Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes
On the game:
“They had a few good chances, we had a few good chances. I thought we started the first 30-35 minutes – we were actually really good – we had the ball and they were a little bit concerned about how we were going to come after them. I thought we moved the ball really well, we were maybe just off the final pass because we missed some opportunities – not opportunities that were on goal, but missed some situations where they were spread out and we could’ve went right through them. The last 10 minutes of the half, they started getting a little bit of the play, they changed some things up, we didn’t adjust as well as we could’ve, because we gave away two good chances before the end of the half. I thought the adjustments we made at halftime really put them under pressure as well. There’s no doubt that when you’re playing at somebody else’s place, especially late in the game when it’s 0-0, they’re going to start throwing numbers forward like they did, but we almost had the one where Dom (Dwyer) was through on the ‘keeper and then Gerso hit the other one that ricochets over and the other one where he hit it and the goalkeeper made a save. There was just some good action that I thought we created and all in all this was not an easy night to play, the conditions were really, really tough with the wind. Not so much the rain, but just the wind was ridiculous, but the players did well and I thought we kept the ball and we gained a point.”
On if there was a concerted effort to limit Sebastian Giovinco and Michael Bradley:
“It was definitely part of our plan, keep Bradley off the ball and then at the same time limit the space that Giovinco had. If you look at the end of the first half, it’s one of the reasons why things changed, he left the front line and was going back into space to try to find the ball and play from there. When he’s farther from goal, it’s good. The only thing we didn’t do well in that period of time was we didn’t get enough pressure to him to prevent him from slipping those two guys through. In the second half we did a much, much better job of that and we limited him again – not only his space, but I thought we kept him in places where he doesn’t like to go to and that’s designed in having to go back for the ball and keep him further away from goal.”
On the first month of the season:
“I think the fact that we can continue on in this place of being able to keep goals out of the back of the net, it’s a very important thing as we try and accumulate points over the course of the season, so I’m very pleased with that aspect. We created some good chances, especially on the road; I’m feeling very good about the progress that we’ve made. Obviously we’ve got a lot of games ahead of us and we’re racking up points which is important for us.”
On Jimmy Medranda’s performance in the midfield:
“I thought he did well, I thought he did very well. I thought, based on the game plan we executed, him and Roger (Espinoza) actually did a great job. I thought maybe he was a little fatigued. I think what happened to him was that he was recovering and catching his breath a little bit. I had asked him after the game if he was tired and he said ‘no, I was just recovering,’ but I think to get some fresh legs in the middle of the park was actually a good thing. I thought Mustivar when he came in did well. For Roger, Graham (Zusi) especially, they played for their national team and those guys gave an incredible effort tonight to be able to play 90 minutes I thought was great.”
On if there was a thought to not start the players that had been away on international duty:
“I would confer with them once we all got to Toronto and they said they were feeling recovered and ready to go and I told them that I needed them to be honest with me. If they needed a break, I could give it to them, we have other guys that can step up and play, but I’ve been around those guys for a long time and have a very good relationship with them in that regard and they said ‘no, I’m ready to play.’ Weather was great, not too hot, it was actually just the opposite, so it wasn’t like they were going to be fatigued by the weather, which is a good thing and helped a lot. Both guys gave a great effort tonight.”
On if Benny Feilhaber will be fit for next Sunday’s clash with Colorado:
“I think he’s going to start doing some stuff on Monday and then Tuesday he’ll probably come back and train with us a little bit so for now that’s the goal.”
Sporting KC defender Matt Besler
Overall thoughts on the game
“I think it was a hard fought match. The weather conditions didn’t make it for an easy night to play. I think from a mentality standpoint we did a great job, I think both teams had a couple decent chances there but nobody was able to put it away. I think a draw was a fair result.”
From a defender's standpoint what was the biggest challenge that Toronto’s attackers posed
“They have certain movements with the way that they play, and styles that present challenges. They don’t play a typical formation, they have a lot of movement in the center part of the field with Giovinco checking back and finding the ball. Overall I think we limited their chances, so I think we can walk away happy with how we played.”
Toronto was over possessive in the second half, do you think you put your foot off the gas pedal just a little bit in the second half?
“Yes and no. Second half we were against the wind, we had trouble getting out of our own half. I think we have to give credit to Toronto, they upped their intensity in the way they were moving. It was their home opener so you could tell that they were trying to push a goal. At some point, we have to be smart with the way we defend with our numbers.”
Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney
Are you frustrated after tonight?
“Yes, it was a bit of a frustrating night for sure, the positives were to get another shutout I thought Alex did a great job in a tough situation coming in and did well. It was good for Raheem to come in and get 90 minutes, he did well. We created some chances and we need to put one or two of those away. There is a number of things we can continue to do and work towards to get better at, it is early in the season. By and large through portions of the game their best chances came through our silly mistakes. It was a frustrating night because it was one where you want to take three points and for many reasons.”
How difficult did you find it dealing with their press and playing through pressure?
“I thought early in the game we got caught a few times with it, as the game went on they did not press as much. They found some moments through our back group who must be more confident about clearing balls through the pressure and recognizing playing those balls through the angles. There were a few times we hesitated playing balls forward through those angles and ended up making another backward pass and the press just kept coming. Too many moments of those through the night where our backline must organize a bit better and be more confident of playing a ball forward. They are a good pressing team; we knew that was coming but the main difference in the game was us not finishing our chances where we created them. We need to finish at least one of those.”
Thoughts on Raheem tonight and how he did?
“I thought Raheem did very well tonight, you wouldn’t know it was his first MLS start tonight in my opinion. He looked composed, comfortable, did a great job defensively it is a lot of work to do out there specially to do it in the manner he did and he created several crossing opportunities that he did and still did his defensive work. So I was very pleased with his performance this evening. He got into eight to ten crossing positions and more than half were very decent deliveries.”
Was it too much soccer in one week to start Jozy?
“Yes, we talked to him to see how he felt after all the traveling and two matches. A collective discussion to see how we were going to fit him in and it was our choice to use him at the end of the game rather than the beginning to help us get a goal late on.”
