Rangers head coach Paulo Nagamura
On SPR’s offensive approach tonight…
“I would say it was a very solid performance from the guys, especially in the first half. We controlled the tempo of the game. We controlled possession and we minimized their chances. To be honest, we could have scored a couple more goals. I think we missed some easy chances that we had in front of the goal. It is what it is. We played a very good team, as you know, they are the top of our division. Overall, it was a great performance by the entire team.”
On holding on defensively at the end of the game…
“In the last few games, I think the guys have done a very good job defensively. I think they are competing. They are not letting in anything easy. We are making sure we are a tough team to break down. Kudos to our defense as well for holding the last five or ten minutes there, but like I said, it was an entire team effort. I am very pleased with the performance.”
On Midfielder Roman Knox…
“He is doing great. I always say it is a matter of putting young guys in at the time that we think they will be more successful. We want them to succeed. We want to push those guys through, but it takes time. You have to be patient because they have talent. You just have to put them in in the right moment and right time so they can just express themselves and do what they do: play soccer.”
On Academy players on the first team…
“I think it means we are doing our job. That is what we work on. They are doing a great job. We are trying to integrate the Academy players and that is the next step, of course. I want to believe we are doing the right thing and we are being successful in the way we are doing things here in the club and as an entire organization.”
Rangers forward Tyler Blackwood
On post-game excitement…
“That was being able to walk off the field and scoring a goal because I have been in a bit of a drought. I have worked my backside off every game and I am happy that the team is winning, but there is something special about scoring and winning. It is a fantastic feeling.”
On the offensive approach tonight…
“We were solid at the back. We were rock solid, winning every second ball. We created a lot of chances. When we played them away and when we played them here is what we gave them. We gave them two corners against us at their place. We gave them a PK, but what we create is all our work. I told them the chance is going to come. We have to finish.”
On possession…
“Playing against Swope was always hard because I was chasing the ball for 90 minutes. This was one of the main reasons today was to be on this side of possession and making the other team run. We broke them down. They were getting tired and that is why we got the late goals.”
Rangers defender Matt Lewis
On his first career professional start…
“Pretty awesome, I am not going to lie. I am pretty pumped. To get the win, obviously, really caps it off for us. I am pumped and the team is pumped. Just try to keep it moving, you know, we have a game on Sunday. It is a good opportunity for me as well with Open Cup, so I am just trying to ride the momentum here.”
On the offensive approach…
“We came in with a plan and I think we executed it pretty well. Obviously, Matheus (Silva) with a beautiful goal there, which helped us out a lot to put us up 2-1, which really kind of sealed the game for us at the moment. It gave us a lot of momentum. I think we executed really well tonight, just playing our game. Sticking to our game the full 90 minutes and working hard on defense. We caused a lot of turnovers in that final third and it got us a lot of good opportunities, so that was exciting for us as well. It was just a good team performance.”
On confidence in defense going forward…
“That gives us a lot of confidence. Obviously, we let one slip there. Looking back at it tomorrow we are probably going to be pretty disappointed, but it gives us a lot of confidence. I mean they had numbers up in the box and we are bunkered down defending hard. I think we did it pretty well tonight when we needed to. The most important thing is getting three points. We would like to keep a clean sheet, but for another day I guess.”
Real Monarchs interim head coach Jamison Olave
On making small mistakes…
“Absolutely, 100 percent agree. We scored twice. We give away three goals. When you play away, you are not allowed to do that. If you score twice, you need to get a point. We made mistakes and we paid for it and we need to live with that.”
On preparing for Saint Louis FC…
“There is no time to prepare too much. It is more mentally getting the guys ready for the next game. The next game will be a really hard game.”
Real Monarchs Defender Konrad Plewa
On being mentally prepared tonight…
“When you are on the bench, you try to get mentally ready. You never know what is going to happen. It is unfortunate my debut came at a moment where [Michael] Gallagher had to go down with an injury. He has been really important to this team this season.”
On small mistakes…
“It is what it is. Soccer is a game of inches. Anytime you make a mistake, I think you are going to be punished by it, especially by Swope. It is a good quality side and you just try to limit those kinds of mistakes in the 90 minutes. Unfortunately, today we made a few too many and it cost us.”
On the next game…
“I think we have shown this season we rebound. We are looking to do the same thing. Try to forget this game and focus on the next game at hand in Saint Louis.”
