Swope Park Rangers head coach Marc Dos Santos
On the win:
“I think we didn’t deserve to be down at halftime. We weren’t playing an excellent game in the last third. We weren’t finding options, the pieces in the last third were not connecting and they scored. They scored in the only shot they got, in a play that had a couple of rebounds but we were very calm at halftime. I think we made the changes that needed to be changed. We reacted earlier and made the change that needed to be made. We didn’t make them (the substitutions) late and we changed our system a little. We pressed with two forwards, I used him on the right, cutting inside. I think overall, it’s a very good reaction for the first time this year. We come back from a score that we were down 1-0 and scored two goals. Overall, it was an important win with two teams that are very close in playoffs. I think the highlight is this month that was an excellent one for us and the guys from the bench are always brining a lot.”
On Dane Kelly and Mark Anthony Gonzalez:
“Both of them are dangerous. Both of them are good. Both of them have quality. It’s good to always keep players like that fresh, as soon there is an injury, you can rotate and play with the two and once you’re in trouble like we were today, we played with the two forwards. I think it’s good to have those two options and we’re trying to use them the best way we can.”
On Ayrton:
“These last two games he came in and created a very strong game. It’s not a secret. He’s adapting to the club, the city, the way we train and play, that would always take a little bit of time. No one is good to come in and make an impact within a couple of days. Unless you’re Messi or Ronaldo and for the moment they are not here. We think the other players are going to take time to adapt to the club and the league. With Ayrton it was step-by-step, now he’s adapted and that’s important. That’s good for him.”
On substitutions late in the game:
“We did a lot of mistakes against OKC (on July 12) and decisions we took from the bench. Then we did we very good subs in Colorado (July 20), where Alex Molano came in and helped change the game with Tyler Pasher and the dynamic they were having. Molano scored on a free kick. Last game here (vs. Orange County, July 23), our bench created a lot of things. They created space for themselves, they were dangerous and again for this game. I think this is what a team is about. Guys that start have to understand they have to give the best and the guys that come off the bench have to understand, they have to bring something. That’s what’s been happening. This is a team effort and you could only win the game in the 90 minutes. In the 90 minutes you need everyone and everyone is contributing, this is important.”
Swope Park Rangers forward Mark Anthony Gonzalez
On playing with Dane Kelly:
“We’re both good up top, good at finishing our chances, as long as we keep doing that with the great support we have behind us with the good balls like Ayrton plays, Alex (Molano) plays, then as long as we keep finishing our chances we have a good shot.”
On Dane Kelly getting back to full fitness:
“Ever since Dane came back he’s been getting better and better each game, each practice, so it’s good to have both of us up top at times.”
On the differences between himself and Dane Kelly:
“Dane’s more of the physical, fast guy – very good at holding up the ball and getting around defenders. I have similar attributes like that also. I’m able to come back and kind of win the ball from midfielders and move forward, so it’s good to have two different types of forwards we can use, depending on the team we’re playing against.”
On changing the dynamic with multiple forwards on the field:
“Oh yeah definitely (it changes the dynamic), it also throws off defenders as well, they’re used to defending one type of forward, another one comes in, another attacking player that we have, wingers as well. We’re all different players with unique attributes, so I think it’s unique what we have, it’s good what we have.”
On coming back after falling behind in the game:
“(It was) a little bit of miscommunication at the back, they ended up scoring a goal. We knew we had the second half, and it was great effort by the team, from the back all the way up to keep fighting and get those three points.”
On Ayrton coming creating as a substitute:
“He’s been phenomenal, I hope he can keep it up.”
