Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes
On how he feels about the result...
We made a mistake on the corner kick. We lost our big finish because of Morales. We lost our mark. We did a great job to get back into it. We had a couple really good actions, and another really good play with Jimmy. But I thought there were good changes that we made to be able to come out and get a point. Obviously all of us would like to do a little bit more when we're up a man, but it gets to be very difficult because we found it very difficult to get anything in or around them. That was a big difficulty. But I thought we had a really good game. I really do. I think we performed well.
On how the starting three up top meshed together...
I think from a danger and risk-taking perspective, it was very good. From the aspect of pressing the game at times, I thought they were pretty good — maybe a little bit off on their timing, but for a bunch of guys that don't get a lot of reps in games all the time, I think they did a very good job. I give credit to those guys, because they're the reason we got the point tonight.
On Rubio's goal...
The thing I was happy about was — and I had talked about this before — he just wanted to score so bad that I think it was taking him off his game. I told that the objective is, if there's a great opportunity, that he should take the chance. But you don't have to force the game to yourself. So I thought he played really well in the game. He did a lot of work off the ball for us, and he found himself, like a lot of players do, in a really good spot with the opportunity to finish.
On Jimmy's performance...
I think with Jimmy, he does have a lot of good qualities for the game on both sides of the ball. I think the biggest thing for him was being able to play at the pace of an MLS game, and also the fitness aspect of it. He's really made a big jump in that area, and I think what you'll see more and more is that the other qualities he has are going to come out in games. He's a quick guy, he's good on the ball, he's got great technique, he sees the game well and he's really starting to get a rhythm to his play. I'm happy for him. He's really worked hard. It's tough because the past couple years, he hasn't really played a lot. But he's trained hard, and that's what you have to do sometimes. He's getting there, he just has to keep building.
On tonight’s match...
“We were a little bit beat up from our game on Sunday, we were depleted. It was a hot day, we weren’t used to it. It’s not very hot in Kansas City at the moment so we haven’t really had a chance to acclimate to it. I actually thought we brought pretty good energy playing away from home. Getting a point, yeah it’s ok, but whenever you go up a man you always want more. I thought we actually got a couple opportunities here and there but they did a good job, they were really compact in the middle and also compact in their two lines. They made it really difficult for us to go up through the middle. Everything was wide and that made it difficult. Any time you go on the road in this league and get a point, it’s a pretty good thing.”
On not creating more chances after Zusi and Davis subbed on...
“Sometimes the rhythm, it’s hard for them, they come in late and they’re not in the rhythm of the game. It would be nice for them to have a little more but like I said, many times as a player and as a coach, you’re in a situation where you’re playing up a man and you are playing against a team that is extremely galvanized in their way that they’re now going to defend the game, and so there’s not a lot of space. It’s difficult to break a team down. Probably the one thing that we weren’t good at it, was when they surged forward, we needed to get at them a little bit quicker so that they couldn’t get behind the ball. Outside of that, everything else is what it is.”
On goalkeeper Alec Kann's performance...
“It was an important move for us to give him a shot to play because we had two more competitions we’re going to have to play in with the U.S. Open Cup and also Champions League in the summer time. So we’ve really got to rely on both keepers and we really haven’t had a chance to play him play him yet in a game with us, so I thought he did a good job. There’s nothing he could have done about the first goal, it was a great finish. Bad marking on our part but tremendous finish. It wasn’t his fault. Outside of that I thought he managed the game real well.”
Sporting KC goalkeeper Alec Kann
On tonight’s match...
“It’s good to battle back and get a point away from home. I’m proud of the guys and the way they fought the whole game.”
On having a man advantage for 40 minutes...
“You can’t be too disappointed with a point away from home no matter what the circumstances. We would have obviously loved to get three to take back to Kansas City, but a point is very important, especially at this point in the season.”
On upcoming game against LA Galaxy...
“Just keep training hard. We have a quick turnaround, so just rest the legs and be ready for Sunday.”
Sporting KC striker Diego Rubio
Thoughts on the match...
“Everybody told me that it is always difficult to play here in Vancouver. Of course they were playing with 10 players for I think 30 minutes, so of course we are supposed to win. I think we made the effort, but that happens in football. They tried to defend the last 30 minutes and they did a good job.”
On coming away with a draw...
“Of course we are disappointed, we always want to win. This team always works to win so of course we are disappointed in a draw.”
