Portland Timbers Quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese
On tonight’s result...
"I thought we were the better team, but the better team needs to get the job done and credit to them. They found a goal in a moment that they were trying to survive and that gave them spirit, confidence and then from that point on it became difficult for us to find the goal that we needed to tie the match. But you can’t only be the better team. You need to get the goals to make sure you win the game. Today, we have to give credit to them because they found a goal in a moment they were struggling. That put them on top and then they were able to hold on to that goal and now they’re going to the final. It’s unfortunate for us because we took this competition very seriously, so it feels bad, but we have to learn from it and continue to work.”
On scoring the equalizer heading into the break…
“It was very important for us because I think we were the better team. We didn’t allow them to create too many opportunities and we were able to make sure we controlled the match. We just needed to be a little bit better going forward and then we found a right moment with the goal coming back into the locker room. I think we carried that momentum into the second half. I thought we were good for many moments and a little unlucky in parts of the game. At the end of the match, we were a little bit unlucky. That ball just turns a little bit one way and goes in, but I don’t believe in that. I believe that we could have managed our situation and we could have done a little bit better, not only playing well but getting the job done.”
On preparing for Vancouver on Saturday…
“Analyze this quickly and put it behind because we need to practice and get the team ready. We need to prepare for Vancouver [Whitecaps FC]. It’s going to be another tough game. They are rested. We’re at home and we need to make sure we get the three points because now we have to concentrate one hundred percent on the season. Every point is going to be important at home.”
Minnesota United FC Quotes
Minnesota United FC head coach Adrian Heath
On how it feels to make his first U.S. Open Cup final …
“[I’m] obviously delighted for everybody, [the] ownership group. I thought the noise in the stadium was incredible. [The] players have worked so hard recently. If you look at the games that we’ve had in probably the last month, it seems like everyone’s been really, a must win and that weighs on you mentally as well as physically. To come through again like we’ve done again is a testament to all of the players.”
On his reaction to the ball off the post at the end of the game …
“Well, sometimes you earn your luck and I thought that we earned our luck tonight. But Vito came up with a couple of really big saves when we needed him. He’s been immense the last two or three weeks and the top goalkeepers always save you when they need to, the big save, the crucial moment. You know, he’s done it again for us tonight, a couple of outstanding saves and a little bit of luck.”
Notes
- Brian Fernandez scored his fourth goal in U.S. Open Cup play. Only Frederic Piquionne has score more career goals for the Timbers in the U.S. Open Cup.
- Fernandez is the first Timbers player to score in three different U.S. Open Cup games in the same season.
- Fernandez has now scored 12 goals in all competitions for Portland this season in his 15 matches for the club.
- Jeremy Ebobisse notched the second assist of his U.S. Open Cup career.
- Sebastián Blanco was credited with six chances created in the match. Only once in regular-season play has Blanco created more chances in a single match.
- The game was the sixth match in club history in either the quarterfinals or semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup. All six matches have been in the last six years and all six have been on the road.
