Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
Thoughts on the match…
I think we were a lot better this week than last week. I thought we had a lot of urgency. I thought that this game was much different. It would be nice to score some of the chances, because we created some really good ones. I can’t criticize the team for the fact that I thought we played very well. We kept our composure even though we went down 1-0. We scored off a set piece. The number of chances we created was fantastic, we just didn’t put those other ones away to finish off the three points. We played well and I thought we had a good mentality. Our emotion in the game was good, too. We could have lost ourselves when we went down 1-0 and maybe conceded another one. We didn’t do that so that part was good.
On the team fighting for an equalizer…
That’s the thing I was happy about. The guys stayed very focused and stuck with the plan. We knew that we were going to get something. The plan worked. The problem was that we didn’t execute it in the goal, right? It doesn’t matter at the end of the day. You still have to score and it’s about execution. Outside of that, we had the majority of the ball, we created the chances. We made a bad mistake on the goal ourselves, but other than that they didn’t have all that much. You have to get a lot of credit to Nick Rimando. He played very, very well and made some big saves. I think that was the difference in the game, as well.
On the rivalry…
Honestly, I didn’t even pay attention to it all that much. I think that we just tried to play. That was the biggest thing for us. We tried to play. I thought we played, again, really well. That was really the focus of the group. I thought they did a good job. Their emotions were good, even when we went down 1-0 we responded really well. It shows we have a lot of experience in the team. The guys handled it well.
On Kalen Ricketson joining the team…
The last couple of days have been great. For us, I think it was a great experience. And I think for him, as well. I hope so. He got a great look behind the curtain. He experienced everything other than playing in the game today. For our guys, I think it was good. And also for him, he got to feel what it is really like to be a guy on the team. He was in all the meetings. He had a tunnel with the guys. He had a lot of good things. Good memories I hope.
On the playoff push…
It’s really important when you get down to the end of the season that you’re in good form, not bad form. It’s important as we keep vying for a playoff position and trying to accumulate points that we are playing well. Right now, I feel comfortable with the fact that we’re playing well and creating good chances. If we knock out a few of those chances and we’re in a much different place in this game.
Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell
Thoughts on the match…
Frustration. This is a stretch of games we need to be winning, especially our home games. We get caught on the break in the first half. I don’t think we played bad in the first half but one mistake and we get caught out. And then from there, it’s all an uphill battle. We deserved to get back into the game. We had chances in the first half and second half to take something more from the game. It just wasn’t to be today. We’ve still got important games to come. We’ve got to pick ourselves up and go again.
On settling for a point…
When you create the chances that we have, it’s not always going to sit right when you don’t take them. That’s the way it was today. Results went for us this weekend and we haven’t capitalized on that. That’s the most frustrating part. It was an opportunity really for us to put a bit of space in the standings. We haven’t done that. It’s still in our hands. We’re still in the position we’re in. We just need to get back to winning ways.
On his assist…
It was a great header from Ike. I just tried to put in an area and he’s great in the air. It’s a vital goal. We had a couple of chances after that. They made a great save from Diego, as well. It’s a difficult one to take but we’ve still got important games to come. We need to bounce back.
On the team’s remaining four games…
They’re tough games. And they’re all against teams that are around us and fighting for those last places. We know how difficult it’s going to be in this stretch of games with everyone still having something to play for. We know it’s going to be difficult. We are where we are. It’s up to us to keep ourselves there. If we don’t, we’ve got no one to blame but ourselves.
Sporting Kansas City forward Kalen Ricketson
On his experience…
It was insane, getting to be on the bench and around the coaches. There was so much energy and passion. The game was real fun to watch. I wish they would have come out with three points.
On the opportunity to fulfill a dream…
It was amazing. Just walking out and hearing the crowd – the chants, the cheers, everything. It was an amazing experience with the passion that is here and the care for the fans. Just warming up with the players and being around them, it’s just been incredible for me.
On his favorite part of the weekend…
When we went out and warmed up. Kicking the ball around with some of the guys, it felt like I didn’t belong in some ways - just being with those players on the field and kicking the ball like it’s nothing, all casual. It was amazing.
On his wish to become a Sporting KC player…
They’ve been my favorite MLS team. I’ve always loved watching them over the last few years, being in the hospital and at home. I’ve had a lot of time to watch soccer. Sporting KC is the team I drew to. Whenever they asked me if there is something I’d like to do, this was immediately my choice. I’ve never been involved in much of a team environment in high school because of my medical issues. So I wanted to be a part of this.
