Sporting Kansas City head coach Raphael Wicky
On LAFC’s counter attack…
That's not only today. That is how LAFC plays this year. This is their strength. They have no problem sitting, defending very low, very deep in a 4-5-1 and then hitting in counterattacks. That's what they do against most of the teams. That is what annoys me the most that we lost the game in that manner. We knew exactly how the game will look like and, especially in the first half and in those crucial moments, we did not do what we were supposed to do as a team. We forced balls too quickly in zones which we shouldn't have played, because that's exactly what they wanted. We prepared for that. And then you run into these three counterattacks. Basically, we beat ourselves. They had no shots on target unless these three goals, which were counterattacks which we made mistakes which we shouldn't have made. I feel like we were a bit better and more disciplined in the second half and suddenly we have less counterattacks. You can't eliminate LAFC's attack for 90 minutes, but that is what annoys me that we actually were not disciplined enough in certain moments in the first half or didn't do what we were supposed to do and tried to force things too quickly and then they punish you.
On the team’s performance…
I think it’s just, in certain moments, decision-making. I believe that we played, in possession, some really good sequences today. We were good on the ball. We didn't create that much, but that's also not easy against them to be honest. But from our goal into the final third, we actually combined and played some very good football, some very good combination, we moved the ball up. And then we were just too eager and too fast to want to play the killer pass. This is exactly what they want. They want you to play and to force it in certain areas and then when you lose that ball, then they're very, very, very fast with (Heung-Min) Son, (Denis) Buonga, (David) Martinez. If (Jacob) Shaffelburg plays, it's him. It's (Tyler) Boyd. That's their strength. So that was us forcing too much. In the second half, we forced less. We were saying, ‘let's be patient, let's move the ball, and then a gap will open and then eventually you play into that gap.’ That is what actually annoys me that we played into their hands.
On the learning lessons…
It's about the whole team. We have to learn from that. We have to learn that in certain moments we cannot do certain things or force plays because -- LAFC is obviously an extreme example with extreme quality -- but in MLS when you force things, a lot of teams in MLS have fast strikers, fast wingers and they try to counterattack. We also do that in moments. We're very strong with that when we have Calvin (Harris) and Capita (Capemba), and sometimes Stephen (Afrifa) playing there. Everyone has to learn. For this game especially, we said, ‘let's not force things and let's not get tired of keeping the ball.’ And unfortunately, in the first half, we had these few moments where we forced it and then they punish you.
On if SKC should have ceded possession…
There were moments when we were defending in our own half and we defended really well. They didn't have any shot on targets (other than the goals), but there is eventually a moment when you have the ball. So how would we not play possession? That would mean that we don't want the ball or we just play the ball long up front and lose it again. I don't really see how that would work. I have no problem playing possession. We just need to be, like we were in the second half, more disciplined and more patient to not run into three of those obviously in very, very bad moments. The first one is very early in the game and the third one is the total killer right before halftime. So I don't think it's about tactics and not wanting the ball. I don't think in the first half, when we were defending, they created anything.
Sporting Kansas City defender Jake Davis
Thoughts on the match…
I wouldn't say we underestimated what they can do on the counterattack. I think for sure we gave some balls away in the first half that we thought we probably had the leniency. Against different teams like against Minnesota or St. Louis, maybe we won't be punished as bad but when you face probably the best front three in the league, unfortunately, we learned a lesson today that we have to be better with the ball higher up and also defensively, just being ready and knowing our opponent even better.
On Moises Mosquera’s debut…
It was short. Obviously, he's a beast. He's also really composed on the ball. He’s obviously a really good signing. I think he'll bring a lot of quality to our team. He's a fighter and I think he'll help us a lot.
On going up against Denis Bouanga…
It's not my first time playing against him, so I know that he's really dangerous. I know that he's fast. I know he's always trying to go in behind. He never gets tired. I did the best I could. I tried to match his intensity and I tried to match the energy. I kept fighting and kept trying. He's one of the best players in the league and he got us tonight. Going into the game, I just try to prepare the best I can even though I've played against him multiple times.
