Quotes: Portland Timbers at Colorado Rapids
Portland Timbers Quotes
Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
On the game and the penalties:
“This result is a tough one to swallow. It’s a tight game, it’s an even game, we’re not giving up very many chances, we look like we’re going to get a goal somewhere at some point. Next thing you know it’s a PK and we’re down a goal and down a man. It makes it very difficult in that situation. That was certainly the play and moment and call that changed the game. I thought our guys deserved better, and it’s unfortunate. It’s not coming easy. But this locker room is a tight locker room. They’re not happy, but they’re not questioning themselves. I believe in them, they believe in themselves, and we’ll get it sorted out.”
On the first half:
“I thought it was a very even half. I didn’t think either team was really generating a ton of chances, which for us was a real positive on the road and in tough conditions with the weather and altitude. I thought we had as much of the game as they did. They were having trouble creating chances and we were tight defensively and when we got on the ball we were able to dictate the game and we had quite a bit of possession and control. You need to in the altitude; you need to be able to rest on the ball. We had a few chances. I thought we had three or four chances that were better than any chance they had all game. But in the end, we lose 2-0 because they get two PKs. That’s soccer, it can be cruel and deceiving and misleading. I thought in all honesty we deserved better and I thought there were a few things that didn’t go our way.”
On how the team started the game:
“I thought we played well. The guys did everything that we wanted them to do. Very pleased with the first half overall. We wanted to come in at halftime even or up a goal, which we did. And second half we were on the ball again and started to find our way and get some more chances. On one end of the field we’re almost in on a breakaway and Darlington [Nagbe] gets chopped down. Then a couple minutes later they’re in behind us and it’s a PK and a goal and we’re down a man. For me that was what decided the game – that play, that moment, that call.”
On how the team responded and moving forward:
“I thought we were very bright in our start. I thought in the first 10 minutes they had a few chances but we weathered it. I thought we were the better team for the next 45, 50 minutes. But in the end we don’t get any points out of it and it comes down to points and winning and we didn’t. We’re not making excuses. This locker room, myself, we don’t makes excuses. There were some things certainly that were against us today and it was tough, there were a few things that we question, but in the end we’re not going to make excuses. We’re going to get back to work, we’re not going to dwell too long, and will move on quickly. This is one where you want to have a pretty short-term memory.”
Timbers defender Jack Jewsbury
On the first half:
“Coming into the game, we knew they were going to start off strong. They had a few chances early on and then once we settled into the game I thought our possession was very good. We shifted from side to side and kind of opened them up and created a few chances. So we felt good coming into halftime, we wanted to be even or ahead, and we were.”
On changes made for the second half:
“Trying to control the game with our possession and creating chances off of that. We wanted to continue to do that, but we really weren’t able to get the ball down on the ground as much as we would have liked in that second half; wind kind of picked up, it was kind of nasty. And then a couple of calls, obviously, that changed the game.”
On the flow of the game and the shift in momentum in the second half:
“Being at home, they were going to contain or press the game. Both teams were trying to go at each other and get three points. They were coming hard at that point; we got the chance where we nicked Darlington through. I thought we were in on a breakaway there, so it’s disappointing that maybe there wasn’t a different color card shown for that one. It is what it is. We’ve got to do better on the play that leads to their first PK. In terms of the call, I haven’t looked at it again to see exactly what happened. From my standpoint, it was kind of a 50-50 where they both got each other pretty good.”
Timbers midfielder Will Johnson
On the team’s mentality coming into the second half:
“Up until the penalty we felt good, we felt comfortable, we felt in control, and we felt we were doing enough to win the game. We were getting a few chances and keeping the ball well. Everything felt good.”
On the play after the first 20 minutes had passed:
“We just kept the ball a little bit better and settled down. Games, in the beginning, are always frantic. Guys are running around and then the game softens a little usually around 15 or 20 minutes. Both teams kind of get in a rhythm and get some possession, and once we were able to get some possession and start switching the ball it got our guys confident and everybody feeling pretty good about it. Just getting that possession was a big part of settling us down.”
On the defensive plays that led to the penalties:
“It was a ball over the top, I wouldn’t even call it a one-v-one because their guy didn’t even have the ball. He didn’t have any control of the ball, he hadn’t touched the ball, so sometimes with a fast guy like that you keep a high line and the goalkeeper cleans up some of that stuff. A one-v-one is more when a guy is dribbling in on goal, so I think it’s just a half chance at best. Obviously, we need to track that a little bit better, but I don’t think that was a big issue.”
Colorado Rapids Quotes
Rapids Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni
On the team’s start to the game:
“At home, we want to make this place difficult [for other teams] to come play and that’s about a mentality. And we’ve been really harping on that the last couple of weeks and it was good for the guys to get their first game and really come out of the gates strong. I think for the first 15-20 minutes we did a good job of keeping the ball. And I think that mindset is going to carry on next week as well.”
