QUOTE SHEET
REAL SALT LAKE 0-2 SPORTING KANSAS CITY
ESPN WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS COMPLEX; KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA
JULY 22, 2020
Head Coach Freddy Juarez
Overall thoughts:
“I take total responsibility for that first goal. I didn’t have the guys ready coming out of the locker room for the beginning of the game. After that, I think we found the rhythm of the game and started finding the pockets we talked about in pregame. We had some chances where we got into the box and got some crosses that we didn’t get on the end of. We just didn’t connect on those properly and I think it got to the goalkeeper’s hand 2-3 times off a cross or we shot it into his hands. In the second half I again think we started to try and catch our wind and we were a little bit slow. Then, at the end of the game we have to try and be aggressive. We got a little impatient and could’ve found the third or fourth pass a little more often that way we could’ve really made Sporting shift. We started rushing and that tends to come with the hot conditions while you’re chasing the game. So sometimes you lose a little bit of focus. Then Sporting gets the second goal and that came from us throwing everything at them and there’s fatigue and our guys played a lot of minutes and today wasn’t easy. KC capitalized and they’re a good team and I thought we were pretty good on the day as well, it’s just some moments where we could’ve been better. Obviously if we’re capitalizing on those chances in the final third it changes the game.”
On conceding early:
“You go into a match with a good focus, chats and training. I missed something there and didn’t have the players focused there and there’s two ways you can handle it: You can either break apart or you can continue. I think we continued and from there it went well. They started sitting back a little bit and we had to try and really pick them apart. They take a lot of the space away in behind, so we had to pick them apart with precise and intricate passing and combination play. On a day like this it was already going to be challenging to do that. Even then, I think we did some things well and any time you’re in control of that possession having to throw numbers forward you’re always vulnerable to a counterattack. The other team makes some changes and we knew they were going to try and run at our backline whenever possible and Gerso has a good goal.”
On the defense against Sporting KC:
“I thought they were brave hearts. I thought they went in there and as much as you want to encourage the guys, they ran their tails off and our backline wasn’t any different. It was a set piece that they got and at the end it’s 100% tired legs. It’s not from a lack of focus but you’re caught in transition and you can’t get that second defender close enough because there’s space. So, I’m of our backline, our goalkeeper, our midfielders our forwards. You couldn’t ask for more defensively. It was just the way the game was going to be and we were either going to handle that moment or it was going to be use hoping they didn’t capitalize with us throwing numbers forward and they did.”
On the first goal shocking the team:
“They get the corner kick and from my point of view, I thought his shot went off of Aaron then bounced back off of him then went out. I may be wrong but that’s what I saw. I think from there maybe we get lost in the moment and I think our team was thinking it didn’t go and we weren’t in agreement with it. Again, maybe I didn’t focus enough on that at the beginning of the game and they capitalize on it. Even then I think there was a scramble in the box and we had to get rid of it and we just couldn’t. Again, it’s 100% my fault that I didn’t have them focused because I think the rest of the game our guys were focused.”
On advancing to the knockout stage:
“We’re in a good moment right now. We compete and we’re used to these scenarios. We’re disappointed 100% and we wanted those three points for the standings, but we have also put ourselves in a position to advance last night. You can’t sit and could’ve should’ve any of that it’s all eyes forward. It shows real character that comes out. Character for your team, the love for your club and the love for competition. You can’t sit and dwell on the negatives and if you do, it becomes not a fun game and you can’t get ahead. So now it’s over and we move on and focus on regen and see who we play in the next round.”
Defender Justen Glad
On conceding the early goal:
“It’s always tough to start that way because that kind of puts you on the back foot down 1-0. You’re starting behind which is always tough because you have to chase the game. I thought we responded well after that and started playing better once we woke up a little bit. But you can’t make that mistake and be asleep on that first goal."
On the play that led to the goal:
“You can point your finger at this and that on the reasoning but it’s just about alertness and when that ball is in the box you have to make sure you’re the first to the ball. Scrambles like that happen and it’s just making sure you get a toe or whatever it is to clear it out. Unfortunately, we didn’t do that.”
Defender Aaron Herrera
On already advancing to the knockout round:
“We already knew we were through and the points from these games count towards the regular season. So they were still important. But we’re through and we don’t know what’s going to happen after this tournament, so we need to make sure we take advantage of our time here and look to pick ourselves back up in the next game and send ourselves through.”
On the defensive performance:
“We did what we could. When you’re chasing the game it’s different because you can’t sit back in defense and giving them that early goal, they were able to conserve their energy and sit back. Obviously then we had to push forward, and we knew they were going to have a lot of counter attacks coming forward. For the most part we dealt with it well, but they got the goal at the end and they had some fresh legs. Credit to Gerso for the good finish but when you’re chasing the game it’s a lot tougher to defend because you have to commit numbers forward and look for the goal. It’s not how we want to be defending.”
On the offensive performance:
“We have to have more composure in the final third. I think we’re getting up there a lot and whether it’s the final run or the final ball, it hasn’t been good enough from us the whole tournament. Even against Colorado we score two goals and one was a good finish and one was fortunate but at the end of the day I don’t think we have enough composure in the final third and it’s something we need to work on going into the next game. It comes naturally with playing games when we sort of get to figure out what our teammates want. Where they want the ball. Having this break definitely didn’t help. At the end of the day I think it’s just effort from us. It’s more wanting to score more goals and play the runs off the ball. We need a lot more movement and like I said, composure in the final third if we want to create anything.”
