CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 18, 2021

Francisco Calvo

Press Conference

Inter Miami 3, Chicago 2

Q. You guys have really kept a really good shape defensively for the last few games and then obviously tonight, you guys allowed the three goals. What changed tonight and what was Inter Miami doing that opened you guys up a little bit? I don't know if you have really an answer for that.

FRANCISCO CALVO: Yeah we concede three goals but it's not what the game looks like. I mean we were winning 2-1 and we were in control of the game with the ball and I think we were a little bit spread out and so they started finding their focus. Then they are getting Pizarro, which he was really active. Unfortunately he made the 3-2.

Q. This game could have gone either way and you led for a stretch. How disappointing is it to walk away without any points when you had a lead for a portion of game?

FRANCISCO CALVO: It is sad. We are hurt of course. We want to win. Basically, yeah, we were winning and then we just, I don't know, we couldn't keep the result, it's clear. But we cannot be just dead, you know, because we have a game in two days.

Now it's a really quick turnaround and try to beat Orlando.

Q. How do you move on from such a heartbreaking, disappointing defeat? How do you personally move on mentally, especially, to get ready for the next opponent in Orlando?

FRANCISCO CALVO: It's tough. It's hard. Mentally of course you are disappointed with the result. It is how it is. It's gone. The game in Miami is gone already and now we need to think of Orlando. We are not happy. We are not happy because we want to win the game and at least tie the game.

But football is like that. That's why it's the most beautiful game in the world because it could can change at any minute. Like I said before, mentally we need to clean right away and try to sleep tonight, which I don't think so, but we just try to just start thinking Orlando.

Q. You played Sunday and you have a two-day turnaround to tonight and it looked like it was really hot there. How much of a factor was heat and fatigue for you guys ask Inter Miami, as well, because they were playing in the same conditions, also.

FRANCISCO CALVO: Yeah, for me it's not a excuse but they have one more day for recovery. We play Sunday and we have to travel. But it's not an excuse. I think in some parts of the game, we had really good moments. We need to take that and move on. The team has to keep the atmosphere positive. Try to keep pushing. We have -- we know what we have in front of us, six games on the road, and we need to take the results away from home. Today unfortunately it wasn't the best way to start. But we keep believing in the group and we keep believing that we can get some points on the road.

Q. Trying to be a little positive, so I want to ask you, even though it was a disappointing loss, what were some -- I know you guys just got -- the final whistle just blew, but what positives do you think you can take away from the performance tonight?

FRANCISCO CALVO: Like I said before in some parts of the game, we controlled the ball really well. I don't think that we were like really, really attacking them but we caused them some troubles in part of the games. Teams like Miami, they have similar style like us. They have good players. We have good players.

But to be honest right now, it's too soon to think about it. We need to see some video. We need to analyze the game which we will do for sure and then we take the positive from that and try to correct the mistakes and keep going.