Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
On his overall thoughts of the 2017 season...
It’s hard when you end it like we did tonight. Outside of that, I would say seven years in a row qualifying to the playoffs, we won the U.S. Open Cup, those aspects are obviously very positive, because we were pretty consistent from that perspective. I think that the last four or five games of the season, we fall out a form a little bit. That hurt us down the stretch, especially when you are in a good position like we were after in the LA Galaxy game. We had an opportunity to solidify first or second place, and we didn’t do that and that’s on us when you fall out of form towards the end of the season, which is something we have not done over the years. We’ve been in good form over the years. I think what happens is that it’s hard.
I would say the guys left everything on the field tonight. I applaud them for that and I appreciate them; it’s not like they didn’t fight or didn’t have the intensity, or that they didn’t play hard. As matter of fact, they made chances, too. I just don’t think we had enough at the end of the time.
On the chances created...
It’s obviously a positive in that you’re creating the chances and that they’re good chances, but the negative is that you didn’t stick it to them, and that’s part of the game.
On the game being a physical one...
When you get to the playoffs, all of the games are like this. When you watch any of the games that have been played thus far, they are taking on a different intensity. It would be nice to see if we could create that environment to all 34 regular-season games. I think it would be much different for the fans and the viewers to see on a regular basis if the games were with this type of intensity. It’s exactly what I expected.
Sporting Kansas City Midfielder Roger Espinoza
On the outcome of the match...
You know every time you come into a game like this, an elimination game, it is pretty much a final. I thought our team gave their hearts out there, I thought everyone worked very hard. It happens sometimes, there has to be a winner, they got that opportunity. I think this happens with these types of games, where one goal determines the game and they scored and it was tough for us to come back.
On the physicality of the game with Houston...
Yeah, they are always great games against each other. We played each other tough. Not easy, everybody wants to win. There were a lot of fouls that weren’t called on both sides – it is what it is. It is just the nature of the game; overall, it was a great game for the fans.
On his evaluation of the 2017 season...
I thought we did really well. The last five games were the games that kind of put us in this situation. If we would have won one game out of these against Houston or Minnesota, it puts us in a different situation, but it is what it is. We have a young team. If you look at the three guys up top, it was their first year here; four or five guys, I should say. Very young guys: 21, 22, 23 years old, so it is something to look to the future. Championships are not won in one day; you have to work for it, spend four or five years in this situation where we come back with stronger, younger guys and will have the experience to play in these situations. They got the opportunity to play in the U.S. Open Cup Final, so it is good to look at the future and I would say it is looking good for us.
Houston Dynamo Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera
On how the game went...
Yes, I want to give all the credit to the players. All the players have been outstanding, committed and from the beginning they have been accepting and committed to what we talked about. As a staff, we came in and we proposed something, and they have been accepting. They have been receiving. They have been working. They have been believing. And today, this is for them. Credit to the players. Credit to all of them because they have been outstanding, committed and they have done it. Today we played a very, very tactical game, a very organized game, a very smart game against a very tough team. It was good. It was fun. It was a lot of adrenaline, a lot tension, a lot of fouls, a lot of friction, a lot of back and forth; and at the end we had the possibilities to score the goal in extra time. And we should have scored more goals, no doubt about it, but that was the momentum and just one was good enough to give us the possibility to be in the semifinals.
On if he understands how big a deal this is considering it has been three years since the Houston Dynamo has been to the playoffs...
Yeah this is very rewarding. It’s very rewarding. There’s no doubt that’s it’s been positive, but we are in a very good momentum, so we needed to prove ourselves that we can go through this stage. Of course it wasn't easy. It was really tough, a really tough match against a very good opponent like Sporting Kansas City, but we were at the level to this game. We were at that level. We were even pushing and then we had the possibilities to make the difference on the field, which for me is the most important. We needed to show that. We needed to bring that to the city and that’s why I give the credit to the players and I hope the fans are really happy and excited about this team and the way we are trying to give everything and leave everything on the field for this club, for this franchise, for this city because we are Houston. We are the Dynamo. We are full-on committed with the project.
On Vicente Sánchez’s performance on the field considering his age (37)...
