Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
Thoughts on the match…
I think you’ve got to give Dallas credit. I think that they played with some real urgency in the game. They were clean and crisp in their buildup. I don’t think we expected the game to be as fast as it was - for some reason, I don’t why - at the start. The goal got scored and then we were in the game. After that, from that point on, we were in the game. They scored two good goals. We were all over them, in and around their box. We just couldn’t find it. It was a great goal by Johnny (Russell). But we couldn’t find it at the end. I have no complaints about our guys other than we just have to be ready for the start of the game. That was it. I’ll make sure that that happens next time. (It’s) tough just because I thought we put everything in it.
On the fast start by FC Dallas…
We just weren’t in the game. We weren’t ready to go to start the game.
On the space FC Dallas found in the game…
I think, in the first half, we were a little bit late in some situations. I thought in the second half we were much better. That’s because we made some adjustments at halftime. It was more of just a decision and a commitment level. That got fixed pretty quick.
On if tonight’s result amplifies the challenge of falling behind early…
I don’t know if it amplifies it. It takes on the same kind of emphasis. It doesn’t change. You don’t want to start in the hole. We don’t want to. Today, I think when the game started, we were maybe in third gear and they were in fifth gear to start. The pace of the ball, the movement of the ball, us moving with the game – we just weren’t there so they scored. After that, the game changed. I think the guys realize it. They know it. After the goal, I think they were completely different, personally.
On the identity of the team without Gianluca Busio and Alan Pulido…
We’ve played without those guys before. We have a group that can find a way. I still think that we’re a dangerous team. We battle in games. We find ways to win usually. Tonight we didn’t. It’s not for a lack of effort. It’s not for a lack of chances. It’s not for a lack of creativity. We’re still in it. So from that point of view, it was still like us. It’s probably one of those times where we didn’t find our way back. We were close, but we didn’t find our way back to getting in the game.
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gadi Kinda
On FC Dallas’ start to the match…
They scored very quickly. It was hard to come back after. I think that if we scored before them, it would have been much easier for us. Even after the goal, I think that we played well and had a lot of chances to score. I hope that we win the next game.
Sporting Kansas City defender Andreu Fontas
On FC Dallas’ two goals…
We allowed two quality players to make shots from distance. They may not usually score from there, but today they hit two very good shots and scored. It’s frustrating because I think we tried to push them back. We did it in a lot of other games, but today I think that it was impossible. As I said, they scored two goals in two key moments. They then tried to stop the game and the referee allowed them to.
On the team’s ability to rebound from early deficits this season…
The fact that we can come back and we’ve come back in a lot of other games is huge. It means that we have a spirit and fight until the end. Today we did it again. We didn’t get the result we wanted, but we showed that we can come from behind. We need to do better and start winning. It’s huge for us to score first and not allow them to start wasting time. They had two chances and they scored. Being two behind, it was nearly impossible.
On the defense’s struggle to stay tight…
After they scored two goals, maybe we should have stayed closer. We should be closer to them. If I went closer, then maybe they would play in my box which creates different decisions. Today we didn’t make the best ones. When they punish you like they did with two very good goals, it makes you feel like you should have been more involved. That’s the game though.
FC Dallas head coach Luchi Gonzalez
General thoughts on the match...
Honestly, just very proud of the 90-minute performance. It was back-and-forth, not perfect obviously, with a lot of mistakes. But the mentality I thought was good. They were fierce, they played with courage with the ball. There was mobility, there were combinations, the goals were great examples of taking chances and putting them on frame. But collectively, leading up to goals, were good plays with the ball. Defensively had to sacrifice a lot, Kansas City is a machine here at home. They’ve got a lot of support with the fans and I don’t think they had lost here at home. But we knew it was going to be a battle, it was going to be difficult. But why not come in here and play and get pressure on the ball and create our chances and take them.
On coaching against Peter Vermes...
Peter runs a machine of a team. They’re very clear on the roles of each player and they show a lot of commitment to each other. I’m not surprised to see where they are in the table. I have so much respect for Peter. He’s been a coach in the league for the longest-consecutive years with the exception of maybe Bruce (Arena) leaving and coming back. Every time we get to play this club and coach against Peter it’s an honor and I want to do it with respect and compete. He’s a competitor, he’s passionate. I take notes on the things he shows with this team and with this club to take it to the next step. I really admire his work and his staff and that team.
FC Dallas forward Jesús Ferreira
On building confidence on attack…
Obviously it’s been a rough start of the season. We all know that, and we all know we need to do better. Last week was an amazing win, but it was going to count as nothing if we didn’t continue that. I think last week was a good step in the right direction of where we want to go and the type of game we want to play. Today we showed that we are keeping the momentum. This is a good start of where we want to go, so it’s up and three points at a time. We’re kind of showing the game we want to play. There’s times like you said where the timing is off. But we are working on it and make it better till we perfect it.
On facing Seattle…
We have to keep the momentum. We know we are a young team that can play with the ball. If we have to suffer for a little bit we can do that also. We are a team that can suffer without the ball but we can also counter. We know we are going into a hard stadium to play. Seattle is at top of the league right now and we go in as we always go. Trying to win the game. We just keep the momentum going from these past two games. These games don't count for nothing if we don't play good soccer and keep going.
FC Dallas midfielder Paxton Pomykal
Initial thoughts on the game...
First off, I’m feeling good. That’s four straight starts for me in two weeks so that’s a testament to all the work I’ve put in to get back healthy. And to the medical staff and doctors as well who helped me get back to where I was before. It’s been a long road but I’m finally feeling back to myself and making an impact in games, first and foremost. Whether that’s scoring goals and making assists or just doing my part for the team to help us win, I feel like in the past month or so we’ve played a lot better soccer than at the beginning of the season and the results are starting to come.
On how the attacking players worked together…
I felt like the combinations were very good today. I felt the final service was still lacking a little bit. I had some combinations and passes that went astray and clipped defenders. There’s still definitely room for improvement game by game, that we’re hitting more in sync and comfortable with each other in the final third. We scored two goals today that you might not score on a different night but I felt like we had other opportunities that might have been better chances in front of goal. It’s just making the most of the opportunities and taking risks and taking chances, so I think we’ve been doing a pretty good job of that. Jesús (Ferreira) had a banger also.
