Quote Sheet
Real Salt Lake 0-0 Portland Timbers
Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
April 23, 2022
Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni
Thoughts on team’s defense and getting the shutout
“I think what exemplifies a team is the way you defend. Individuals make plays in the attack, and tonight we did both. We did a great job of working hard for each other to make sure that we came into halftime at zeros, and I think we created the best chances of the game. We were unlucky not to finish one of those, but after a difficult week, it was a great performance to build on.”
Thoughts on difficulty communicating on the field
“I came in at halftime and I started talking about how we can get balls higher up the field and dictate the game with the ball and [Justin] Meram quickly said, ‘Hey Pablo, we got this man. We’re locking it down and coming out with minimum points and going for three.’ When the group owns it, when they take initiative, when they’re willing, when they communicate, when they’re bought in, when they’re all in, you get performances like tonight.”
Thoughts on results from the season thus far
“I think it’s been a fantastic start. We’ve played six games on the road and in particular, very difficult places to play, New England, Colorado, New York, and here in Portland where we haven’t had a lot of success in recent years. Now we go back home and reset, but it's really good to build on and now we really want to put some goals in the back of the net.”
Thoughts on how the team bounced back (mentality, intensity, or chemistry)
“I think it was all of those. Portland is a very difficult place to play. These guys get inspired by the fans like most teams do at home, and they build momentum as the game goes. It just felt like after a tough week, we had to be organized, we had to be disciplined, but most importantly, players had to commit to one another that we’re going to do whatever it took to come out of here with a result. After what was a really difficult week on the field for a couple players, Meram being sick, I thought it was a fantastic performance to come away from Providence Park with a point.”
Forward Justin Meram
Thoughts on earning a point in Portland after recent losses
“It feels really good. We worked our ass off today. You saw how disciplined we were. We lost our voices because we were talking, we were shifting. We knew we needed to be better for our fans after what happened last week. We came out, we rolled our sleeves up, we played a good team on the road, and we leave here with a point. So, something to build off of and I’m proud of the guys.“
Thoughts on the defensive organization
“It was very good. All in all, the backline was great, but if you look at our front two guys, the way they battled and grinded against their centerbacks, you tip your hat off to those two. Its very good when you have one of your best defenders back in [Justen] Glad so that always helps. Overall, just pleased that we got the zero.”
Thoughts on team’s performance with a lot of early road matches
“It's nice. When you start the season lopsided like that you know you need to get points on the road. We go to Colorado [Rapids] and we get a tie, we come here, we get a tie. Those are two good Western Conference opponents. Overall, it was a gritty performance and we had a couple chances and that’s the difference. We put those chances away and that’s how we got those wins early in the season.”
Defender Justen Glad
Thoughts on the result after a tough week
“Obviously we are all really happy. I think we could have walked out of here with three points, but it was important to get a result, especially after what happened against New York [City FC]. The mentality to come back after a result like that, Portland is a tough place to play, and to bounce back like that is huge.”
Thoughts on the communication on the field
“Everyone on the field was talking. Right, left, step, drop. Everyone really went the whole nine yards and that’s what it’s going to take on these games. It was incredible. When you have that type of effort, and everyone is on the same page it's hard to beat. So hopefully we can just build on it.”
Thoughts on the comfort level of the back four
“I think everyone who has played this year has done an incredible job. Obviously, me, Aaron [Herrera], Marcelo [Silva] and [Andrew] Brody have a lot of games together. It is always comfortable when you have had that experience together, you know each others’ tendencies.”
Goalkeeper Zac MacMath
Thoughts on the backline that played tonight
“I think when you look at all the games that [Justen] Glad has played, he has a huge impact not only through his defending but by his leadership back there and controlling the tempo of the game with Marcelo [Silva]. I think that was [Andrew] Brody’s first game at left back, and he did a great job adjusting to that. Aaron [Herrera] was very solid as always. They did a great job limiting one of the most dangerous attacks in the league.”
Thoughts on the importance of bouncing back
“We pride ourselves as being a stingy defense, and last week we didn’t show that. Tonight was our first zero since the second week of the season. So, we want to build on this defensive effort, grow as a team, and that will put us in a good position going into next week.”
