Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes
On Sporting KC’s 2-1 win over Colorado…
There’s no doubt in my mind that we deserved the three points. I thought we dominated the game. If you look at the way we played in the first half until our (first) goal was scored, we were knocking the ball around, had great movement off the ball, and our player decisions on the ball were very good. We were extremely patient around the attacking third and created some very good chances. We did a good job keeping the ball alive and Benny (Feilhaber) had a world-class goal. At halftime we were up 1-0, and unfortunately I don’t think they were deserving of their goal. At any rate, they scored, but it was good hunger from our perspective to get the second goal. There was excellent movement in the box, a great header from C.J. (Sapong), and an excellent finish from Graham (Zusi). I thought that our subs that came on played well. It was a very good result for us.
On Paulo Nagamura returning to the starting lineup after a long injury…
He’s a little pit bull in there. We miss that guy in the middle of the park. He’s got great hunger, a winning mentality and provides us with a link in the midfield between the players that we have. It allows Graham to play on the wing, and Benny can play in the middle with Nagamura. He gives us more options—he allows us to put different players on each line of the field. He had a very good game. To play a 90-minute match in this weather is big time. It shows his winning mentality.
On Dom Dwyer’s first career MLS start…
Claudio (Bieler) has had a bit of a stomach problem the past couple days. He’s gotten better, but with the heat and everything else, we were better going with someone who was 100 percent. It’s also something (Dwyer) deserves. He’s been working very hard, he’s been in good form as of late, and in a game like this, he was going to put pressure on them with his movement off the ball. He makes great diagonal runs, and he’s a kind of like (Carlos) Tevez in that he’s a little bull. It’s hard for guys to get around him. It’s different for a 6-foot-2 guy to go against a guy who’s a lot smaller but is a bulk of muscle. So it’s difficult for those guys to play against him. I thought he brought a lot of good movement and held the ball up well. He got tired at the end, and you can attribute some of that to our travel this past week. But to come from that game and play in this one in this heat is great from a fitness perspective.
On substitute C.J. Sapong’s game-winning assist…
When C.J. goes up in the air, easily nine times out of 10 he’s going to get the ball. But he’s also clinical enough that he can head the ball to somebody. He’s been doing that since he entered the league. We know by now that he’s going to (head) that ball into a perfect position. I think it’s a big confidence builder for him and for the team to see that he’s getting back into form. He knows what he has to do, and I told him when he went into the game, ‘You have got to get a goal for us, and it’s got to be with your head.’ He did the second-best thing: he got an assist with his head. Good for him, good for the team, and hopefully we can build on that the rest of the season.
On the performance from Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber…
I told him he earned some money tonight for sure. He played well in a lot of different ways—with the ball, without the ball, and a great goal. He had another shot that I thought was destined to do some damage as well that got blocked. I would also tell you that Chance (Myers) and Seth (Sinovic) were very good tonight. Both were very good on the ball and they made good decisions about when to move forward. They weren’t rushing things in the attacking third, so I think both of them played very well.
Sporting KC midfielder Graham Zusi
On Sporting KC’s 2-1 win over Colorado…
We were very patient throughout the entire game, especially in the first half when we were moving the ball really well. Then after they got their goal, I thought we responded well. We dug in, kept possession and were able to score that last goal.
On the importance of the victory given the current MLS standings…
I can’t stress how important (the win) is for us. This was pretty much a must-win game for us. We needed to get back on track in order to put ourselves in a good spot. This will get our confidence back up and we’ll finish the season strong.
On substitute C.J. Sapong’s game-winning assist…
C.J. (Sapong) is such a presence in the air. Nine times out of 10 he’s going to win (the header). I gave him a shout, but I don’t think I needed to because he saw me from the beginning. That was his goal from the minute he lifted off to win that ball. It was just a perfect layoff.
On reacting to Colorado’s equalizer and scoring the game-winning goal…
Our reaction to their goal was good, better than what it’s been in the past. In past times we stuck five guys across the defense’s back line, dumped the ball in and hoped for the best. But we didn’t do that tonight. We were staggered very well throughout the midfield and had some guys up top who could win the head balls.
Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen
Thoughts on the match...
It was a good performance. I think the first 40 minutes it was some of the best soccer we have played this season. We gave them a little momentum toward the end of the first half. In the second half, we had to try and repeat what we did in the first 40 minutes of the game. We said we had to keep possession and when the chances came we had to go 100% for it.
On rebounding from the Rapids’ goal...
It was a gigantic disappointment. We felt we had control. But we bounced back with the right reaction and scored a hell of a great goal in the 88th minute.
On the importance of wins this week in Champions League and MLS...
This was very important for us. It’s no secret we have been struggling with some results of late. So it was very exciting when the ref blew the final whistle.
Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber
Thoughts on the match…
This was an extremely important game for us to get three points. I think we might have made it a little bit tougher on ourselves, especially after dominating the game and getting the 1-0 lead. I think we could have done a little bit better job to not give them so many chances and maybe create some more of our own. But having said that, it was incredibly courageous from the guys to come back after going 1-1. All that matters now is that we got the three points and we move forward.