On being out on the field versus in the stands…
It was a lot louder, especially when they started cheering my name. That’s amazing – the level of volume that there was and how passionate that they were. It was so loud.
On the advice from his teammates…
Keep fighting. And then relating to the experience today, just soak it all in and enjoy it. Have a great time.
Real Salt Lake head coach Mike Petke
Thoughts on the match…
This point was massive, 100% massive for us. Guys put everything, everything in there. The game plan, obviously we knew we were going to be under it a lot. That’s credit to Kansas City, especially here at this stadium. This environment is unbelievable. Corey’s goal was a perfect transition goal for us. I honestly felt that we had the opportunity – if we were quicker, which usually we are – if we were quicker in transition to get at goal a couple more times and you never know what happens. I think shots on goal was 6-3. They obviously had a hell of a lot of shots. But our compactness, our blocking, Nick’s saves, they were a little off the mark here and there – this is a well-earned point and one that we need.
On the playoff race…
We’re above the playoff line. We’ve been there for four and a half months. It’s in our hands now. If we do what we have to do, then we will be okay. I’m not really score checking at this point.
On Albert Rusnak coming off the bench…
Albert played a very big role in the game tonight. I make difficult decisions all the time. When you look at the Houston game when Albert came on and won it for us, it was one of those situations tonight and Albert came on and provided us with exactly what we needed him to.
On Nick Besler playing against Matt Besler…
It was a situation we talked about all week as a coaching staff. Do we really put him on his brother? Is that too much to ask? When we approached him about it, his immediate response was, ‘Absolutely, let’s do this.’ I don’t know if a brother ever marked a brother in an MLS game, you’ll have to look into the record books for that. But I thought Nick did excellent tonight.
Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak
On the team’s performance…
This is not an easy place to come to and get a point. At this point in the season, every point counts. This could be an important point at the end of the regular season. We know we missed the playoffs last year by one point, so we know how much we value this.
On entering in the second half…
At that point, we had conceded the goal minutes before I came on. The game had shaped up differently than in the first half. In the first half, we had more of the ball and more attacks. In the second half, we were more under it. The main thing was not to concede a second goal; see if we can try and get a couple of counter attacks there and maybe try and score a winner. The main focus when I was coming on the field was not to lose the game.
Real Salt Lake defender Nick Besler
On marking his brother…
It’s like marking anybody else. You don’t want them to score, but if my brother were to have scored on me it would’ve hurt a little more because I would probably have to hear about it for a long time. He almost got me to be honest, he got in front of me on one and luckily, he didn’t score off of it so I’m fortunate for that.
On playing in front of a KC crowd…
It was pretty special for me. I could look up and see some friends, see some family. This was a stadium that I came to as a young kid, watching my brother play as a fan and now -- however many years later -- to come and play in the stadium against him, it’s something you just really can’t even write up. So, it was really special for me. I tried to relish or enjoy the experience as much as I could and at the end of the day, I think we got a great result from a tough environment to play in.
On mid-game adjustments…
I don’t think it’s necessarily easier or harder. I think maybe, they just might’ve seen something in how we defended. Maybe they thought we were playing a high line defensively and they could catch us out there. As a defense, you just have to adjust to what they’re going to do and when they were playing long balls, I think for the most part we handled it pretty well. We didn’t give up a goal in the run of play which is a positive. We’ll lock down some set pieces going forward but I think we handled their direct play pretty well.
Real Salt Lake forward Corey Baird
On the result of the game…
This is a tough place to come play. We know Kansas City is one of the better teams in the League so coming here and getting a point is good. I think we executed our game plan well.
On scoring his goal…
Savarino was driving through the middle of the field and whenever him, Plata, Albert, or Damir make runs, I’m just looking to make runs off them. These guys are phenomenal passers. They can thread that ball and a great ball from Savarino made it easy for me.
On hitting the crossbar in the second half…
After I hit it, I thought I had it. That’s one you really wish you could get back.
On late season points…
Coming down to the end, every point matters. But for us, I think we still could’ve gotten three points here. So, the team is a little disappointed but coming out of here with a point is still a good result.
On teams coming up behind them…
I’m not really too focused on them. I just know we have got three more games now. If we do what we should be able to do, then we’ll make the playoffs.
