Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
Thoughts on the match…
I think that these are always really, really dangerous games. If you come with the effort and you have respect for your opponent and you understand that they want to win as well and you go out and you play your game, then you give yourself a chance. I think the guys, today, they were hungry, they were organized and I also believe they gave the effort that they needed to, but they were also disciplined in the game. Sometimes in games you have the ball a lot or you get some chances and, next thing you know, you start to get antsy to score and you get out of position and you become unorganized, which then the other team hurts you. So I thought that we were very, very disciplined and that was huge for us tonight.
On the early save from John Pulskamp…
Sometimes for a goalkeeper, where John is coming in and playing with the first group in a game, it's almost good for him to get into the game by a save like that because it gets him ready to go. That's his job. That's what he's supposed to do. He did what he's supposed to do.
On the team’s ball movement…
It was part of our game plan, but it's also part of our identity. I think the fact that we've had some consistency in the group out on the field and we're getting guys back - maybe they're not all 100% fit, but getting those guys back that understand our identity and having them out on the field – and that consistency, it lends itself to playing who we are. We kept the ball really well. It’s not easy. If you look at the opening kick off, they came to press us right away. We kept our composure. We were good on the ball, which was very important for tonight's game, for the game itself, and also for us moving forward.
On the play of Daniel Salloi…
I thought he was a handful on the lefthand side for them. He has excellent movement off the ball, but I also think part of the reason why he was so effective is that when Cam Duke was playing in between the lines and he was pretty disciplined too. It is what we wanted him to do. He was so good at turning and running at the back line and feeding Daniel in the run, as opposed to giving it to him and then he has to start from a stopped starting position. So I think that was a big help to it as well. His timing to get in the box is fantastic and it's good to see him getting into that rhythm. But I really think that Cam, in the way that he played in that pocket, it's very similar to what Gadi (Kinda) can do as well. He can play in between the line. He turns and he attacks the opposing team, their backline, and he engages players to come to him and slips the ball so that the guy who receives it has a little more time and he's on the run. I thought Cam did a really good job of that today.
On the team attacking the outside backs…
It was part of the game plan. I thought that because of our movement of the ball, it was going to be good and we could move from side to side and then find 2v1 or 3v2 situations. That was going to be big. But the other is that Khiry (Shelton) was very good of coming off the backline and pulling guys out with him. And if they didn't come, then we had four against two in the midfield, which I think we overpowered them just with number, and that was a big part of the game, too.
On the play of Khiry Shelton…
It was one of his better games. The fact that he was able to play on the weekend and play again here. He needs rhythm. He's been out quite a few times during the season. It has had an effect on his fitness. It's had an effect on his rhythm of play, all of that. But this was one of his better games for us just in his movement and keeping the ball and finding other players and then getting back into the box. It’s a great goal he scored, just for him because the movement off the ball, the first touch and then obviously the execution of the goal.
On the match-up with Union Omaha…
I think you've got to give them a lot of credit. They came to play. They didn’t just sit back and defend. They tried. I think when you're in these competitions, you have to take your shot. Obviously, you can't throw tactics and game plans to the wind, but you also have to come and try and play. I think that they should walk away feeling really good about the fact that they did. They tried to come and play. There obviously is a difference between the leagues, but they represented themselves very well.
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Felipe Hernandez
On his performance…
It was fun, for sure. (Kayden Pierre) played a great ball across and luckily I was on the front foot and I was able to get a good touch and put it away. And then on the second one, Logan (Ndenbe) picks his head up and plays me a good firm ball and it rolled off my foot pretty well and into the back of the net. It was nice to go out there and get the job done.
On the feeling of scoring six goals…
I think that was the game plan. We came out, we were hungry and we just didn't back down. We were up 2-0, 3-0 and we wanted more. And that's why we're able to put away six.
On the atmosphere at the stadium with the visiting supporters…
It was good. The first five minutes, I could hear that corner. They were loud and rowdy. I could hear them all game, so it was good to see that from them. But our fans are awesome as well, like they always are. They came out and killed it as well.
On his recent run of form…
I feel good right now. I've been feeling good for a little bit. My fitness is good and my rhythm. I feel like I'm training well and it's correlating into the game. The team is getting results right now, so that's what matters.
Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi
On his second goal…
I just tried to do the most with the space and tried to create something with the fake shot, and then trying to shoot the ball. I think it all worked out well. I just watched it back, and it looked really good so I'm happy about it. I'm happy that we advanced, and this is the competition we have to go for this year. The team's ready for it. It's going to be a tough game against Sacramento, but I think we have it in ourselves to make it to the final and then hopefully win it.
On Union Omaha…
It was an amazing run they had in the Open Cup and congratulations to them. These are the games and the teams that open up the question, what would happen if you had promotion and relegation in America? These teams are doing amazing and it’s the same with Sacramento. It would be interesting. We treated them as an MLS team, and we went for it. Every minute of the game, we were pushing it and that's the result. I'm very proud of the team because that's how we have to treat every game. That's how we have to fly into every game. This is big time, how we showed that this is our place. We have to do the same thing with Sacramento. Even if it's away or at home, we have to go for it.
On Sporting’s execution, attacking from the outside…
I tried to make them work and it was working out well. We created many chances and it's good when you have a game plan, and you execute it well. That's what we'll have to do in the upcoming games as well.
