Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes
General thoughts on the match…
I guess I’d start off by saying it’s great that our guys got back into the game. I think the domination is proven in the stats. We were all over them from start to finish.
I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining but every time a team comes in here they are just settled with dropping off and sitting in, trying to slow the game down. I understand that’s a tactic, I get it, but where the referees could come in, they cold help push the game along, there’s too many things that are getting overlooked and players are getting away with too much on the field. Outside of that I think that our commitment tonight from the opening whistle was tremendous and it shows how deep this team is when we get a goal in injury time, because we’re pressing, we’re trying everything we can and guys are still keeping the calmness to get that opportunity. All in all, a good performance from us, and we definitely deserved to get a point if not more.
On the late equalizer…
We deserve three points in the game today, you know, I’m not taking anything away from Houston, I think they’re a good team, I think they’re very organized I think that they manage these types of situations really well, but as you move late into the season you have to go get points sometimes.
On Houston’s defensive style…
It’s easy for teams to do what they do and that is come on the road and play a little bunker, but at some point you have to go out and get points, and at some point you’re going to be asked to go and play at another team’s stadium and you have to try and go get those points. When you haven’t practiced that it’s going to be difficult and that’s what I’m happy about, we have the best road record in the league and it proves that we go and play at other places and that we go there to get points, we don’t go there to just hopefully get out of there with a tie and I hope that that is going to continue to provide opportunities for us because we still have a couple of away games as well
On looking ahead to the match against New York…
We go to play. [Red Bull’s head coach] Hans Backe can look at every game that we’ve played on the road this year and he’s going to see it doesn’t change. Why would we? We’ve been at the top of the table and won the US Open Cup until this point and we’re not going to change who we are.
Sporting Kansas City forward CJ Sapong
General thoughts on the match…
We dominated, I think we deserved the full three points but I think we showed a little bit of what we are made of, some grit, I think we definitely need to try to be putting balls into the net and make sure we’re at maximum potential going into the playoffs.
On his late equalizer…
Obviously it feels good, I mean I’m a forward and I like scoring goals, but I definitely try to make sure I have an impact first, whatever that means, assisting, holding the ball, putting players in, scoring, whatever it is, if I have an impact, I’m happy. I think it’s because I brought the Mohawk back, no- but really I just woke up today and I was feeling extra hungry. We have a couple games left and, like I said, I want to be peaking right as we get into the playoffs, I want to be someone that other players can count on.
On the traffic in the box…
There was a little bit of traffic, but I think today we did well in finishing our runs I found a lot of headers, we got our heads on a lot of balls.
Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen
On Sporting KC’s 1-1 draw with Houston…
If [Houston] had left here with all three points, they should have been arrested for robbery. We were lucky to score at the time we did—I will admit that. But this does not feel like a victory for us. I feel like it’s the same story every time we play at home. You have to respect the opponent’s playing style, and we’ve got to do a better job finding ways to create open chances. We have to be able to find solutions. We know that teams will come here and look to counter-attack andwait for us to make mistakes. So we have to limit those mistakes.
On Sporting KC forward C.J. Sapong’s performance…
I’m very happy for him. He’s a hard-working guy for the team. I’m very satisfied with the effort he puts in. He keeps their defense busy and he’s very strong. I told him at halftime, “You’re the strongest guy on the field. I don’t want to see you on the ground anymore. You’ve got to show them your power and scare them today.” Overall he had a solid performance today. He finished off with a good goal in a good position there.
On Brad Davis’ goal for Houston…
It was a good strike and it bounced on the wet grass, which gave it more speed. Of course I’d like to save it, but that one won’t keep me awake. Give him credit.
On his save denying Will Bruin at the end of the first half…
I saw the pass coming, so I put myself in a good position when he got the ball under control. That’s what goal keeping is about—putting yourself in a good position in those situations.
Sporting Kansas City defender Seth Sinovic
On Sporting KC’s 1-1 draw with Houston…
It’s challenging when other teams come in and sit back and defend. But it’s also good for us, because the more we see it, the more comfortable we get with it. We were still able to create tons of chances. Eventually they’re bound to go in. Tally Hall made some unbelievable saves to keep them in it.
On Houston’s defensive approach to the match…
We kind of expected them to sit back—generally that’s Houston’s style on the road. They’re very organized defensively and tight at the back. We try to play the same home and away. We won’t sit back because that’s not our style. We like to press teams and attack. We aren’t going to sit back. It’s more fun for us when we’re going forward and putting teams in uncomfortable positions.
Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler
On Sporting KC’s 1-1 draw with Houston…
I think this was a typical match between Houston and us. It was very physical and there were a lot of aggressive plays. We started the match very well. Our pressure tonight was good and we didn’t allow a whole lot of chances. [Brad] Davis is a really good player, and we all know what he can do with his left foot. It was a great shot by him, but I’m just glad we fought to the end. We definitely deserved at least a point, and I’m glad we aren’t walking away with nothing.
