Portland Timbers Quotes
Head Coach John Spencer
On back-to-back wins: “I think it gives the guys a lot of confidence. (After) The first couple of games there were a few doubters out there. We’ve scored seven goals in the last two games and we’re very happy with that, but we just need to shore it up at the back and be a little tighter as a group together.”
On the win over FC Dallas: “I think we’ve played some nice football and we know ourselves. We don’t want to concede goals, we want to make the game easy. We went 3-nil up and the game was easy, but we let our guard down and we got punished (by allowing two late FC Dallas goals).”
On the play of midfielder Kalif Alhassan: “In the last month he’s really changed his whole mentality to being a professional. He realizes when we don’t have the ball you can’t just play one way. (Tracking back defensively) is what Kalif struggled with at the start and now he realizes that it doesn’t matter how good you are, you’ve got to get back behind the ball ... I think today was a very good performance from him from start to finish.”
On Jack Jewsbury’s 200th MLS appearance: “To play 200 games in this league is a great testament to himself as an individual. He has a lot of desire, we fought long and hard to get him here (to Portland). To come up today and mark his 200th game with a goal is excellent.”
On Jewsbury’s leadership: “He has a drive and desire and determination to succeed every day and that’s why he’s played 200 games in the league.”
Captain, midfielder Jack Jewsbury
On the two home matches: “Our goal this week coming in was, with two home games, to get six points and get ourselves back in the picture. We did that, we’re scoring goals, but at the same time we need to make sure we shore up the defense in the last few minutes. At the end of the day, it’s six points.”
On the FC Dallas match: “Great game, great fight, great effort by the guys. We’re excited to get back in the MLS picture.”
On team camaraderie: “We’re a tight-knit group, everybody fights for one another. I think in MLS, games are going to be scrappy at times, and if you have a group of guys that will battle, that’s what it takes. We’re in the right direction, we’ve just got to keep pushing on and keep putting in consistent performances.”
On the home supporters: “The support we’ve got in the city has been unbelievable. It’s the best atmosphere in MLS. They definitely gave us some energy. Coach said that we had some tired legs, but when you have a fan base like that they keep you going.”
On his 200th game: “It’s quite an honor. It’s a great honor to be included with some ofthe great names in this league. I’ve been fortunate to stay pretty healthy over my nineyears. It’s a blessing to play professional soccer daily and to be able to last that longhas been great.”
Forward Kenny Cooper
On his goal and the assist from Jewsbury: “It was just a great ball from him (Jewsbury). Jack’s really good on set pieces. Fortunately, he put a good ball in and fortunately it went in the back of the net.”
On FC Dallas: “This was a good team we just faced, they were in the finals last year. They have last year’s Coach of the Year, last year’s MVP and it definitely feels good to walk away with a win.”
On facing his former team: “I don’t know if there was extra motivation for playing against them. I was excited for this game like I am for any other one. I certainly have a lot of respect for a lot of the guys on that team and the coaching staff.”
Midfielder Jeremy Hall
On winning at home: “We have to win our home games. This is a tough place to play and to get ourselves in a good position to make the playoffs we’re going to have to win these home games because it’s so tough to win on the road.”
On keeping FC Dallas’s David Ferreira in check: “For the most part we were able to keep David (Ferreira) away from the goal. He was getting the ball, but he was getting it on their side of the half and he’s not as effective (there) as he is closer to our box. We did good for the most part, but the last 10 minutes we’ve got to do better with that.”
FC Dallas Quotes
Head Coach Schellas Hyndman
On preparation for the match: “Be prepared for a wonderful environment. They’re going to have a high energy flow and we need to be able to match their intensity.”
On the early deficit: “Disappointing first goal we gave up, then the corner kick, we still felt that down 2-0 we still created enough chances but just didn’t pull the trigger on them.”
On coming back from 3-0: “I was really pleased to see the character of the team not to give up. I think we started getting a little more urgent and trying to get more people into the attack. We were trying to put them back on their heels, and we brought some fresh legs in at key positions. And in the last moment David hit the post and that could’ve been a spoiler for them and something really positive for us.”
On atmosphere at JELD-WEN Field: “Fantastic! Fantastic atmosphere, the fan base of Portland should be really proud. I thought they came out and added some energy to the team, there’s no doubt that this team is playing with such inspiration because of that fan support. You can call them the 12th man or whatever, but I think when you win your first two games at home that just tells more and more things for the future.
Defender Brek Shea
On final shot by David Ferreira: “If that shot goes in then everyone in this room has a different attitude.”
On comeback by FC Dallas: “I think we kind of clicked on and they were really tired, they had a game on Thursday and we were playing the way we usually do. We started finding space in the wide areas so our strength of play was a little bit better.”
On atmosphere at JELD-WEN Field: “Definitely a fun atmosphere to play in, when you first get in the stadium for warm ups it’s loud and there’s people everywhere and you can see that throughout the city it’s cool, very cool.”
On attitude of team down 3-0: “Obviously it wasn’t good and we needed to work things out, it didn’t help when they scored early in the 2nd half.”
Notes:
·With his 200th career regular-season match Sunday, Jewsbury joined a group of notable MLS veterans (active) with 200-plus career matches, including Landon Donovan, Kyle Beckerman, Jimmy Conrad, Brian Carroll, Josh Wolff, Pablo Mastroeni and FC Dallas’ Hartman. Jewsbury has scored two goals in his last three games.
·Cooper played four seasons with FC Dallas previously in his career from 2006-09. He ranks among the club’s career scoring leaders, tallying 40 goals in 90 matches.
·With two assists on the day, Alhassan becomes the first Timbers player this season to record multiple assists in a game and assists in back-to-back matches. Now with three on the season, Alhassan is tied for second in the league among assist leaders.
·With seven goals in their last two matches, the Timbers now share the league lead in total goals scored with D.C. United at nine.
·With his second-half strike, defender Rodney Wallace becomes the first Timbers player to score in back-to-back games. He scored his first goal of the season Thursday against Chicago.
·For a fourth consecutive game, Portland wore its primary green kits, with white shorts and green socks.
·Sunday marked the first day match at JELD-WEN Field; kickoff was 3 p.m. (PT).
·Between Portland and FC Dallas, the lineups included a combined five Colombian natives in Sunday’s match – FC Dallas’ Castillo, Ferreira, Rodriguez and Benitez and Portland’s Perlaza; each player made an appearance.
·FC Dallas backup goalkeeper Chris Seitz had a short loan stint with the Timbers’ second-division club in 2009, while with Real Salt Lake. Seitz recorded two shutouts in a win and draw, spearheading Portland’s United Soccer Leagues First Division-record, 24-game unbeaten streak that season.