On the team's attacking approach in the first half…
We talked about playing from side-to-side. It was an extremely hot day, really humid. The team that had more of the possession was going to definitely be able to get more chances because the other team would get tired. We did a good job in the first half to move it side-to-side. They got tired and we had some spaces. I think the goal, though not necessarily from a sequence of passes, but because they're kind of a little bit more tired than us we were getting to the second balls. Dom's able to win that second ball and pop it out to me. We get a goal that way. I think what we did in the first half was extremely good and I think we did that to a certain extent at some points of the second half but I think it could have been better. Having said that, there's periods of games that you have to settle down and take it. They got a little bit of a lucky goal; really unlucky for Besler trying to get a foot in and takes the ball away from Jimmy. After that, we fight for the last 15 minutes and get a great goal. It's huge for us.
On his goal…
I think we did a really good job in the first half as a whole. We got them tired and I think the goal kind of came as a result of that. Dom was able to get to it a little bit quicker than the guy that was challenging him for the 50/50. He just toe-poked it towards me and it was bouncing. I took a touch and it was still bouncing. Nothing good comes if you don't shoot so I take a shot and got lucky.
On the back-to-back wins in CCL and MLS…
Champions League is obviously really important for us to get three more points on the road. We have six points out of two road games and now we have two home games coming up. It's really vital to put ourselves in great position to advance. And this game was extremely important for the playoffs. There's no room for error right now. There's only seven games left and the conference is extremely tight. So three points is extremely important for us. Having gotten that now, I think we put ourselves in a good position. Having said that, we have seven more games and we have to keep getting points because there's a lot of teams not too far behind us.
Colorado Rapids head coach Oscar Pareja
Overall thoughts on the match…
Good game for both teams. I thought it was very physical. Kansas City, I thought, had a very good first 25 minutes. It took us a little too long to figure things out, especially in the middle where we were giving a lot of space. Still I thought we had chances there with Deshorn and the other one that we had at the end of the first half. The second half we started different. The team bounced back and got the equalizer. I thought probably we could get more. But these games are tight, especially at this point in the season where everybody is fighting. Kansas City had the fortune to find that goal at the end which left us very disappointed.
On the team's slow start…
Kansas City is a tough place to play, everybody knows. They have a team that throws a lot of bodies at you. If you don't find the rhythm quick, they impose their will. I saw it that way. The team was just trying to be disciplined and hold our shape and try to get the ball back and get some players in behind. And we did it. They had some options and scored a goal. But I thought we reacted well.
On the team's defensive performance…
I thought we were not as solid as we wanted. We were playing against a very aggressive team. The second half was much better.
On getting back on track in LA…
We're fighting. We have a tough schedule. We're fighting for points every week. We hadn't lost a game in nine games and today, in the last three minutes we gave away a really important point. I can't let this change our momentum and affect the team. The team is solid, we're good.
Colorado Rapids defender Chris Klute
On the heat as a factor…
It was really hot, the sun wasn’t even out and you just feel the heat. It was really draining on us as the game went on.
The response from the team after a slow first half…
We picked it up in the second half. We came out a little faster like we wanted to play. The first half, we came out a little slow. We’re trying to get out of that habit. In the second half, we scored a goal. We needed to come around and tie it up and we knew that. So we tried to come out harder and then they got that second one and it killed us.
On the change from earlier in the season until now…
Now these games are for playoff points. The beginning of the season doesn’t even matter anyone because everyone’s pretty much even on the points and we know that. It’s a different ball game so we need to change our game up a little bit.
On getting back on track next week…
It starts with preparation for LA. We’ll watch footage on their game play. We also need to stay organized; I think that’s the key for us. I think maybe we broke down at the end of the game and that’s how they got their second goal. So we need to work on that this week and be ready for LA.
On first time playing in Kansas City…
It was awesome. I really liked it. It’s always good, even though it’s not our fans, it rises us up. A loud crowd rooting against us lifts us up there a little bit. It was nice.
On the traveling fans…
That’s awesome that they come here for us to cheer us on. What more can you say, we’re excited to have them and we’re glad they came out. We play for them.
Colorado Rapids forward Edson Buddle
On the second half…
We battled all game. I think the team did a good job especially with the heat conditions. I think they were just as surprised as us that we hung in there and competed all game. It just shows the toughness of this team.
On his second goal in as many games…
Absolutely, I don’t know if it’s luck when you do it two weeks in a row. When you shoot you never know what can happen.
On how the team will get back on track next week…
It was probably a good thing. Now we can refocus going into LA next week. It’s not going to be easy, but it probably puts us in check. We just need to continue doing what we have been doing and look to win in LA.
On playing against his former team next week…
It’s a special game for me because I loved playing in LA before I was even on LA. I’m looking forward to playing against them.
