Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes
On tonight’s performance…
I would tell you it’s simple. We were nonchalant on the first goal. Other than the ball in the beginning of the first half where Ike [Opara] had to run and make a slide tackle to the goal at the Cauldron, other than that they didn’t have anything. We gave them everything. We gave them the first goal. Lawrence [Olum] turned and was nonchalant. Guy picked his pocket and they broke us on the play. And then Benny [Feilhaber] gave away a square ball in the midfield and again, both goals all us, all on us. We gave them both goals.
On the first half performance…
It wasn’t good. It wasn’t good enough. The game was too slow. The game was way too slow. Our way of pushing the game and driving the game was terrible. I thought the second half was much different. We were going after the game and putting them under pressure. There were times they couldn’t get out of their own half. That’s the way the game should have started and that’s one of the biggest reasons I made the changes I did at halftime and throughout the rest of the game.
On whether or not there is an element of luck with balls off the post...
I don’t think so. I think there were other balls within the game itself. Other situations that dropped in the box and if we were a little more hungry and moving more, we would have found more. I knew when we scored the goal to tie the game, my feeling was we had more than enough time, we had 18 or 19 minutes still, and I felt like the tides were turning. And then again, we just shoot ourselves in the foot. When you gives up balls like that, you are going to get crushed. But you deserve to. When you give up those kinds of balls, and we talk about it all the time, that’s what is going to happen to you.
On the group’s performance in the second half…
I thought in the second half we were very good. I think we ran them into the ground and were all over them. But, again you do all that work and get yourself back into the game and give up another square ball in the midfield and then the other team goes and sticks another goal in on you. When you make silly mistakes, teams are going to capitalize on them.
Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber…
Thoughts on the match…
I thought we played reasonably well in the second half and got back in the game. Once you tie it, I think you feel pretty good about scoring another. I lose a bad ball in midfield, not even midfield, more defensive third and from then on it hits off the crossbar and they get the rebound. So this one is on me.
On the first half…
It wasn’t a good half, but at the same time, if we don’t give up that goal at the end of the first half, we come in with a little different mindset. Colorado makes it tough. Especially when you play them at home, they are a smart team with the way they tactically defend and make it tough for you. A lot of times you lose track of what they are offering up front. I actually didn’t get a clear picture on their goal. I was just starting to warm up so I’m not 100% sure what happened. We all know it wasn’t a great half. The second half was better, but a bad mistake by me cost us some points today.
Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia
On the team’s second straight loss at home…
There really isn’t an excuse for it. We have to knock this out early in the season. Hopefully, this is the last of a slow start and that will be the end of it.
On what went wrong tonight…
Individually, we have to be better. They prepare us perfectly. They set everything up for us. We have everything we need and come game time, we have to do better. And we have to do much better, especially at home.
Colorado Rapids Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni
On being successful with Sporting KC’s breakdown in the back...
We are facing a lot of adversity this point in the season with fourteen guys over in this game. (I couldn’t figure out what he was saying here) For me it’s not about the tactics. It is about the heart and the spirit of a bunch of guys that will work hard for each other. We come to a very difficult place, against a very good team, and I think today those players showed what its all about. This is why we play this game, why we coach, and why we are involved in professional sports. It’s all about the moments like this.
On how proud and happy he is with the result...
One of the focal points of this game was on defensive consideration. Whether you are defending high or whether you are defending in the middle or the back of the field, I think the guys really absorbed a lot of pressure and did a good job at getting balls in a dangerous area. They defended well. Guys like Gashi, Marco and Luis were fantastic in the attack and I think they showed their class. They had a fantastic goal breaking from a deeper position with a good shot. The finish was fantastic.
On Gashi’s goal of the game…
I think Gashi is a very good soccer player. You can’t teach soccer intelligence that is something that you earn, learn, and process that you go through in your career as a young footballer to an experienced footballer. He has a knack for scoring goals as he has proven in the past. That is not by accident. He finds the moments and capitalizes. He was opportunistic on his movement to get to the ball. The finish is class and again you can’t teach that. That is talent and hard work from him.
On situations and luck of the game...
I ask the same question of what we are doing on this planet. It is spinning a million miles an hour and how are we not feeling it. It is a crazy phenomenon and that is why the game of football is so beautiful. We can talk tactics, and talk this and that, but it is really about the intangibles and the momentum. It’s the belief and the chemistry. It is all these little things and the fortune. You must be opportunistic and capitalize on them. If Gashi is not in the position and it just hits the woodwork and then is like everything else and that is why this game is crazy. I don’t know how to explain it, but I think there is a lot to this game that statistics can’t answer, that tactics can’t answer, and human being can’t answer. Tonight was a fantastic win of spirit, heart, and stones.
Colorado Rapids defender Dillon Serna
On how it feels to get the win against Sporting KC…
Obviously it feels great coming off a loss in Salt Lake. Three games in seven days is obviously tough. And we have some injuries, so we’ve only got 14 or 15 players. So to come in here and get three points is amazing.
On playing outside of his normal position at right back…
Like I said, we have some interviews right now, so some guys needed to step up and I think they did tonight. I thought I did all right. Right back not my position. I’ve never really played there. There was no pressure on me. I just had to go out there and do my best, and I think I did pretty good.
On how this will improve Colorado’s confidence moving forward…
It’s massive. Kansas City has been one of the best teams in the league so far, and to come on the road and get three points — now we’re going to go back home confident.
On dealing with Sporting KC’s increased pressure in the second half…
They brought in their top guys for the second half, and we kind of felt their pressure. But I think in the moments we needed to be sharp, we were and we capitalized.
Colorado Rapids forward Shkelzen Gashi
On how it feels to take home three points at Sporting KC…
The victory was very important for everyone because the last game we played very good and we lost, and now we said we are a good team. We worked very hard tonight, so I think for everyone it was good to win.
On scoring his first goal for Colorado…
I am more happy for the team, because the three points were very important. There’s always a chance the ball will go in. Sometimes it goes in and sometimes not. And tonight it did, and I scored. But first I want to say good job to the team.
On being in the right place at the right time…
I’m just a player. Everyone on the bench and on the field wanted to win. So I did a good job on the line, but we did a very good job on defense tonight, so I think everyone was happy.
On gaining confidence from the match…
We are in good form. Last game was not easy for us because we lost the game, but after the loss we said, “Come on, guys. Stand up. Heads up. Next game we will win.” And it was true. And now everyone is happy. We are one team
