QUOTE SHEET
REAL SALT LAKE 2-2 COLUMBUS CREW SC
RIO TINTO STADIUM; JULY 29, 2017
Real Salt Lake
Assistant Coach Freddy Juarez
On the result of the game:
“You always want to win, the plan was to win. But you also, right now we are in a situation where we’ve got to collect points. Anytime we are playing a game we have to come up with hopefully three, but one at least. We created chances and spotted from an early deficit and had a chance to win. Not happy with the whole game but parts of it.”
On the first half performance and how RSL played against CLB strategic defense:
“We are unhappy with the first half, we knew they were going to do that. They have been doing that for the last two games I think they have been 1-0 wins and actually a third with the high-track game. We knew the shape they were going to have, we are not happy with our energy level the first half, it wasn’t good enough. You are going to play a team like that, we knew we were going to have to catch them on transition, because that is when they are spread out, maybe catch them on a press because again that is when they are spread out, or if we did allow them to get into their block we had to be very dynamic and to be dynamic you have to put a lot of energy into them and we lacked that in the first half.”
On the second half performance:
“Second half, early on, it was good maybe sometimes a little bit disorganized at times but at least the response of the energy was there and it led to two goals. And then we, again being a little disorganized, losing a ball in a bad area and it catches, but we were happy with the response. But we have to be able to, when we are heavy keep that, especially at home.”
On Columbus goals:
“Every game there is always something that we can clean up and we will talk as a staff and hopefully put it together so we are ready for Houston.”
On substitutions and what you wanted them to bring to the game:
“More energy, we wanted to continue to put the pedal on the gas and the foot on the pedal and get forward, and also we can’t forget that we have got to defend at times as well so we wanted to make sure the guys are subbed out put in a good shift. We want to make sure that the guys that came in could continue to go forward but also make sure they were helping getting in the box to help us defend as well because Columbus is a good team on the break, and we wanted to make sure we neutralized that with some fresh legs.”
Head Coach Mike Petke
On being up in the stands:
“It’s difficult.”
On Freddy’s coaching:
“I think Freddy did well, very well, and that is why he was the one that was put in charge. He is my right-hand man, he knows the game inside and out. I lean on him heavily for tactics, he gives me a different perspective on things, he calms me down when I need to be calmed down. Hey I have said it, once the whistle blows it’s out of your hands. You are fired and re-signed by the players on the field, with just a flip of a coin depending on how it happens. So it doesn’t matter about the result for me when we talk about Freddy tonight. I thought he handled himself very well out there.”
See anything from a different angle:
“I saw everything that Freddy has spoken about already. Listen we talked all we about how this was their third game, they have two center backs out, we didn’t overly talk about to say ‘Hey it’s going to be easy’ by no means. They are a good team, but the emphasis was put on that we need to put them on the back foot at the beginning of this game. We need to get them running. We need to suck the wind out of them. We said that all week up until the pregame talk. I thought our energy level, at times in the first half, we looked like the team that had played three games this week. And hey that is going to happen you know it’s a different time. Perhaps we aren’t used to playing at 6 o’clock. Whatever excuse I can make. The heat. We put them through a lot of training this week, especially on the press. Perhaps they didn’t have it but they had the second wind in the second half tonight. And again how many times have I said this this week, but we did enough to win this game tonight. Hit the post, just wide, one on one with the keeper practically in the box, and great saves, just a bit wide. You drown your sorrows in a beer tonight and then we focus on Houston. That is what it comes down to. That is all. That is it.”
Forward Brooks Lennon
On coming on in the second half:
“He told me to bring some energy and make some runs for behind. We needed to penetrate the space they were giving us. That’s what I tried to do coming on there and we created some chances but we were unlucky not to get the win.”
On the last 15 minutes:
“Them coming here and experiencing altitude I think the last fifteen minutes is ours for the taking. That’s our advantage when teams come here. We just have to keep going and attacking and get goals. I think whoever comes on in the second half; the last fifteen minutes of the second half should always be ours.”
On the homegrown game:
“I’m excited to see some of my buddies from the team and going with Justen is a great thing for RSL. The game should be fun.”
On playing in friendly games:
“It doesn’t mean anything. The game isn’t for points or anything. It’s just a friendly and a chance to go out and have some fun and play in a different crowd that what we’re used to.”
On balancing games:
“It’s only once a year and it’s the best eleven from the MLS at a young age and to be coached by two greats is also a great opportunity as well.”
Midfielder Kyle Beckerman
On the game:
“Goals change games and even though we struggled in the first half, in the second we had three golden opportunities that we didn’t take advantage of. It’s a bummer because we did enough to win tonight.”
On the last two games:
“This is a rebuilding time for us. We can’t get ahead of ourselves after winning two in a row. We are still a young group. We still have a lot of work to do. There are positives but we still need to take that last step. In order to take that next step you have to win these home games.”
On the last 15 minutes:
“We have to finish. We had chances and if we finish their whole game plan goes down the toilet and just didn’t do it tonight.”
