Portland Timbers Quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
On importance of getting the win and snapping the winless streak…
“Obviously when you aren’t getting results you hope that you continue to play well like we did, and that’s what I was preaching all week. I said that after the game and I’m glad that we were rewarded for playing well again.”
On the importance of big players stepping up…
“It’s huge, obviously; we need our key attacking players to produce goals. Diego [Valeri] looked back and sharp again. I think a couple games back from injury it took a little bit for him to just get into a rhythm. But certainly this game he was back to doing what he does, and that’s create goals for us and we needed that. It wasn’t easy. Obviously there will be a lot of talk about the red, but I thought we were really sharp prior to the red. I thought we were relentless and in complete control before that. In some ways, you have the red happen and especially when you are on the road, they can sit back even more and it wasn’t easy. It required a lot of patience and precision in the final third. It was great to get that first one. And then we showed pretty good composure at 1-0 too. Kept the ball well. I would have liked to have gotten the second goal a little bit sooner obviously we had several counter attacks that we should have capitalized on, which would have given me less gray hairs at the end of the game. Again it’s good to get the second goal. Great to get the clean sheet. It’s good to get three points and the biggest thing is it’s great to get rewarded for playing well because I thought we played really well tonight just like we did last week. It’s one thing to say it but then to do it and get three points out of it that’s extremely important for the guys to know if they stick with the process and they stay calm and they keep a steady hand and keep playing well and don’t panic they will get rewarded and I thought we did today.”
On the message at halftime and if he was concerned it would be hard to break through…
“Any team that is on the road and down a man is just looking to try to steal something on a counter or a set piece and/or get a draw. We had a lot of good possession that first half. We had some moments where we got in good spots but didn’t create enough. So there were a few adjustments we made. The biggest one was to continue to put the pressure on them and not let them find a counter. Not let them steal a goal off a set piece. We wanted to stay on the front foot. We wanted to continue to get the ball wide and get crosses in, which we did. We almost scored one with [Dairon] Asprilla and another one with [Fanendo] Adi. We also felt like we could find space in between the lines. Obviously they were playing with Wondo [Chris Wondolowski] in center mid and we felt we could combine around him. And I thought we found some good spots. It’s difficult. Any team that sits like that is difficult. It’s great to get two goals. Two goals is enough.”
On the importance of the first goal and the way it developed…
“I’d love to take credit tactically for that great counter attack, but really it was Diego Valeri pulling off a great play and that’s what you need out of your players. And often times when you are playing a packed defense like they were that’s what it takes. It takes a special play from a special player. Someone who can operate in tight spaces. He turned, jumped a defender and what a great finish out of him.”
On what lessons he can take away from this game having played 11 v 11 for a short time similar to the Montreal game…
“We scored two goals. We had a clean sheet. We were, like I said if you go watch the game again, the better team before the red card. We were the one on the front foot. We were the one in control. We were the one creating chances. We had great energy. We can take a lot of the game. We got three points. Playing against a team that was sitting in, which is not always easy. The difference in Montreal was we gave up an early goal. So it’s a much different game. If we don’t give up the early goal in Montreal then obviously we can do the same thing they did. But it’s not the way the game went.”
On the tight table in the Western Conference…
“We don’t look at the table right now. We know it’s there. We focus on the next game. Focus on the process. I thought our guys showed a lot of composure. Not getting a result in five. Like I said having a really good performance last game, one of our best performances of the year, and for the guys to stick with process and to come back and play with the same energy in the same positive way. I’m just really pleased they were able to get rewarded. I’m pleased they showed composure because a lot of times teams mentally they can’t and they do get tight and that didn’t happen with this group. And you saw it from minute one. They looked confident. Great energy to start the game. And that showed me a lot. Because I’ve seen teams who don’t get results they get tight and they don’t play with the same energy. This team showed a lot of composure. I think through our first rough patch of the year. Hopefully there isn’t another one, but this is the way MLS is. You guys are always talking about the standings and where we are at and fifth and sixth, and now then now we are third, and it’s kind of silly really. Because now we are third, but what do we say now, everything’s great? We don’t get into that. We don’t talk about that. We don’t think about that. We focus on the next game.”
On the play of Dairon Asprilla…
“I thought he played the role we needed him to play today. He played to his strengths, and that’s key. He’s a direct player. He’s a right winger and we asked him to play right winger and be very direct and go 1-v-1 and get crosses in. We asked [Sebastián] Blanco to play more inverted like [Darlington] Nagbe, little bit more freedom. I thought both of those two guys did a really good job. Played to their strengths and that’s key. What we want is our guys to bring what they bring and it’s easier said than done sometimes. I thought Blanco had a lot of possession, a lot of good little moments. He was clever. He still needs to get that shot off sometimes a little bit quicker. But you have to give San Jose credit too, they blocked I don’t know how many shots. I’ve got my stat sheet here but it’s about the human spirit today.”
Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri
General thoughts on the match…
“We were happy about the performance. We were playing well when it was 11 on 11. After the red card, obviously it was a little bit easier to manage the game. I think we were calm to wait for the goal, and we won the game.”
On the importance of getting a total team performance…
“It was very important because we knew we had a couple of good performances, but didn’t get the results we wanted. So it was very important today at home to be calm and keep working the same way. We earned three points against San Jose, [which is important] because this conference is very tight.”
On both goals he scored tonight…
“The second goal was a bit lucky. I just followed the situation and after the rebound I was there. The first goal was from a great pass. When Zarek [Valentin] has the ball, I always look to him because he has a great right foot. He’s like a midfielder. He delivered a very good ball, which forced me to do something. I was just lucky that [Fanendo] Adi left the ball there and I just finished.”