On what he was looking for from the players before the penalty kicks:
“What I wanted was for the guys to push a bit higher and really take the game to them. Altitude is a big advantage for us and we want to utilize that. And I think in the 65th, 70th minute we really want to press their backs, make them feel the air and get momentum going our way.”
On what he saw on the penalties:
“If the referee calls it, whatever it is, it is. I’m not qualified to make any kind of … I can’t override any calls. I can’t take them away. I don’t waste my energy commenting on the refs, whether they’re for or against us. My focus is purely on what we need to do as a team to continue on the path and improve every game.”
Rapids goalkeeper John Berner
On his first home match and first shutout:
“It feels great. We wanted to build off of last week’s performance. And the home opener, it was a great atmosphere. The conditions weren’t ideal, but I thought the team fought through and thought we had a good performance.”
On preparing for adverse conditions:
“You just kinda go out there and deal with it. You don’t think about it, you try not to let it get to you. You just kinda go out and perform and mentally really stay focused.”
On whether winning in Mastroeni’s debut adds to the experience:
“Yeah, definitely. I thought it was pretty cool that this was his home debut, his first win. For sure, I think it’s pretty cool.”
Rapids forward Vicente Sánchez
On not feeling the cold when you win the game:
“Sí, es muy frio, estuvo muy difícil el partido. Portland es un rival difícil. Contento por el triunfo, y a seguir trabajar.”
Yes, it’s very cold, and it was a very difficult game. Portland is a tough rival. Happy to get the win, and to keep working.]
On it being an unconventional game:
“Fue un partido muy cerrado. Lo importante son los tres puntos. Iremos mejorando, recién arranca el torneo, de a poco vamos conociendo la idea futbolística de Pablo [Mastroeni]. Estamos muy contentos asique esperemos el próximo partido ganar igual.”
It was a very tight game. The most important thing is the three points. We’re getting better, and the season just started, and we’re getting to know Pablo’s style of soccer. We’re very happy and now we’re hoping to win the next game as well.]
Referee Mark Geiger
On why Ricketts was sent off:
“Ricketts was sent off for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.”
On who initiated the contact on the penalty:
“The contact was made by Ricketts on the challenge, hence the penalty against Portland.”
Notes:.
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The temperature at kickoff was 30 degrees with snow flurries. Due to the snow, the Timbers and Rapids played with an orange match ball.
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Saturday’s match featured the second-coldest kickoff temperature in the club’s MLS history. The coldest was 25 degrees on March 26, 2011, against Toronto FC at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario.
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The Timbers lost just their second match to the Rapids in the last six meetings between the two clubs (3-2-1) in the all-times MLS series. The Timbers went unbeaten against the Rapids in 2013, and the club’s last loss to Colorado was Sept. 5, 2012, at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
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The loss to Colorado ended a 10-game unbeaten run in regular-season play dating back to the 2013 campaign; a run that started Sept. 7, 2013.
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Portland was called for two penalty kicks against the Rapids, marking the first time in the club’s MLS history, consisting of 105 regular-season matches, in which the club was called for multiple PKs in a single game.
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Portland has been called for three penalty kicks over the first three games of the 2014 season.
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The Rapids first goal of the game in the 73rd minute was the first scored by the club against the Timbers in 295 minutes played between the two sides.
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For just the second time in the Timbers MLS history, the club has been called for a penalty kick in consecutive matches. The last time was July 7, 2012, at Real Salt Lake and July 14, 2012, vs. LA Galaxy.
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Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts was issued the first red card of his MLS career as a result of the play with Colorado’s Deshorn Brown in the 68th minute.
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Portland’s Darlington Nagbe started his 51st straight match for Portland on Saturday, and has appeared in 70 of the club’s last 71 games since the start of the 2012 season. Nagbe is just two appearances shy of playing in his 100th match with the club.
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Midfielder Steve Zakuani started his first match as a member of the Timbers on Saturday. It was his first MLS start since April 20, 2013, with Seattle against the Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
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At the 30th minute mark on Saturday, defender Jack Jewsbury became the first Timbers MLS player to log 8,000 minutes with the club.
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Midfielder Diego Chara appeared in his 90th match as a member of the Timbers, becoming just the third Timbers MLS player, along with Nagbe and Jewsbury, to reach the milestone.
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Defender Michael Harrington has played 1,710 consecutive minutes for the Timbers, dating back to the 2013 season. If he plays all 90 minutes in the club’s next match at FC Dallas, Harrington will match the club’s MLS record for longest streak of consecutive minutes played.
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Harrington played in his 185th career MLS regular-season match on Saturday.
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Goalkeeper Andrew Weber made his Timbers MLS debut; it was his ninth career MLS appearance.
- Defender Alvas Powell made his season debut for the Timbers, entering the match as a sub in the 79th minute.
