Portland Timbers Quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
Overall thoughts on the team’s performance…
“I thought the group was outstanding today. Tactically, I thought the execution of the plan was spot on. I thought the mentality when we started the game was what we wanted. We knew there would be a lot of emotion in the game. We wanted to use that, but we didn’t want to be reckless with that. But I thought the way we started the game was very mature. We get that first goal, which is what we always want to do. Like we’ve talked about a lot, as a team in the locker room, there’s always a twist in the game and you’ve got to be ready for it. Good teams, they respond to it and thought our response after giving up the goal, which was credit to [Federico] Higuaín, a goal out of thin air, but a brilliant goal, those things happen in this sport. But it’s how you respond to it that determines whether or not you are going to win a game and I thought our response was excellent. That’s good to see. I thought it was a really good game. I thought we deserved to win. The only thing I think we needed to do better was finish off some counter attacks we had. I thought we were lethal all game long on the counter that was a big emphasis for us this game. We showed how dangerous we can be playing on the break, but we’ve got to finish the play off. We’ve should have been up 2-0, maybe 3-0 with game pretty much to bed. When you let a team hang around and you don’t finish your chances in this sport something like that can happen. But again credit to the guys again for responding and getting three points.”
On the decision to start Dairon Asprilla on the left and Lucas Melano on the right…
“[Dairon] Asprilla and [Lucas] Melano are both right-sided guys. Either one could play right or left. We haven’t played Asprilla as much on the left more because last year Rodney [Wallace] was playing on the left a lot and Melano does pretty well on that left. Whichever one you play on the right they became more of a natural right-sided guy, whichever one you play on the left becomes more of a guy who comes in, but we felt in this game that with Asprilla’s air play, hitting diagonals into him, flicking things on, but then also in general his ability to come inside off the dribble, he’s a little bit more of a dribbler than Melano is. Melano is more of a guy who runs in behind, we just felt like his [Asprilla] ability to get at [Harrison] Afful one-v-one and in the air as well that would be a good matchup. And on the other side of things, Columbus best side is their right side and Afful going forward was a guy you have to manage, so Asprilla, although Melano looked really good defensively today, Asprilla’s proven to be a little bit better defender, very honest and tracks back. So that was thought we had behind the switch.”
On if he is glad there will be no more talk of the team not winning in March…
“I don’t really pay attention to anyone talking about anything. It’s good to get off to a good start and get three points – the sooner the better. But we need to now get three points next game, so I’m looking forward to being with these guys for 11 months and 33 games now, there are going to be ups and downs, but if we play like we did tonight there are going to be more ups than downs. And we are going to enjoy the three points every time we get it because it’s not easy in this league. You saw some good teams fall today and there will be some games where we fall as well. But if we play the way we did today, tactically and mentally, we are going to win a lot of games.”
On if Columbus plays in a way that suits the way the Timbers like to play…
“I think our ability to absorb, not many teams do that well, we are very comfortable doing that. That helps us in this type of game and our ability to play on the counter. They are a team that is very technical. They built their team to have the ball and attack constantly. But our ability to play in transition, execute in set piece moments and have good collective defending those were crucial factors today and usually in any soccer game – Those we also strengths at the end of the year and I felt it was a strength today and we will continue to have those things as strengths. I thought our team speed was also evident today versus their team.”
On the importance of this win after the start to last season…
“I think this game was crucial for a lot of reasons. Obviously you want to get three points. We’ve talked about getting off to a good start. But it was crucial also to put a marker down a little bit. This talk of being complacent, this talk of all these teams wanting to beat us even more is just talk really. We showed today how hungry we are. We showed today we picked up right where we left off at the end of the year. Last year wasn’t an anomaly. I’m confident that we can continue to go to another level. So I think it was just in all aspects managing the emotion, managing the celebrations and the banner dropping, managing the talk of last year for six weeks, putting a marker down and saying this is a new year. We are again going to be a very good team and nothing has changed because we won MLS Cup, we are just as hungry as ever. But we also know it won't be easy this year and we will remain humble and take every game as it comes."
On the battle out on the wings…
“They are an aggressive team [Columbus] that like to pin you back by pushing their outside backs on. We knew that we had to absorb for periods with our wingers dropping in and our outside backs connected. So you saw we kind of went into a 4-4-1-1 shape. We let them have possession in front of us, but I didn’t think they broke us down a ton. They had a few shots and blocks, a couple chances, one that hit the post. Higuaín was very good and their most dangerous guy on the day, but I didn’t think they broke us down a ton. Part of that was our organization. Our wingers defending their outside backs, but then also every time we won the ball our goal was to make them run with us and look to get behind their outside backs and I thought we had numbers in transition almost every time we won the ball and that was what we were prepared to do. Like I said I thought if we were just a little bit better in that final pass, the decision, the precision on the finish it would have been 2 or 3-0, but we didn’t finish and they scored a great goal, to make it a game. But in the end we responded and got the three points anyways.”
Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi
On playing the Columbus Crew as the season opener and the emotions of the pregame celebrations…
“Going into the game, we knew they were a very good team. They play football the same way we play. They like to keep the ball, and playing against this sort of team, you have to be mentally and physically ready. I thought we were very mentally and physically ready. We got the first goal, which was very important to us. They got an equalizer and the game was balanced. We just had to play our game and we got a second goal. That changed, entirely, the game for us. We just enjoyed it. Before the start of the game, it was what we expected today. To see the banner of winning the 2015 [MLS Cup]. That was amazing and I think that emotion took us into the game and we did very well.”
On his winning goal and his battle against the Columbus defense…
“I saw the ball and maybe it was going to hit the crossbar, but you never know. I was going to break the bar. I saw the ball and had to manage a way to put it in. It was amazing for me to get a goal in our first game of the season, and for us to win is just absolutely amazing. As the coach said, we’re going to enjoy this one tonight.”
Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri
On how satisfying it is to win the Timbers opening game and get his first goal of the 2016 season…
“It’s great. It was a very important game for us, special. The first one after the MLS trophy and we wanted to give the three points to our fans and we did it. I think we played well, as we wanted. We got set pieces, we countered well and I think, in the end, we got three very important points.”
On his celebration of blowing kisses to the sky and the fans…
“Yes and to my wife and my daughter. Just trying to share it with them.”
On whether beating Columbus 2-1 again, and scoring the opening goal again, was a fitting way to start the season…
“Every game is different, but it feels good. Most important, in the end, is the win. We got it.”
On how important it is to open the season with a win…
“It is very important. It feels good. We worked hard in preseason to do that and I think it’s a good start.”
Portland Timbers defender Liam Ridgewell
On the pregame celebration with the fans and the Timbers Army’s tifo…
“I thought it was incredible. It was brilliant. One of the best starts I’ve ever been involved with in my professional footballing career. A big thanks to the fans for setting it on for us. It was nice to celebrate that way. I watched it all the way through. It was fantastic. One of the best things I’ve experienced in my footballing career after winning something.”
On the importance of starting the season with a win…
“It was huge. It was a fantastic season last season. We believed that we could win it and we did it. It was a good feeling and nice to do it, certainly, in front of the home fans. Winning your first game is huge.”
Columbus Crew SC Quotes
Columbus Crew SC head coach Gregg Berhalter
On handling the pent up emotions facing Portland again...
“I thought we handled it well. To be honest, I felt like we had control of the match. Obviously, they were extremely dangerous in offensive transition and it caught us off guard a couple times but I think we were the team really looking to dictate the play so, I’m happy about that. Especially in this atmosphere where the supporters are fantastic, it’s a hostile atmosphere and we looked to control the game and move the tempo.”
On if he liked what he saw in the opening match from his players....
“Absolutely. For us it was a good opportunity to play in a hostile environment and see where you are right away. Like I said, we had intentions to come control the game and for the most part we accomplished that. We could have done a better job of controlling defensive transition, limiting some of the damage there, but it’s a good mindset. I think the guys were proactive, they wanted to play, they wanted to push the tempo and I’m happy with that. It’s not easy to do that in Portland but we certainly did.”
Columbus Crew midfielder Wil Trapp
On if he was taken aback from the Timbers counter attack...
I wouldn’t say taken aback. We knew that they liked to play on the break and they’re strong in offensive transition but we lose the ball and you have to kind of play damage control a little bit at that point. Like Gregg said, I thought [Dairon] Asprilla and [Lucas] Melano had excellent games and those guys are fine, they’re pacey and pretty smart with their runs.”
On if today’s match was good in the long run for the team...
“It’s a great opportunity to come here in front of a hostile crowd and start the season off. Obviously, every game we play, we want to win but I think leading into our home opener next week we’re stronger from this performance. Gregg touched on it but we had a lot of good things happen in this game. It’s something to build off. Obviously, it’s not going to be as sharp as you want, first game of the season, but we’re moving forward and looking forward to [Philadelphia] next week.”
Columbus Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark
On the overall match...
“Disappointing not to come away with points.”
On a positive take away from the match...
“It was nice to get us back in the game with a goal from [Federico Higuaín]. It was a great goal, so I think that.”
On playing in Portland…
“I thought the fans were great. It was fun to play. We’re disappointed we didn’t come away with a point but we’re looking on to next week. We have a big home opener against us and as a team we’re always looking to develop, always looking to get better and we’ll just work from there.”
Notes:
- Sunday’s game marked the 86th consecutive regular-season sellout for the Timbers at Providence Park.
- Prior to the game, the club unveiled a banner at Providence Park to commemorate the team’s 2015 MLS Cup championship season.
- Sunday’s match marked Columbus’ first trip to Providence Park since 2014, while Portland improved to 3-2-2 all-time in regular-season play against Columbus, including a record of 2-0-2 at Providence Park.
- Darlington Nagbe moved into sole possession of first place in games played (161) for the Timbers across all eras (since 1975), passing Willie Anderson (160). Diego Chara is now tied for fifth-place across all eras with Brian Gant, having appeared in 147 career games.
- Midfielder Diego Valeri’s opening goal of the match was the second of his career from a direct free kick.
- Midfielder Jack Jewsbury made his 330th career MLS appearance on Sunday.
- With the victory, the Timbers are now undefeated in their six home openers as a MLS club (3-0-3). Dating back to the USL era, the club is now undefeated in its last 13 home openers (8-0-5).
