QUOTE SHEET
Real Salt Lake 1-4 Portland Timbers
Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
October 6, 2018
Real Salt Lake
Head Coach Mike Petke
On the last 20 minutes of the game:
“Tonight is on me, I got the tactics wrong. Thought we had a good game plan going in which we didn’t. Now it is going to be an interesting last two games to see what we’re made of. What did I see in the last 20 minutes? We lost. We had energy for a bit when we equalized, a bit right after and then let it slip away.”
On what caused the most trouble:
“Diego Valeri. Valeri found pockets that we couldn’t keep track of, counter-attacking transition, and our inability to create energy and receive balls in right areas. That’s a credit to Portland for their shape and their bite.”
On the impact of not having Beckerman and Sunny available next match:
“It means we’re without them so we have to figure out another course.”
On still having control of their own destiny:
“We’re going to see what we’re made of now. From me, the coaching staff and straight down to the players. It’s going to be two very tough games. Paired with our last two games being 3 days apart for some reason. It’s going to be an interesting game.”
Midfielder Kyle Beckerman
On the breakdowns:
“They made some plays. Two plays by Blanco were high quality plays and it turned the game on its head.”
On Diego Valeri:
“Diego is a very good player, we all know that. They got their chances and they finished them. It’s a big part of the game and goals change games. Our goal changed the momentum towards us then their goal took the momentum right away from us. It’s a tough one to take but we’re just going to get right back to work and try and do better the next game.”
On being above the playoff line:
“The good thing is that we’ve responded really well after losses this year. If we can do that again then we can keep marching forward. It’s going to be tough and other teams are fighting forward and we’re just going to get back to work to see what we can do better then go out next week and see if we can get a win.”
On his yellow card suspension next match:
“It’s always hard not being out there late in the season. We’ll work our tails off during practice and prepare every way that we can and get the guys ready. Hopefully we have a good performance and give ourselves a good chance in the last game.”
On knowing his yellow card situation:
“It’s definitely part of the game and you have to tip-toe it. I don’t know what our record is with this referee, but we don’t have the best history and I kind of though a yellow card was coming. We just have to keep working hard and do the best we can. We’re learning as we go and this will be another lesson – a hard one – but we’ll keep moving.”
Defender Justen Glad
On the match:
“We were sloppy on the ball tonight and they capitalized on it. We’re already focused on the next game.”
On what went wrong:
“We did it to ourselves. I think we gave the ball up too cheaply and they have quality players on the field who are going to put the ball in the back of the net if you turn the ball over like that.”
On Kyle and Sunny’s yellow card suspensions:
“They’re really important players. But we have players who are ready to step up and make their mark. I’m exciting to play with them.”
On the last two games:
“I know everyone in here is excited and we’re already onto the next game. We all love what we do and we’re excited for our next game.”
On Portland’s second goal:
“There was just a miscommunication. That’s all I’ll say. It’s a lapse and Blanco is a quality player and he capitalized.”
On being above the playoff line:
“It’s nice being above the playoff line, but it’d be nice to be three points higher and a little more out of reach. But we’ll take care of the next two games and handle our business and it won’t matter where LA and Vancouver are.”
Portland Timbers
Head Coach
On his thoughts on the performance:
“It was an important game for us. It’s been a very good week of training and I’m very proud of the guys and the work that they put in. The discipline, the execution of the plan that we had, it was great from the guys. Especially after the adversity and them scoring the tying goal, we maintained ourselves in the game, calm and we stuck with what we said and a great performance and a very important victory against a very good team.”
On the 4-2-3-1 formation:
“I think it helped us to reach a little bit further wide. To pressure that way they couldn’t put in too many balls behind. Even though they did have some moments, in the second half we did a better job covering higher and dropping quicker. And it was, as I said, a very good performance by our guys.”
On what he saw from the team after they conceded the equalizer:
“Great finish from Savarino [Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarnio]. The guys stayed disciplined. The belief was there. We knew that if we stuck with the plan that at the end we were going to get opportunities and the guys just did the job in a perfect way. This was a great performance away from home.”
On Sebastián Blanco:
“First off, everybody participated in this victory. And Seba just had the quality to score those two goals in an amazing way in a moment that was critical for us to be able to get ourselves higher in the game.”
Forward Sebastian Blanco
On the performance:
“We are very happy about it; very proud of the team. Today we played like a final. This team always shows the best in the difficult moments. It’s exciting because we need a little more points to go to the playoffs, we need that better position.”
On his goals:
“Before my second goal, the team was amazing. It was an amazing play. I kicked it, I want to score in this place but I’m very happy because it was important for the three points. We played compact, aggressive, patient, we waited the moment. Today, we played like a very strong team.”
On playing Real Salt Lake again in a few weeks:
“It will be similar but Salt Lake needs the points. They need something so we need stay patient like today – compact, aggressive in the defense and the midfield. When we attack we need to be aggressive like today. We are very excited for the next game but we need to rest now because we have 15 days and then the last two games so it’s important to rest.”
Forward Jeremy Ebobisse
On the result:
“It felt really good. Coming off a 0-0 draw with FC Dallas, questions were being asked about our attack. We always maintained confidence in ourselves, it was a really good week of training and everyone felt the vibe moving into this game. It feels like a good reward for a good week.”
On what was different in the attack:
“We just kept believing in ourselves and trying to find the spaces. Not every game is going to be a shootout but you’ve got to make sure you keep believing in everything that you do and the good things that we do and that’s what we did. Getting some good balls into the box and getting some clinical finishes out of guys that we know can do it. It’s about staying high and trying to find the right form going into the playoffs.”
On Sebastian Blanco:
“He’s a key to our offense. A lot of things go through him as a forward and he is always giving me good passes so I’m really happy whenever I’m on the field with Blanco.”
