Quotes: Portland Timbers at Chivas USA
Portland Timbers Quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
On effective squad rotation and result:
“I think it says a lot about our depth. It’s important in this league, it’s a long season. Now that we have to manage Champions League, obviously we have Open Cup coming up, you’re going to have injuries. So it’s great to know that when we rotate our team, that we can get the same high level in terms of performance. I thought it was a very professional performance. I thought over the course of the two games, played nearly 20 guys, I don’t even know the exact number, but I thought every single guy put a shift in. That’s great, we’re going to need that to win games moving forward.”
On the two goals:
“I thought we were very patient today. Chivas did a nice job at staying organized. We had a lot of the ball. First half didn’t create a ton of chances, but I was pleased with our control of the game. And I knew because we wore them down quite a bit in that first half, that eventually we’d find the breakthrough. As the second half started to unwind, we found more and more space because they were at home and they were looking at getting more numbers forward. The first goal we talked about Jorge [Villafaña] getting forward at halftime and whipping in some early balls behind their back line and that was exactly how we scored the first goal. [Fanendo] Adi made a great run in the box, positioned himself well. Then on the second goal, [Diego] Valeri slipped in a great ball behind and Adi made a good play on a breakaway.”
On their last two games and next match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC:
“The plan was all along to play a group in New York, turn around, play pretty much a different group, obviously we overlapped a few guys, which means now we come back to Vancouver with fresh options even though we’ve just played two games in five days. Again, I think this week we showed no matter what we’re up against, we’ve got guys that can step in to do a job. We’re looking forward to Vancouver, we know with a win there we can jump them in the table. And with our fans behind us, the boys will be flying.”
Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi
Thoughts on the two goals:
“It’s an amazing feeling. As a striker you come into the game believing that you can be able to help the team in the way of getting goals and that’s just what happened. Not credit just to me but credit to the whole team. Without the guys who kick the ball I couldn’t put the ball in the net. It’s credit to everyone.”
Thoughts on contributing to the team quickly:
“It means a lot, that’s what I am here for. I’m just here to contribute as much as I can to the team. It’s all about the team, not about an individual player. My work is to come in at any time I’m given the opportunity and help the team. I think we had a great game.”
Feelings after scoring the first goal:
“It’s amazing, of course. I came into the game to help the team that I was looking forward to getting a goal. The first goal really changed a lot for us as well. It created a lot of space for us for the second goal, not just for me but for the whole team.”
Portland Timbers defender Jorge Villafaña
Describing his assist:
“A play that always starts on the other side and it gives the back player, the defender, to get on the attack and I went in a good position to make a cross and Adi was there and he just finished it.”
Thoughts on Portland’s first shutout win:
“I think the work that we put in everyday, we’ve been improving, we showed it in New York. We won that game too and we come here and we work as always and we get the three points and a clean sheet.”
Thoughts on back-to-back road wins:
“It means a lot. It gives us confidence and we just have to work hard and it’s going to a new direction and it’s going to be better”
Thoughts on Chivas’ approach in the match:
“We were preparing for Chivas, we know it’s a good team. We were preparing like other teams. It’s an important game and we came and we work and we got the three points.”
Thoughts on playing against his former team:
“Yeah it’s a bit special. I have a lot of love for the club and you always want to do your best in each and every game but most where you came up. I’m happy because we won and because we have the three points.”
Thoughts on proving himself:
“I always like to work hard and do everything I can to help the team and tonight I helped the team with an assist and I’m really happy that things are going good for me and for the team.”
Chivas USA Quotes
Chivas USA head coach Wilmer Cabrera
Thoughts on the game:
“In the first half we came out with a lot of good intensity but we weren’t clear with the ball, we were losing it too easily. When we went [into the locker room at halftime], we were talking about being a little bit calmer, a little bit more secure and comfortable with the ball so we could hurt them because we were doing too many turnovers. We were improving in the second half but then they were very good in those two passes and in two situations they broke the backline too easily and they were clinical, they were definitely very good finishing. The game was a little bit rough in that aspect today. The first half defensively they only attacked once or twice, the second half they attacked twice but they scored two goals and it was tough.”
