

Q. To get your first clean sheet in MLS at this point in your career, how vindicating, fun, happy are you that that has happened?

JOSH COHEN: You know, it feels pretty good. I feel like career-wise, just try and take it, one year, one week, one game at a time.

But definitely feels good to hit that milestone, even at this point in my career.

Q. I'm very curious, what was today like for you, knowing that you had this start; knowing that you had to get back in that routine that you had experienced for so many years, and then to have that performance to go with it?

JOSH COHEN: Yeah, I think it doesn't start today. I think it starts a while back, as soon as, you know, we knew Chris was going to go with the National Team; that I mentally had to start preparing. And also on the field in training, and a lot of that's just mentality, communication, and a little bit of getting that game-like confidence again.

Q. And then I've got to ask you, that late chance that they had after the turnover in the 18, you make the save with the shot between your legs. What was that like? Can you talk us through that? Because that's the play of the game.

JOSH COHEN: Yeah, so that one, they are coming down the left side into the box and it's getting closer and closer, and it's a tight angle. But it looked like he had to cut back open, too. So a couple options for him.

And it's one of those where because there's not much time to react, it's just patient, be patient, hold your position. Trust yourself that you're in a good position, and you can react quickly.

And it felt real good to feel the ball hit my leg and spin around and have the ball underneath me still.