Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
Thoughts on the match…
I think we could have taken two more points, but I don't necessarily think that I would say that we deserved it. I think we gave up some counters due to our own mistakes, but we also created some really good chances. (Hugo) Lloris made a couple of really good saves. Tim (Melia) made an unbelievable save in the first half when (Eduard) Atuesta came in on the one-two. He made a great save there and then he made a couple more in the second half. Tim was outstanding in the game. We were very good tonight. Don't get me wrong, we were very good, but they were also good. I think, if you want to watch a game in MLS, that's the kind of game you want to watch. Both teams play. There's a little difference in the styles of both teams, but it was a good match. They probably think they could have scored a few. We probably think we could have scored a few. I think at the end of the day, the result is pretty fair and the goalkeepers deserved to get shutouts because they both played well.
On the indirect free kick…
Tim was playing the offside and so he took it as Jake (Davis) was playing him the ball back so he could then put it down and play the free kick from there. That's why he picked it up. And so the referee jumped on it, not realizing that Jake just played it back to him for him to kick it. The good thing is that we've worked on indirect free kicks, which funny enough, guys probably never think it's ever going to really happen. But it did in this game and the guys did a good job of at least being ready for it.
On the team’s sharpness…
I think the team was a lot sharper. I might be saying this for a long time because I think what happens a lot of times is you get into situations where, when you get in the final third, you want everything to be as sharp and clinical as everywhere else on the field is. But as you guys know, that's where the money is, right? The money is in those parts of the field. So we're getting stronger in that area. We're creating good chances.
On the play of Memo Rodriguez…
Memo played an excellent match. His positioning was tremendous in the game and it helped so much as we're building out of the back. He played great balls, penetrating balls in behind their defense. He had an excellent performance. It was one of those games where neither team really made a lot of subs in the game. Those guys deserved to be on the field because they were playing well and you also didn't want to change the rhythm of the team all that much. I think the team was much sharper in this game, from each game, from the first to the second, now to the third. It's very good.
On the defensive performance…
Our back four needed to control their front three. They're very dangerous as a front three, as we all know. They did a really good job of that. I also think we put them under pressure with our front three against their back four. It was a very interesting game. I'm really proud of the guys with the way they played.
On Nemanja Radoja’s positioning…
Sometimes we want to come out with three. He has the flexibility to do that. It could be the right back or the left back that joins the other two central defenders. It was more of the situation, but everybody's very well aware that if we're coming out with three, it can be any of those situations I just mentioned.
Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia
On playing LAFC…
I think what is different about LAFC is it just happens so fast. It's one little turnover and then they're not trying to connect or do anything. They just get that ball past our backline and they're in. They have a lot of very talented, very athletic guys that just get in behind you and get that little yard or two of space and all of a sudden they've broken you down.
On the indirect free kick…
I’ve got to go back and watch it again. When (Andreu) Fontas hit the ball out, the ball was clearly moving and then the ball went to Jake and Jake paused it and kicked it back. And at that point, the ref had made a signal that the ball was moving. So when he played it back to me, I thought we were resetting the offside line. That was why I was walking forward, because I was trying to get closer to where the actual offside was. And then they started to run at me and I was like, ‘what's going on here? I'm just going to pick this up.’ I got lucky. I want to go back and watch it. Hopefully it's one I can laugh about later, but we didn't get scored on so moving on from that.
On preparing for indirect free kicks…
It's one of the things we'll work on with set pieces when there's a really tight set piece or a play within the box. I think the guys did a good job and set up and forced (Denis) Bouanga to have to kind of try to get it around all our guys and go to the opposite side. Ultimately our setup worked and we were able to skirt out of the play.
On the shutout…
From the start all the way even in Houston to Philly and then here as well, this was our biggest test by far. I think that our back four and our midfield has been such a component to prioritizing our defending and not giving up a lot of opportunities. If we can come in a place like this with the explosive attack that they have and play that very confident defensive game, I think it's one that's going to yield a lot of really good results throughout the season.
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Memo Rodriguez
Thoughts on the match…
Obviously I’m grateful for the opportunity. I think the team did very well. Obviously in the last 5-10 minutes, they're at home and they're pushing for a goal. That's where we have to stay focused and defensively stay sound and absorb the pressure because we know that they're trying to push for their goal. But overall, I think we had a great performance.
On the team’s possession…
I think I felt comfortable. I think I found great pockets. I think we moved the ball side to side well for me to have time on the ball and to find the pockets and turn and go at the back line. We did that very well in the first half and then obviously a little bit of fatigue comes in in the second half. But we did well throughout the whole game.
On the indirect free kick…
Obviously, it's tough. They're in our box, right? So we have 6-7 guys in the wall. And then ultimately you have to have a runner pressuring the ball because once they touch the ball, it's going to be a shot. You don't think they're going to pass it from there. So I try to do the best as possible to close down the angle and have them take a difficult shot.
