CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 25, 2024

Kellyn Acosta

Press Conference

DC United 1, Chicago Fire FC 1

Q. Special game for you, scoring a goal and wearing the captain's armband for the first time. What was that like for you and how did it help your confidence going forward?

KELLYN ACOSTA: It was just a huge honor to represent the club, to be the captain. A lot of responsibility but I think it was one of those things where it felt good that the coach instilled a lot of confidence in me to represent the team and be the captain and have the backing of the guys, as well.

But most importantly I think for me from my standpoint, I thought we showed a lot of fight tonight and I thought it was a different energy within the group. We were unfortunate not getting the result but I thought overall it was a good step in the right direction for everyone.

Q. To the team lined up differently than what we've seen for most of the season, in a 4-4-2. How do you think the team performed, and how different is it for you as a midfielder? I think this is the first time the midfield diamond has been used by the Fire in recent history.

KELLYN ACOSTA: Yeah, you wouldn't really consider it a 4-4-2. I think we played like a 3-4-2 -- or 3-4 -- what was it -- 3-5-2, more so, more or less.

Yeah, it's something that we experimented and trying to match up what the opponent was giving us, and I thought for us, I mean, obviously the opponent gave us some difficulty with the long balls with Benteke, but we were able to adapt, especially something that was new for us and we were able to exploit them in some instances.

I think for us it was a bit challenging at times but we were able to find spaces and move the ball well and create some opportunities.

It was a 3-5-2 more or less.

Q. You mentioned the team played different tonight. Why do you think there was a tone change to play this way? You were hungry for the three points. You couldn't get it but the performance overall, Frank said the whole team played different.

KELLYN ACOSTA: Yeah, I thought for us, it was just like a new energy. I think we were in a phase where -- in the season where we need to find ways to win and we needed to adapt and within this game and what the formation was of the opponent, they line up in kind of like a 3-5 -- or 3-4-3, and so we wanted to kind of match up with them, especially being on the road, and for us playing with two strikers is to create superiority up front.

And then the midfielder is a battle as well. For us, we were able to adapt accordingly and create a number of chances and collectively defensively we were pretty sound.

Obviously with the goal and the set piece was important but overall, I think we were pretty solid throughout and I think it was step in the right direction from the boys. It's one of those things. We have a sour taste in our mouth because we felt there were instances where we could have taken the three points.

But we're going to build on this game and look forward to the game Wednesday against Orlando.

Q. It's the eighth game without a win but the second half was probably the best half of that span. Does it feel like a turning point now going forward?

KELLYN ACOSTA: No, definitely. It's been a tough stretch of games. I mean, we all know it and we're being honest with ourselves, but I think this game, it was a different feel, different sort of energy, different mentality, a belief, and I think it's a step in the right direction. I think we still have a long way to go but I think there was a lot of positives that you could take from this game and move forward with.