Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
On looking for the team’s first goal of the season…
I'm not worried about it. It’s very hard to come on the road like we have two games in a row and then also getting the one postponed while we were already away. We didn’t have good preparation this week for this game because of the short week and having to travel home. We had to change so much of our itinerary. It was excellent for the guys in two games to get at least this point on the road, which was good. We could have done something in Portland as well. The good thing is that from a performance perspective, it is good. We’re building. It is early on the season and we have quite a few guys that still have to get back into the team. We’re missing eight players.
On the play of John Pulskamp…
Especially early in the season, you're going to suffer in situations where things are going to happen and your goalkeeper has to make saves that keep you in the game. You don't fall apart in those moments. The first save he made and then the other one where Cole kind of came in, that play was a hard ball for him because the space closed down really quickly. John did a really good job anticipating the space so he closed him down quickly so there was no way to get around him. John came up big in the game when he needed to and that's what you need your goalkeeper to do.
There are times when they don't get any shots and then they get one and they have to make a save to keep us in the game. There's other times like tonight where there was a lot of action going around. Also, the other thing too, the physicality that he had to stay in the game. There were a couple of situations that he got into where bodies were colliding everywhere and he found a way to stay in the game. He's a tough young goalkeeper for sure.
On the challenge of playing in Colorado…
It just has been hard because of the postponement we had in Portland and the fact that we were still in Arizona in preseason trying to prepare and stay out of the bad weather and then we get faced with the postponement. Then we have to stay an extra day in Portland just because of the charter and everything else. So it was just difficult from that point of view but the guys did a good job of keeping their concentration. This was a great point for us and the fact that we were able to fight through a lot of stuff and still managing guys with their minutes.
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Erik Thommy
Thoughts on the match…
They were good in the first half. They had a lot of chances. They made it difficult for us to play offensively and defensively, but during the game we got used to it. We got our own chances in the second half. We have to score. But, the point is good. It's okay for everybody, for both teams.
On the team’s play in the second half…
We made little changes during the halftime. But at the end, we tried to play with not too much risk during the game. The second half, we waited for our spaces in the front and for our chances. We got our opportunities. At the end, if you have a little bit more luck, we win the game. But, the point is okay.
On adjusting to weather conditions and MLS demands…
It's different because here in the U.S. you have to travel 2-3 hours by plane and in Germany, you have 2-3 hours by bus. It’s different. Today, in the first half especially, we felt that. The air was missing. But every one of us has the same conditions and that's why we have to get used to it. I like it. I feel comfortable here. We have to keep going.
On the excitement for the home opener next week…
Everyone of us is burning at the moment. We need a good training session during the week and to be prepared for the next game at home. I know that our fans will push us and give us energy on the field like they did in the last season. We're very excited.