On not finding the rhythm at home vs. on the road:
“I think we have [began to] now to put a lot of pressure on us. [The players] are eager and anxious to win at home, because we have been doing well away, but we have to be a little bit calmer in that aspect. We cannot rush and we cannot lose our good shape and our work that we do on the field if we cannot find the possibilities.”
On how to handle the match better:
“At this point we have to forget what happened in the first half with our possession and our turnovers and we have to think that in the second half we cannot just stop defending or just keep [giving] the possibilities to the other team to break the line that easily and to score [on those opportunities]. Right now we need to address it, we need to recover and we need to think that we have the opportunity to reverse this performance against Philadelphia Union.”
Chivas USA midfielder Mauro Rosales
Thoughts on the game:
“We had a very even first half, very organized with our marks, with our position and perhaps without the sufficient ball possession to generate play. Either way, we ended zero-zero. We were able to get the clearest opportunity of the match [in the first half], but we weren’t able to convert. Secondly, we moved our lines up a bit in order to get forward more, to try to get something more and we perhaps had the bad luck that they converted the goal on us.
“They were two goals that were scored very fast and perhaps we weren’t able to react. The team continues growing, but we obviously have a lot of desire to earn a result here at our house. To be able to win at home is a goal that we all have, a principal objective for of our next game against Philadelphia. That’s what we need and now we have to work hard these two, three days to be well and ready for the match against Philadelphia.”
Chivas USA midfielder Carlos Alvarez
On Chivas’ attacking opportunities:
“It’s a little frustrating because we couldn’t score, but at the end of the day we got chances, and we just need to take advantage of that. We need to keep working while believing in the philosophy that our coaching staff is trying to implement.”
On his performance:
“I just do what the coaches ask me and what I have in my game and try to attack and try to create chances, and obviously I went in and I think I did pretty good. We just need to keep working every day more and more just to get better as a player, as an individual and as a team.”
Notes:
· Following road wins against Chivas USA on Wednesday night and New York Red Bulls on Saturday, the Timbers have registered consecutive road wins for the first time in the team’s MLS history.
· Forward Fanendo Adi, who made his first MLS start on Wednesday, became the 10th Timbers MLS player to tally a brace, scoring two goals in the second half against Chivas USA.
· Portland’s Adi and forward Maximiliano Urruti, who scored a brace on Saturday against New York, became the second pair of Timbers players to net braces in consecutive matches in the team’s MLS history.
· Midfielder/forward Darlington Nagbe saw his Timbers MLS club-record streak end at 60 consecutive starts on Wednesday. Nagbe, who entered the match in the 58th minute as a substitute, has appeared in 80 of Portland’s 81 matches since the start of the 2012 MLS season.
· Defender Jorge Villafaña registered his first career assist and point as a member of the Timbers on Wednesday against Chivas USA, his former club. Villafaña has made consecutive starts and three straight appearances for Portland.
· Adi, midfielder Michael Nanchoff and defender Danny O’Rourke each made their first starts of the season on Wednesday.
· Portland improved its record against Chivas USA to 4-4-2 all-time in MLS regular-season matches, including a 2-2-1 mark at the StubHub Center.
· The Timbers are unbeaten in six consecutive matches (3-0-3), which ranks as the third-longest active streak in MLS behind Real Salt Lake (12) and New England (7).
· Portland has tallied at least a point in eight of the team’s last nine matches.
· Midfielder Rodney Wallace made his first appearance on the gameday roster this season Wednesday night after recovering from offseason knee surgery.
· Rookie defender Taylor Peay made his first appearance on the gameday roster Wednesday.
· Portland’s 20 goals ranks tied for fifth in MLS, while the team’s 12 second-half goals also rank tied for fifth.
· The Timbers are 2-0-2 when scoring first this season.
· Midfielder Diego Valeri has recorded a point in four of the team’s last five matches. Valeri is one of several players tied for third in MLS with four assists.
· Midfielder Diego Chara returned to the lineup after missing two matches following surgery to stabilize a fractured third metacarpal in his left hand sustained against LA Galaxy on May 11.
