Real Salt Lake 0 at Austin FC 3
September 14, 2022; Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas
Real Salt Lake (11-10-10, 43 points); Austin FC (16-9-6, 54 points)
Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni
On the frustration of giving up goals:
“‘Frustrated’ is putting it nicely. You have to compete the right way. It has to mean something, you have to go out and give everything you have, you have to sacrifice your body, you have to get out there and be willing to lose your head. There’s dogs out here that want to win the damn game, so we have to go out and win the damn game. It’s about moments and plays, and tonight wasn’t good enough.”
On the body language, character, and desire of this team:
“Goals change games. We created enough [chances] tonight on several occasions in the first sixty minutes. You have to score goals to win games, and at this moment it’s eluding us. We have to get back on the horse and we have a big game this weekend. I’m not concerned about legs, I’m not concerned about tiredness, I’m not concerned about the guys that left it all out on the field and got subbed out. Putting the team out there that’s going to fight the right way, compete the right way, and execute the right way–that’s what we’re looking for this weekend.”
On his heated reaction after the game:
“You can’t keep saying we’re playing well and not get results. I thought for sixty minutes we played some of our best stuff in a very difficult place to play. When players come into games, they have to make a positive change. They have to bring a level of desire, competitiveness, you have to bring a spark, you have to be able to change the game in a good way. You make those changes, and you don’t have the same type of control of the game. You don’t have the same type of fight. That part’s the most frustrating because I’m so proud of guys like Rubio [Rubin], Anderson [Julio], [Diego] Luna, really, the guys who started the game, for the most part, played fantastic. So how many times can you say we’re playing well and not get that result? There are moments in games and they conceded the second one off of a corner kick, which was a gut punch. And then the third, obviously, you’re chasing it and you’re trying to get back in the game, so you’re opening up spaces against a team that really thrives in counter situations. That’s why I’m so animated because the moment is now. And oftentimes, as a player, having been a player, you think you’re going to play forever. And you think, ‘next year will be great,’ and having experienced that, it just doesn’t happen like that. Every moment is your moment. The positive take away from the game is that a lot of guys got minutes. We’re at a point now where because we rested players doesn’t signify that those rested players will go out on the weekend. We have to go with guys that are committed and desire to do whatever it takes. Guys like Anderson [Julio], Bryan [Oviedo], Braian [Ojeda], put in a fantastic shift. It’s an important time for us. If we want to make the playoffs, we can’t let moments like this go, where we’re playing some good stuff and creating some good opportunities. We have to score goals. For whatever reason, I don’t know what it is, but the looks we had tonight, I am completely bemused at the fact that two of those didn’t go in. We’re putting ourselves in great situations to score first and control games. That’s the most frustrating part.”
Defender Justen Glad
On what it was like in the locker room postgame:
“Not good. I’m sure Pablo [Mastroeni] said it all. It’s unacceptable at this point of the season. When we’re playing like that and we’re on top of them for sixty minutes, to have a 3-0 result is unacceptable.”
On if the quick turnaround is good for the team:
“I think so, maybe not physically but mentally it’s for sure good. We know what we have to do. We’ve got three games left. There’s only one option in my mind which is to make the playoffs. I don’t care what it takes, whether it’s bunkering down for 90 minutes and booting the ball forward and getting goals that way, whatever it takes at this point to win games. That’s where my head’s at and that’s where the team’s head has to be at in my opinion.”
On how to buoy up the team ahead of training
“It starts in training. It starts with getting on guys if it’s not sharp enough, getting on guys if it’s lackadaisical, yelling at them. When it comes to the game, play well, be brave on the ball, and try to lift everyone up. We have the quality. We have the ability to win these games. It’s going to be about playing with heart and then getting it done.”