On Sporting KC scoring a last-minute equalizer…
This doesn’t feel like a victory. We always want all three points at home. But at this stage of the season, we’ll take all the points we can get, and especially considering the circumstances at the end of this game, it was a good point.
On Sporting KC’s club-record 28 shots on goal…
We definitely had a lot of shots tonight. If we’re putting that many shots on the board, we’re giving ourselves a good chance to score lots of goals. Something we’re trying to improve is the quality of our shots. We’ve really focused on that in training the last couple weeks, because in the last couple games we’ve been getting a ton of shots, but they haven’t all been quality. We want to make sure we’re patient and creating high-quality chances, and we had a lot of those tonight.
On Tally Hall’s goal keeping performance for Houston…
He’s one of the best keepers in the league. He made two or three great saves tonight—that one from C.J. [Sapong] in the first half was just unbelievable. That’s part of the reason Houston is always towards the top of the table.
On Sporting KC’s two-game road trip next week at New York and Montreal…
It’s a big road trip for us, and it’s going to be a huge challenge. We’ll focus on New York first before going to Montreal. But both games are really important. At this point in the season, all games are crucial and you have to approach them the same way.
Houston Dynamo coach Tim Hanley
(Head coach Dominic Kinnear served a one-match suspension on Friday)
General thoughts on the match…
It was a great game. Kansas City is a great team and it was a battle. It was a fun game for the fans, as well. I thought our guys fought really hard. It feels a little bit like a loss, giving away a goal at the end, but the guys worked really hard. To come here and play the way we did definitely sends a message. We were unlucky at the end and I hope that the guys aren’t too disappointed.”
On goalkeeper Tally Hall’s performance…
We have high expectations for all of our goalkeepers. He has been good here before and Ithink that he enjoys playing here. It was a big game and he had a great performance. Jimmy [Nielsen] made a great save as well. I think we expect goalkeepers to do that.
On giving up a goal late in the game…
It feels like a loss when it isn’t, because it was at the very end. I think for Sporting KC it probably feels like a win. I think that they pushed so hard and they are such a good team at home. They are always knocking on the door, but our guys did well. We’ve played a lot of games in a short period of time. That is the way this league is. Our men played hard and I’m proud of them. It’s hard to give it up.
On playing with a high line of defense…
We didn’t change anything. It’s the same thing we always do. Maybe we played a little bit higher by mistake or on purpose, I’m not really sure. We don’t really change it game to game. We also don’t play an offsides trap. The secret is out: we just don’t do it. But we play every team the same and try to keep the back four doing the same things. If it appeared high, it wasn’t for any particular reason.
Houston Dynamo captain Brad Davis
General thoughts on the match…
We had an opportunity to come away with three points. We’ve always come here and played good games and this is a tough place to play. I wouldn’t say we’re disappointed- we battled well and fought well until the end. They had some opportunities pumping the ball in the box.We would have loved to come away with three points but we are fine with the draw, just a little bummed to give up a goal at the end of the game.
On giving up a late goal…
It’s definitely hard at the end with everyone forward and pumping balls into the box. They’ve got a good team. Like I said, we battled very hard the whole game but they got by in the end. Great ball from [Graham] Zusi and they finished it. Credit to them but we are still a little disappointed. Letting it happen at the end if always hard at the end.
On Houston’s game plan coming into the match…
We weren’t looking for a tie. We were looking for a win. Sporting is ahead of us in points and we are trying to climb the ladder. That would have put us a couple points behind them. We are still in good place for playoffs. We have five games left and we have to keep moving along and picking up points.
Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall
General thoughts on the match…
It was a frustrating game in the end. We gave up a late goal and we pride ourselves on holding teams off until the very end. But it’s one of those games that you look at and you say that this performance can carry us into the post season and we can make it to the finals again. We can be proud of our performance though.Obviously giving up a late goal is frustrating but we got a point and now we move on.
On giving up a late goal…
It was a long ball up- it was all or nothing from them. It was a scramble and when you put the ball at Zusi’s feet the guys figured there would be a shot from him because we know what he’s capable of with the ball at his feet.Instead he put in a ball that went up and down really quickly. I give him credit- it was a great assist and a good finish by Sapong.It was a great play by them, they had us scrambling and they put all their numbers forward.I give them a little bit of credit but at the same time it stings.
On the draw…
Usually in a situation like this it can feel more like a loss than a draw but the performance we showed tonight was one we can proud of. It’s a difficult place to come and play and we are walking away with some positives.
Houston Dynamo defender Corey Ashe
General thoughts on the match…
It was a good game. Every time we come here it’s a battle. They are definitely on top of the league for a reason. I thought we did well but we were unfortunate to get the draw.
On giving up a late goal…
They were pressing forward, sending numbers forward. It was a great cross in by Zusi and a great finish by Sapong.
On moving forward….
I think we showed good spirit and a lot of fight. If we have that attitude for the remaining five games of the season- we will go far in the playoffs.
