Portland Timbers Quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
On advancing to MLS Cup...
“I'm very proud of the guys. The work they put in this series to move on to the next round. To defeat a very good opponent who is outstanding. Dallas is a great team. You saw that in the second half. We knew they'd throw everything at us, and I'm proud of our guys for weathering the storm at the end. It wasn't the way we scripted it, but the maturity we showed after we gave up the two goals, to not give up the third, and then to score the one to put it away was a really good testament to how far we've come as a club. This is a great moment for this club. It's our first trophy, but we want the biggest trophy and we have one more game still to achieve that.”
On the final 20 minutes of the game with Dallas leading 2-1...
“These second legs get crazy. You've seen it time and again. All it takes is one goal to turn it, and we've talked about that a lot as a team. In these games you have to be composed, and even though the game turns on you and goes in a way you're not quite ready for, maybe didn't see it coming, you then have to manage it and show composure and maturity. I thought we did that after we gave up the second goal because most teams in that situation probably give up the third, and we didn't, and very few teams go and score the one to put it away.”
On Nat Borchers’ block of Blas Pérez’s potential goal late in the game...
“I've been in these games before and you stand on the sideline, make your moves in terms of subs and you know it's out of your hands and you hope your players step up and make plays. When you have good players, they do that. I really wasn't all that nervous, to be honest with you, because I knew it was down to the players at that point and I also knew I had experienced guys, good players. I knew I had guys that would get it done, and I just have a belief in this team that we're going to advance. Some years you have that. Some years, as much as you want to have it, you don't have it. This team has it. They have a belief, a true belief that we're going to win MLS Cup.”
Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri
On tonight's game…
“It was a great game. It was hard, very hard, because they play well. They put numbers forward, they created chances a lot and they scored two goals when we didn't think they could. It was hard, very hard. We knew we could win the series and we are very happy about it.”
On adjustments Portland made for the second leg of the series...
“We knew it was a very different game because we had the two-goal advantage and they wanted to attack a lot. The adjustment was to take advantage of the space that they had in the backline.”
Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi
On tonight's game...
“It was a great game. We came in believing it was going to be a tough one. Dallas was going to give us a tough one, and they did. We're not surprised with what they came with, because we expected them to come very strong. For us, it was to try and get a goal and push forward. When we got the second goal we knew it put us in the Cup.”
Portland Timbers defender Nat Borchers
On advancing to MLS Cup...
“It feels great. I'm so proud of this group. We've been through so much this year. We've had our backs against the wall so many times and we responded well. Really happy for Oregon, the city of Portland. What a feeling we're going to have going back home getting ready for this Cup.”
On his team's defensive message in the second half...
“Credit to Dallas, they came at us with a lot of energy in the second half and made some changes that really made it tough for us to defend. We were trying to get our backline as high as possible and make sure things were predictable for us in the back.”
On playing in another MLS Cup...
“Obviously, we want to win. You don't get too many opportunities to raise a trophy. This is a really special game, special moment for everybody involved with this club. It's going to be a great opportunity.”
On his preference of opponent for MLS Cup...
“No preference. I'm just happy with the way we've been playing on the road and I think it's going to be a fun week of training getting ready for this.”
FC Dallas Quotes
FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja
General thoughts on the match…
“I want to praise this group of players that made us so proud with what we've achieved this season. They deserve much for sure, but it seems the game is telling us it is not our time yet, and we will keep working. There are a lot of things ahead of this young group.
“Portland is a very good team. Congratulations to them for advancing to the finals. The first half was pretty level. They congested the middle of the field. We knew it… It was difficult to cope with that. I felt the second half was ours. We created a lot of chances. We sent more people forward. We were more exposed in the back a few times. I thought it was fair, but unfortunately we could not put the ball in the back of the net in the last 10 minutes. It was a tremendous game for our players. The spirit they showed when they were down, and when they bounced back into the game was unbelievable.”
FC Dallas defender Matt Hedges
General thoughts on the match…
“Obviously everyone in here is disappointed. But you have to be proud of what we accomplished this year. We were one point away from getting the Supporters Shield – it came down to goal differential… Getting to the Western Conference Final… Having the chance in the 90th minute to score the equalizer… We’ll be disappointed today, but tomorrow I think everyone will realize what we have accomplished this year. The base of this squad will be here next year and we will continue to get better and better.”
FC Dallas midfielder Kellyn Acosta
General thoughts on the match…
“I’m disappointed. I thought we could have done more. This was a game for us to win and we fell short. Otherwise, I am very proud of my teammates. We worked hard the whole game but it just didn’t fall for us. That is just how the game goes sometimes. We have a lot to look back on but I think going into next season, we’re positive that we’re going to keep building and get the cup next year.”
Notes:
- Portland advances to MLS Cup for the first time in the club’s history since joining the league in 2011. The Timbers are the third expansion franchise (Chicago, Real Salt Lake) to advance to MLS Cup and the first from the Pacific Northwest.
- Midfielder Darlington Nagbe is the only player who has started all nine of Portland’s MLS Cup Playoffs matches since 2011.
- Defender Norberto Paparatto made his first career postseason start on Sunday, playing 90 minutes.
- Defenders Nat Borchers and Alvas Powell and midfielder Darlington Nagbe have played every minute in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Forward Fanendo Adi is the fourth player with two or more goals in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. In addition, Adi becomes the second player to register two or more goals in Timbers’ MLS postseason history.
- Adi scored his 18th goal of the season across all competitions on Sunday against FC Dallas.
- Forward Lucas Melano became the eighth different player to score a goal for Portland in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs – the most goals of any team in the postseason – and the 14th different player to score a goal in Timbers’ MLS postseason history.
- With assists on both goals, midfielder Diego Valeri has now assisted on four goals in four games in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs – tied for the most assists this postseason.
- The Timbers became the 13th different team to reach MLS Cup in league history.
- With Sunday’s draw, Portland improved to 5-0-3 in its last eight matches in all competitions, including a mark of 2-0-3 in the postseason.
- The Timbers are unbeaten in five consecutive road matches, dating back to a 2-1 win on the road against Columbus Crew SC on Sept. 26.
- Sunday’s match was the 16th meeting between Portland and FC Dallas all-time across all competitions since 2011 as Portland improved to 7-4-5 overall.
- The 2015 Timbers join the 2013 Portland Thorns (NWSL), the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers (NBA) and 1916 Portland Rosebuds (PCHA – professional hockey) as Portland-based professional teams in a top division to advance to the championship game of their sport.
- The Timbers have scored six second-half goals in the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs – the most of any team in the playoffs.
- Following Sunday’s match, Portland’s roster features 145 combined games of MLS Cup Playoffs experience.
