CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 31, 2023

Kei Kamara

Press Conference

Toronto FC 0, Chicago Fire FC 0

Q. I want to know your thoughts on the outcome and getting a draw in a game that never seemed to get my momentum going?

KEI KAMARA: Yeah, never seemed to have momentum going, I think that's the way to put it. We didn't click as well today. We knew after the first half it was kind of sloppy from our end but we kept them at 0-0, and it's a good thing when we don't play our football or our soccer and still be able to keep it at zeros.

So going into the second half, obviously we want to make it better but it was still just not really the most attractive game today.

Q. I asked Coach a similar question. You guys have such a quick turnaround, just a couple days before you head to Cincinnati. How do you from a player's perspective recover, recharge and prepare for facing off against the top team in the League?

KEI KAMARA: Yeah, recovery already started. We walked into the -- actually before we walked in, a few guys were already outside doing more runs that didn't get many minutes today. Coming in, we got ice tubs and everything going into it.

But you know, mentally, it was good the fact that we were still able to come out of here with a point, and being on the road, we knew it wasn't going to be easy but the fact that we are able to come out of here with a point, that's positive. So mentally, we are in a positive spin going into Cincinnati on the road. We have to go in there and respect them but at the same time we have to make sure that we put our stamp into the game.

Q. Last couple games have seen a bit of a change in the system to the 3-4-3. Do you have any thoughts on that as the No. 9 with a little bit of a different shape behind you?

KEI KAMARA: A little bit system, obviously, yeah. Different coaching style, more tactics. But yeah, I mean, as a nine, for myself, I'm looking to be involved in the game, be involved in the play. Hopefully with that system, we have wing backs that will have more time with the ball.

Obviously I pride my game to being in the box and getting crosses. I had a couple goals from good crosses from so he can a, so love for him to be able to get back a little bit higher so he can put some crosses in.

But it's a system that we'll get used to. Obviously it's just a couple games. Don't know if we'll continue to do it. But whatever it is, I'm sure we'll master it and be ready to continue to play.

Q. Hate to skip two games again, but would love to get your thoughts on playing in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup at SeatGeek, and talk about the team's mentality around such an historic match.

KEI KAMARA: Yeah, I'm not going to skip that many games ahead to the Open, seriously, because we never know what's going to happen after our next game, player-wise, who is available, who is not available.

So we just have to focus on the game at hand right now, and then in Cincinnati we can definitely talk about that one.