Midfielder Albert Rusnák
On Columbus staying back on the first half of the game:
“They are a team that likes to play from the back. We knew that during the week. We expected them to play from behind and defend, but this was probably more than we expected. They had 11 men behind the ball, really hard to break down. And then of course if you are going to try to break 11 men you are going to lose the ball and then they can be dangerous in a counter attack. It was a difficult first half. In the second half we went 2-1 up and then the goal we conceded for the 2-2 was a really easy one. It was a soft goal that we conceded, especially if you are pushing for a win and then you finally get those two goals in a quick nine minutes. You have to be clever there and not to give the ball away too easy.”
On the second half of Columbus:
“Everyone got excited, the whole stadium. When we went 2-1 up out of the blue. We said to each other, now we have to do what they did and try to waste the time. Take 55 seconds every time we have a goal kick, like they did. But then we conceded straight away and it was back to chasing the game and try to win it.”
On Marcelo Silva playing another game:
“He played a second game today and he was one of the best players again on the pitch. I think defensively he did a great job. He is a strong boy, went to all the headers. It´s going to take a while for him to settle in. I was also new to this league. I know what it’s like when you come here and it is not easy. They had a difficult time today at the back, especially towards the end. All of our attacking players were pushed forward because we wanted to win the game. When we lost the ball on top sometimes they faced a disadvantage, like a man down. It was not easy, but I think they did a great job.”
On scoring goals in the last games:
“I don’t know whether we found the right balance on the team or is the fact that we have most of the players back. We have a lot of options. I wish that is the answer to that. I am one of the attacking players. I am glad the team is scoring goals.”
Columbus Crew SC
Head Coach Greg Berhalter
On Ola Kamara:
“You know you have moments where you talk to guys and you say ‘Are you ready to play? Are you recovered?’ and they all tell you ‘Yes’ and that’s not always the case. But with Ola we saw the focus and I think we saw the fire in him coming into this game. He desperately wanted to be a part of this game and I think he showed it from minute one.”
On his play against RSL in the past:
“His movement is excellent. I think he gives a lot of defense issues but his movement off the ball is outstanding. He’s always looking to get behind the line and his finishing is pretty good as well. When he gets a chance, you know, I’d say it’s nine out of ten are going to go in.”
On recovering from RSL’s quick second half start:
“It was difficult. You got to understand this is our third game in eight days and we’re traveling across the country, we’re playing in this heat and it wasn’t the easiest. You know there was a chance where we could have buckled but the guys, they kept the determination, they kept fighting and we got back into the game. And not only that but I thought there were opportunities after that to potentially sneak a win away from home.”
On the chances missed:
“I thought in the first half we could’ve more effectively played out the counter attack. I didn’t think that was good enough and then who knows. But this team, Salt Lake is a very difficult team. They created chances in bunches and they have a very dynamic top four players and they’re able to create chances. You got to withstand some beating sometime in the game and we were able to do that.”
Forward Ola Kamara
On his minutes played in the last two matches:
“I feel like we analyzed the game well. We knew what kind of chances we could get. I’ve studied the defense a lot to, so I knew how I could get my chances, but I think the guys were tired and we were grinding it out. We’re proud of the boys how we fought the whole game. It was a good team performance for sure.”
On his team’s response:
“Of course it’s tough when you come out of the break. You say you want a good maybe 10-15 minutes instead they get the good 10-15 minutes. They score. I don’t know about the penalty, but it is and was a good penalty from Plata for sure, and then scored another one. It’s tough, but I think we reacted well. We didn’t lose our minds. We stuck to the plan and then we got a result in the end. They were pressuring us and having possession, but we had some big chances too. Me, I had two big ones and a close one on the crossbar, so the game could have tipped both ways, but we’re happy with 1 point.”
On previous performances against RSL:
“Probably should have had a hat trick today, but I’m just happy that we get a point, three points next time, but I think my place I’ll fit playing RSL.”
Midfielder Connor Maloney
On his first start and his first assist:
“The guys had a lot of confidence in me going into the game telling me to just be simple the first couple of minutes, and that’s what I was doing and that gave me confidence going throughout the whole game. I had guys behind me like Josh and Nico Naess, so those guys are veterans and they had my back the whole time, I had their back, so those guys really gave me confidence on the field. Going into the game I thought we played well against a team that’s in good form right now and I think we got a good result. This is our 3rd game in about 7 or 8 days, so I think we came out with a good result against a good team.”
On his start:
“I wouldn’t say I was nervous, I would say I was more excited than nervous. Obviously I got 45 in against Houston, but getting the start here today was a big accomplishment and guys had so much confidence in me going into the game, and so I just went in there and did my thing and luckily we came out with a point and it was a good result by the team.”
On getting a result:
“I mean definitely we were going for the win, but it’s tough to get a win against a team that’s in such good form, away at their place, and they’re playing so well, so I think we came into this game we came down 2-1, we all buckled down and we fought. We fought for one another and got that second goal and we tied it, and from there it was just fight, fight, fight until the end and that’s what we did and we got a point out of it.”