Portland Timbers defender Zarek Valentin
On getting the win tonight…
“We’ve needed this for a little bit. Obviously it’s been a little bit of a tough run in terms of results, and not necessarily the way we’ve played. I think before the red card we had a good handle on the game, and I think we had a good feeling throughout the entire game. We had the ‘it’s a matter of time mentality’ and those came. Diego had a pair of great goals. I think we could have had one or two more, but I think it was a good team performance. It’s just a great feeling going into another tough match against Dallas. We’ve just got to stay prepared, enjoy this one for a day or two and then refocus ourselves.”
On his late sliding tackle on San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Tommy Thompson to prevent a scoring opportunity…
“It happened very quickly. A similar event happened in the Montreal game, where Ambroise Oyongo scored and I wasn’t able to get close enough and the ball went through my legs and Jake [Gleeson] was unable to make the save. You go back and look at the film and try to better yourself. When that situation came, I knew I had to take a step or two closer and I just tried to make myself as big as possible. Ridgey [Liam Ridgewell] made it predictable so that I knew where the ball was going. He and Roy [Miller] did well in that sense. I’m just happy I was able to get in front of it and block it. At the end of the day, three points is worth it.”
Portland Timbers defender Roy Miller
On the team earning its second shutout of the season…
“I think we played a good game today. I think after the red card and before it, we played very well. Sometimes people may say playing against 10 players is easy for the team, but sometimes it’s more difficult. Today, they sat back and waited for the counter attack. We were good in the back and then scored in the second half. That’s good confidence for us, and at the end we scored. I know we should have scored more goals tonight, but at the end of the day it’s three points and it’s good for us.”
On building off tonight’s performance heading into next week’s home match against FC Dallas…
“In the last game, we played really good. Today, you saw the team play the same way. We have to keep it going against Dallas. I know they’re a good team. It will be a tough game. They are in our conference, so we expect the same or an even tougher match against them.”
San Jose Earthquakes Quotes
San Jose Earthquakes head coach Dominic Kinnear
General thoughts on the match…
“Tough game.”
On if he thought his team had a chance to get back into the match following Portland’s opener and playing with 10 men…
“They scored [a second goal] in the 89th. We had some good chances, even with 10 men. [Chris Wondolowski] gets a chance, cleared off the line. Tommy [Thompson] has a good chance, gets blocked. We had some good looks. We kept plugging away. I’ll give the guys credit for their heart and determination. Playing with 10 men, it’s a tough place to play, even with 11. The red card completely changes the game. What minute was the red card? 37th. There you go.”
On where his team had the best chance to get back into the match…
“The set piece that [Wondolowski] gets his head on, it gets cleared off the line. Marco Ureña’s getting mugged in the box as well, but that doesn’t seem to get noticed. Marco Ureña made some good runs. Tommy Thompson gets that one shot blocked, we had some good moments. That final pass… it was difficult. But like I said, we were dangerous and at 1-0 we weren’t out of it.”
San Jose Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski
On if the red card early in the first half was the biggest difference in the game…
“Portland’s a good team. I want to credit them for the win. But yeah, any time you go down a man, especially here in Portland where it’s already a very tough place to play and the crowd is boisterous, it’s a turning point. I don’t want to say it’s the reason, but it’s a big play.”
On where San Jose had the best chance to get back into the game…
“[Portland] came out in the second half and executed a good goal. I thought we had a couple good breaks. Again, it’s extremely tough to play here, especially with 10 men. You have to definitely sit back and absorb some pressure. But I thought we broke out well. We had a corner kick that I got my head to that just hit someone on the line and I think Tommy [Thompson] had a good chance as well that [Zarek] Valentin made a great block on. I thought Portland did a good job defensively and stayed organized and compact.”
Notes:
- Friday’s game marked the 114th consecutive sellout for the Timbers at Providence Park.
- Friday’s match was head coach Caleb Porter's 150th regular-season game as an MLS manager. Porter is one of three coaches to have 150 games managed in both the NCAA and MLS, while also winning an NCAA championship and MLS Cup, along with Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmid.
- Portland attempted 22 shots in the match, its most in a single match since May 15, 2016, against New York City FC.
- Portland finished the match with a passing accuracy of 87.6 percent, the best for the Timbers in a match since 2012. Additionally, Portland completed 281 passes in the second half, which is the most ever in a second half of an MLS match for the Timbers.
- The Timbers have won five straight home matches against San Jose. Portland is undefeated in MLS home matches against the Earthquakes, compiling a 7-0-3 record.
- San Jose did not attempt a shot in the first half. This was the second time the Timbers have held an opponent without a shot for a first half of a match, along with Aug. 3, 2011, against the LA Galaxy.
- Portland is undefeated in its last seven Friday night matches.
- Diego Valeri scored two goals, bringing his season total to eight, which is tied for third-most goals in MLS this season.
- Valeri has scored 45 goals in his Timbers career, tying him with John Bain for the second-most goals in the club's all-era history (since 1975). Valeri is two goals behind forward Fanendo Adi for most goals in club history.
- Valeri recorded the seventh brace of his MLS career.
- Valeri is one of three active MLS players who has 45 or more goals and 45 or more assists, along with Javier Morales and Sebastian Le Toux.
- Friday’s match was the 400th professional match for defender Liam Ridgewell.
- Zarek Valentin delivered his second assist of the season. All three of Valentin's career assists as a member of the Timbers have been passes to Valeri.
- The shutout was the eighth for Jake Gleeson in MLS, which puts him in eighth place for most shutouts by a goalkeeper in Portland's all era history (since 1975).