I am not surprised about Vicente Sánchez because that’s why I brought him. I invited him to be a part of this project. I am not surprised. He’s unbelievably talented, smart, and he has an unbelievable quality. He’s sad because he couldn’t score those goals and those opportunities, but what he brought throughout the 55 minutes, the extra time, and the five more minutes during the end of the game, it was outstanding. He gave us that possibility to counterattack, to create problems for them, and to create a lot of possibilities and a lot of options to be dangerous. And he, himself, created that goal that we scored just going wide, going inside the box, with the talent and with the pass to Alberth (Elis) so he could finish after that.
On if the missed penalty at the end of the game was important...
At moment, it was just trying to, you know, he wanted to take it. It was a reward. I imagine he wanted to be rewarded, but he missed. At the end, we won. We were 1-0, so it is part of the game, but it doesn’t diminish anything about what they did on the field throughout the 120 minutes.
On the importance of the experience of older players like Vicente Sanchez and Philippe Senderos...
Very important. It is very important. They have been working very well and today Philippe showed that in the three games he has played, three or four games that he has played, he has made the difference organizing our defense, talking, and being the leader of our defense. And when Vicente (Sánchez) goes on the field, he does things that we still don’t have the type of players that can do that because he’s experienced, and he has talent on the field, and also he keeps himself in very good shape because the dynamic and intensity in how he plays. It’s really important. And then, you know, the young guys are supporting them and they’re running and they’re giving their best on the field so that’s what the team is all about.
On the back and forth situation throughout the game until the end...
Yes, definitely. We knew that, you know, if we let Sporting Kansas City take control of the ball and we wait for them, they are going to destroy us. We needed to put pressure and we needed to try to make them feel uncomfortable. And a very good job by Erick Torres and Alberth (Elis) from the beginning of putting pressure. Erick did an unbelievable amount of work and the same thing with Ricardo (Clark). It was a lot of pressure back and forth. They were very good, but we had some good momentum; sometimes we stalled the ball and we couldn’t finish, but then after 90 minutes with that type of intensity you know that something is going to come. And that's why we were trying to hold the substitutions for that type of moment and then Romell (Quioto) and Vicente (Sánchez) and Eric Alexander, they came fresh and they did. They cooperated, and they brought a lot of good things for the team.
On what the substitutions meant and if they met his expectations...
I thought the plan was, ‘We have to be patient. It’s going to be a close game and at some point, of the 70th, 90th minute if everything is even we have to try to make the difference with our players,’ so that’s why we decided to keep Romell (Quioto) on the bench even though he was desperate to play, but just to try to bring that type of speed and dangerous movements and then the same thing with Vicente (Sánchez). It was necessary for him to come that way. And then helping us, Eric Alexander, who played the last game and played very well, and he was fresh to close the game for us.
Houston Dynamo Defender DaMarcus Beasley
On the team’s performance during the second half...
I don’t know why we can’t keep the ball during the first half. In every game we’ve played, including the last game against Chicago, we’ve just been like that these last couple of games. So it’s something we need to address, something that we will address, but yes it has to be better. We can hurt teams a lot more if we keep the ball a little bit, but we haven’t been able to do that, and I don’t know why. But in the second half, obviously in the last thirty minutes, we did so I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s a mentality thing, but like I said, we’ll look at the tape. Especially for me, I’ll see tomorrow what’s going on and I’m sure we will have a good discussion on Saturday what we didn’t do, what we need to improve on, and get ready for the Portland Timbers on Monday.
Houston Dynamo Goalkeeper Tyler Deric
On facing the Portland Timbers in the next round...
They have a lot of attacking weapons. They are very quick, very good. We have to be prepared this week for the game on Monday and it is going to be another tough game for us, but if we stay calm, composed and ready to put in the work, I know the guys are ready to do that – so I’m really excited for Monday.
On adjusting the backline for Monday’s game...
I felt bad for Leonardo, he has had a great season all year and he has put in the work all year and he went down – it takes a lot to get that guy off the field. But we were confident when Jalil (Anibaba) went in there and (Adolfo) Machado slid in there. Jalil came in and slid in there against Chicago and did a great job, he came in tonight and did an excellent job; and give credit to Jalil, he wasn’t getting exactly the minutes he wanted this year. But in training he has been mentally tuned in and always has a positive attitude on the field in practice. That just gives credit to the dude, because he mentally wants it; mentally he is ready to help the team and with moments like this you know he is ready to step in.
