Academy

Postgame Quotes: Swope Park Rangers 2-2 Real Monarchs

Swope Park Rangers vs. Real Monarchs - August 18, 2017

Swope Park Rangers head coach Nikola Popovic
Thoughts on the match...
I think we had a difficult week and I think everybody understands why. It's the B team, it's normal. We had to overcome some difficulties over the week. And when we throw some different players in the game, of course, the level raised. That was the key of this game. The first half we couldn't get the ball. We couldn't dominate the game like we want. I don't think it's a fair result 2-0 in the first half because it was only two shots against six. So the two times they have a chance, they score. From the second half, I think it was a one-way game, but I think we should've got three points.
On getting goals from two substitutes...
I think they (Nansel Selbol and Kharlton Belmar) played very good, very good. I don't like to speak about individual players, but they really affected the game. They brought the energy that we didn't have in the first half.
Swope Park Rangers forward Nansel Selbol
On scoring off the bench...
My coach told me to go warm up. He said he knew if I came in the game, I would make a difference.
On the team's comeback...
First half, the guys up top didn't have as much speed as we did. But they can keep the ball and make them tired, so when we come in we can make them run. And when we came in, we could see that they couldn't defend as well because they were tired.
Swope Park Rangers forward Kharlton Belmar
On his goal...
It was one of those training ground goals, where you circle the ball around and Nansel (Selbol) picks up the ball in a good spot and (Tyler) Pasher is making a good overlapping run. Knowing Pasher, he's going to paint that ball across the box and I ran to the spot and he got it to me.
On giving the team a boost off the bench...
I think that's what we (Nansel and I) set out to do. We wanted to bring some energy to the game. We're both pretty great players and we just set out to give the guys a tough time on the wing and that's what we did. That's what the team needed.
On the ability to rally in the second half...
That's our idea, you know, we wear teams out and we don't necessarily try to go for all three point in the first half. So now we try to progress into a full performance and hopefully every guy can contribute and put together a full performance.
On being more direct in the second half...
Being down 2-0, we had to do something.. And we saw those guys were tired and we just wanted to push them back, push them back, and they broke. That was the plan.
Real Monarchs head coach Mark Briggs
Thoughts on the match...

I thought it was a tale of two halves. In the first half, I thought we were in complete control of the game. In the second half, I thought we were awful, speaking honestly.


On the difference in the two halves...

I know Swope changed up a few things and got people in different areas so credit to them. I thought our mentality and our attitude wasn't right going into the second half, where we think the game is already over.


On the team's position atop the table...

I think it's great we're 11 points clear but we haven't done anything. We haven't won anything. In any sport, until you've won something and done something, it doesn't matter. So we have to keep our foot on the pedal and we have to keep doing the things that we're taught and being accountable to the standard that we expect. We can't allow our standards to drop because teams will punish us. 


Real Monarchs midfielder Daniel Haber
On his goal...

We got a free kick in a dangerous area. Usually a left-footed player on team would set up to take it but I felt confident. It was perfectly lined up for my right foot. It's what you practice for.


On giving up the two-goal lead...

I would say we're probably a little bit more disappointed. We feel like we have the talent to win every game. When we go up two goals in a game, we have to feel like we should be able to close it out. So we'll be disappointed to only come away with one point. But we know this is a tough place to play and this is a good team we played against, but again, we feel like we hold ourselves to a bit of a higher standard.