Quotes & Notes - FC Dallas: 1, Portland Timbers: 1 - May 8, 2013

Quotes: Portland Timbers at FC Dallas

Portland Timbers Quotes

Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
General thoughts on the game:
“I thought we deserved to get three points out of that game. It wasn't a pretty game. It was back and forth. They're a good team. But we scored a goal - a legitimate goal - and we should have won the game. It's a real travesty the way that game played out. It's hard to win a game when you're playing against 12 men. For me, that's just unfair, completely unfair. I'm not going to criticize anyone specifically, but that's just unacceptable – an off-the-ball call where two guys get tangled. I mean, there were 20 other plays in the game that were just like that exact one that could have been called in both boxes. Again, I think it's just an absolute travesty.”

On the style of play from both clubs: 
“They're the best attacking team in the league. We're a close second. And you saw that tonight, both teams were attacking. You've got two teams trying to attack and trying to win. It's great for the game, great for the league and it's entertaining, but for the game to be decided on that type of call. I just think that can't happen at this level. I'm held accountable for doing my job, and these guys need to be held accountable for doing their job as well. I haven't complained all year, and there have been some other calls, but this one for me was over the top.

“In the end, we always dig deep. We defended well. We fought. There are going to be games when you're not on and your rhythm isn't there, but the key thing for me is this team always just fights and works and presses. They're an honest group. They have a ton of belief. They're a tight team. Those things are going to carry us through. So we'll just keep plugging away. And in the end, a point here on the road against the best team in the league is nothing to hang our heads about.”

On his team's attitude and work ethic:
“We're a group that just refuses to lose. They roll their sleeves up every game and they don’t quit. They fight and they work for each other. We’ve got some good football in there as well so we’re a very balanced team. We’re capable of adapting to any style of play. If we need to go direct, we go direct. If it’s a game where we need to play, we can play. Certainly we defend well. We’re a balanced team and that’s the key in MLS. You have to be a team that’s adaptable.”

Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts
On tonight's match:
“We were good in patches, but when you play on the road and come out with a point, you have to be happy. We’ve been doing good so far. The team is coming together nicely. It’s relatively a new team. Some players are new to the league. Hopefully as we continue they’ll get more experienced, get more familiar with the league and we’ll be better.

On not getting the full three points:
“It’s frustrating because you come on the road, you’re leading 1-0, with 12 minutes to go and there’s a PK, but it’s the sport. You have to react and you have to keep on playing. It was unfortunate, but we dealt with it well and we came away with a point.”

Timbers midfielder Rodney Wallace
On setting up Portland’s goal:
“Obviously, it’s good to have fresh legs on the bench. This team takes pride in having everyone ready and having 18 players that are going to go out there and be ready to compete. I came in and just tried to do my job. It was just good team build up. I was able to get a good ball from [Diego] Valeri and I tried to take a shot and it wasn’t open so I chipped the ball into the back post and Darlington [Nagbe] was there to finish it.”

Timbers defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste
On the call that led to the penalty kick:
“It was a rough game out there. We were battling. He was holding onto me. I was holding on to him. He was hungry to score. I was hungry to keep our clean sheet and leave here with three points. The referee felt I drug him down. I felt like he was tugging on me, I was tugging on him and it was really going both ways. I still feel like I let my team down. We had three points in the bag and we knew the first half was ours. We get to the second half with a clean sheet. We're confident we’re going to score in the second half, and we got our goal. I feel I let my team down with a lack of focus and the referee gave them a gift.”

Notes:

• The Timbers extended their MLS-club record unbeaten streak to eight matches and are tied with FC Dallas for the longest unbeaten run in MLS this season.
  
• With the draw at FC Dallas, the Timbers are unbeaten in their last six road matches dating back to the 2012 campaign – a club record.
  
• Portland remains the only club in MLS that is unbeaten away from home this season (5 games), with a record of 1-0-4 on the road, and owns the best road winning percentage (.600) in MLS.
  
• The Timbers recorded their eighth goal on the road this season in the draw at FC Dallas, which is tied with Houston for the second-most in MLS.
  
• The Timbers have earned results in two of their last three visits to FC Dallas Stadium, and improve to 1-2-3 in the all-time MLS series against FC Dallas.
  
• With his goal in the second half, forward Darlington Nagbe became the Timbers MLS career leader in goals scored with 11 career goals.
  
• Nagbe scored his second career goal against FC Dallas, both of which have come at FC Dallas stadium. He is now tied with Jack Jewsbury and Kalif Alhassan as the club’s all-time goal-scoring leaders against FC Dallas.
  
• Nagbe’s goal was Portland’s 12th goal scored in the second half this season, which ranks among the most in the league.
  
• The go-ahead goal by Nagbe was just the third goal allowed by FC Dallas at home and the first since March 17, ending a string of 347 consecutive shutout minutes at home for FC Dallas.
  
• Portland’s goal also marked the first time in 10 games this season in which FC Dallas conceded the first goal of a match and the first time FC Dallas trailed at home in 2013.
  
• The penalty-kick goal by FC Dallas was just the second goal allowed by the Timbers over the final 30 minutes of a match this season.
  
• Midfielder Rodney Wallace recorded his first assist of the season and first career assist against FC Dallas on Nagbe’s goal. He has now registered both a goal and an assist in substitute appearances this season – the only Timbers player to record a point as a substitute in 2013.
  
• Portland recorded 15 shots against FC Dallas, setting a new season-high for shots on the road. The club’s previous season-high was 13 in a 1-1 draw at Seattle Sounders FC on March 16.
  
• The Timbers had four different players – Nagbe, Will Johnson, Frederic Piquionne and Kalif Alhassan – record three or more shots against FC Dallas.
  
• The Timbers attempted eight shots in the first half, the second-most shots attempted by the club in a half on the road this season.
  
• The Timbers held an 8-4 lead in shots at halftime against FC Dallas, marking the third time in five games on the road this season in which Portland held a lead in shots over its opponent at the break.
  
• Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts recorded four saves against FC Dallas and has logged four or more saves in each of his last four games, three of which have come on the road. He recorded a season-high six saves in a 3-2 road victory against Sporting KC on April 27.
  
• Forward Frederic Piquionne made his first MLS start in the match against FC Dallas. His previous seven appearances this season have all come in a substitute role.
  
• Midfielder Kalif Alhassan returned to the Starting XI for the first time since April 14 vs. San Jose; it was his fourth start of the 2013 campaign.