Portland Timbers Quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
On tonight’s result…
“I thought we were much better in the second half. We gave it a good run. Obviously the difference in the game was an unbelievable goal. Goal of the Week for sure. It was a great strike by [Jefferson] Savarino, so you’ve got to tip your hat to him for pulling off a play. I thought we came out really bright in that second half, and we were all over them and scored a great goal and we're pushing for the second then they got a goal out of nowhere. We made a good run at the end, had some chances, but just fell a bit short. We have to keep it in perspective. It’s been a good run for us. We’ve played three road games in a row and we took four points out of the three. The guys are disappointed not to get more out of this game, but we have to put it behind us and get ready for Orlando."
On the adjustments in the second half...
“The biggest thing is we needed to play with a bit more urgency. We knew they’d press us but we got caught on the ball a few times early in the game and we got turned over in a bad spot with the first goal they scored. Obviously, Jeff [Attinella] would want that first one back but great response out of him in the second half. He made several key saves. Ultimately, it was a tale of two halves. They were better in the first half, I thought we were better in the second half but the difference on the day was the Savarino goal."
On Diego Valeri setting an MLS record by scoring in his eighth-straight match…
“Great tribute to him and the quality he has to do something that no one has ever done. It’s amazing. Over a lot of years in the league – the fact that he’s done something no one else has ever done by scoring in eight games… Obviously I’m sure if you ask him he’d rather have gotten the win than break the record. But ultimately it’s a great credit to him and the quality of player that he is.
Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri
On his eighth consecutive game with a goal…
“It’s an honor. I’m very thankful for my teammates for that because if you can do that it’s about your team. I think we scored a good goal today and we played a good second half. We didn’t get the three points or even a point at the end, which is sad, so it’s kind of a weird feeling.”
On the goal scored tonight…
“It was a good buildup. We connected a couple passes. We played from the wing and then to our 10 and then to Darren Mattocks. Mattocks then switched with Dairon Asprilla, and Darion made a very good cross. I just followed the situation and headed the ball.”
On the team looking forward to playing three of the last four games at home…
“It’s good to play at home the last three of four. Our goal is to make the playoffs, and the sooner that we can get points the better. We know that it’s not easy. We play against Orlando, and they played well against Atlanta and 70,000 fans. MLS is hard and we have to keep up the performances in this way like we did in the second half and in the last couple of games. Like I said, we need points to make the playoffs.”
Portland Timbers defender Liam Ridgewell
On playing tonight after returning from injury…
“It obviously great to be back with the boys. It’s been a long season for myself. They’ve been doing fantastic. 75 minutes. I felt great, which is perfect, but I’m obviously disappointed about the result. It just would have been nice to get the win obviously.”
On being motivated to helping the team make the playoffs…
“It would be nice to have a good finish and being a one or two seed. To win it would be fantastic. The boys have been great, so anything I can do to come into the team and help would be great. I’m feeling good, which is nice for me.”
Real Salt Lake quotes
Real Salt Lake head coach Mike Petke
On the performances the past three months…
“I’ll take away from the fact that the second half Portland had a lot of momentum in the second half and that’s a lot of credit to them. They’re a very good team, Caleb is a very good coach, but the first half we had complete control over and parts of the second half we managed very well. Parts of the second half I don’t think that we managed great, but we did enough to earn a win and I think we fully deserve it.”
On being above the playoff line…
“We’ll be tied with Houston. I believe they have us head to head, but yes it will say tied for 6th, but regardless, to be there right now for the moment, it’s a credit to the guys, I’ve said it to you so many times this year. I’m just the Bozo who’s standing on the sideline and screaming throughout the week just trying to get them to listen to me. You know they have to accept what I’m saying and accept it upon themselves to apply it and practice it in a game in the weekend and get it done. Once the whistle blows I have no control, so credit to the players this last couple months and for the win tonight and to be at the position they’re in right now.”
On going up a goal…
“In anywhere in the world, especially in the MLS when a team goes down, definitely by just one goal, they in the second half really pushed numbers forward, so inevitably it’s going to push you back, but I thought they did well, we did well in our shape to deny them much, but I thought that where we lacked a little bit was the transition in the second half. We had opportunities to go forward and to possess the ball get them running a little bit and we weren’t really direct at times, but listen, these are only little stuff. We have 2-1 win, we have 3 points.”
Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak
On the playoffs…
“I haven’t personally seen the other results but if you say we are above the line that is a great feeling. We did know that it would depend on the other results, that the other team had played less games than us and we are on the same points so it would be ideal if they would drop points anytime soon. But as I said all weekend it was trying to win the rest of the games in the season. We have to look ourselves in the mirror and if we don’t win games and we don’t make it to the playoffs I still would be proud of us.”
On the team’s attitude…
“I think we played very well. I think the other teams know that, Portland is a great team. They created chances today, and they created great stuff but so did we. I think that at the end of the day we did deserve to win the three points.”
Notes
- Portland is the first Western Conference team to reach 50 goals scored in 2017.
- The Timbers have scored in 17 consecutive matches, which is the longest active streak in MLS.
- Diego Valeri scored for an eighth consecutive match, setting an MLS record for consecutive games with a goal.
- Valeri scored his 18th goal of the season, tying the MLS record for goals by a midfielder in a single season.
- Valeri's 18 goals tie the Timbers all-era (since 1975) record for goals in a season.
- Dairon Asprilla recorded his third assist of the season, which is a new career high for the midfielder.
- Roy Miller made eight tackles in the match, tying a Timbers season-high for tackles in a single match. Diego Chara and Alvas Powell have also accomplished the feat this season.
