Portland Timbers Quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter
On how big it was to get the win battling through injuries and fatigue…
“It’s big, we needed that. We’ve been dealing with things this year, but we’ve never made excuses. We went with some different guys today. One of them is sitting next to me [Jack McInerney]. If he doesn’t score that first goal we don’t get a result, we probably don’t get the other goals. So we got the job done. And also [Fanendo] Adi, the plan was to start with Jack and then bring Adi on fresh, and it worked."
On if the plan was to be patient and utilize counter attack…
"I think first half we looked a little bit nervy. That’s to be expected. When you are not getting results that happens. You see that with every team. Then as soon as we score it was like the weight was lifted. In the second half, I thought we deserved it. We were outstanding. The front four I thought all game looked pretty lively and confident. Luca [Lucas Melano}, [Diego] Valeri, even Darren [Mattocks] and then Adi, I thought everybody looked really good. But we’ve been giving up goals. We’ve been rotating different guys in, so you could see a little bit we are still working out some kinks in that back group but they were men in the second half. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys. This was a gut check time and the guys responded like they always do. Showed their character. Showed their mental toughness. And we showed our depth and our resiliency. We’ve got guys dropping off like flies. We are getting calls going against us and these guys just kept fighting, kept grinding. I think I counted there were only five players on the field to start the game from the championship game. This is a new team. it’s a new year and we are managing some injuries and new things. Today it felt good and we came together a bit."
On if battling adversity and winning MLS Cup last year is helping the team stay the course…
“Yeah, I think every year we’ve gone through rough patches, certainly the last two and this year. Every team does. There isn’t a team in the league that doesn’t go through a patch during the season where they lose games or they are not getting results. We rarely lose two games in a row, but we've dropped points. And other teams do as well. Other teams get injuries. Seems like we are getting more than we have in the past, but like I said this was a gut check game. We went with some different guys and they responded. I just thought overall, that back group especially because they have been giving up goals, really showed a lot of resiliency to respond from that last game in a short window. We had quite a few guys who played all three games in a seven-day window. Weaker teams, physically or mentally, wouldn’t have been able to do that. So I was real proud of the guys and they showed the type of locker room, the type of team we want them to be. We showed that same thing last year and we are now showing it this year, finally.”
On the difference tonight in the performance of Lucas Melano…
“I think confidence. It takes time. He was outstanding. I think that’s probably the best game he’s played, I think, since he’s been here, and he showed a lot of things that we saw when we were scouting him where he just picks up the ball and he’ll gobble up 50 yards. A lot of it is confidence.”
On the decision to start Zarek Valentin and his performance…
“I thought he was good. That’s his natural position. You saw late in the game especially when they put on Shea Salinas, who is one of the better wingers in the league in terms of running at guys and getting crosses in and a couple times you see him stand him up 1-v-1. Zarek is a good passer out of the back. We were struggling a little bit in our possession and our build-up out of the back without Ridgy [Liam Ridgewell] and Jorge [former Timbers defender Jorge Villafaña] was pretty good at that as well in terms of just his passing into the middle third and overlapping in the final third. So we just felt we needed a more technical player. A guy that could help us build out of the back. Zarek is deceptively quick as well. First half I thought he was still settling. But like I said we have new guys. New guys that are wearing the uniform. New guys that are feeling that positive pressure being at home. New guys that are wearing the uniform and learning to bleed in it. It takes time for guys to get comfortable here in this special club, in this locker room and comfortable grinding for this club, bleeding in the uniform and fighting for their teammates. Dealing with the expectations. I think we made real progress today, but it’s just one game. It’s a big result. We needed it and I’m confident we are going to grow in confidence as times goes on as we continue to get results and play like we did today.”
Portland Timbers forward Jack McInerney
On the team’s fight in the second half…
“It just shows what kind of locker room we have. We came out here on Wednesday and got embarrassed and I think we were fortunate to have a home game this weekend in front of ours fans to show that we’re not that type of team. We needed to come out and get three points for them. After the first half, it was important to come into halftime with no goals against. We went out there and just battled. With 10 minutes of extra time, you see guys out there all over the field playing different positions, doing what they have to do to get three points.”
On playing in front of Timbers fans…
“For me, it’s exciting. Obviously, I’ve played here before with other teams and when you come here, it’s scary. It’s a difficult place to play. To be able to play under coach Caleb and in front of Timbers Army, it just gives you more confidence and you want to go out there and put in the work for the fans. It takes a little adjusting to, but over time, you’re going to get along with your teammates and the system and things will fit together.”
On scoring first goal at Providence Park…
“I’ve definitely been waiting for it. I had a couple chances in previous games. I don’t think it was the prettiest goal, but at the end of the day, you’ll take it and take the three points.”
Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi
On the team’s ability to respond after a loss…
“Today everyone, the first half you see it wasn’t real amazing, but in the second half we came out with high spirit and we did well in the second half and got the very important goals.”
On Lucas Melano’s contributions in the game…
“We had two or three breaks when I came in and we converted two, so it was amazing to see him contribute a lot to the team. That’s what he’s here, for and I think he’s had an amazing game.”
Portland Timbers defender Zack Valentin
Overall thoughts on the game…
“It felt great. First and foremost, I thought it was a great team win. We battled. San Jose is, obviously, a tough team to play against, and we remember the tough result we had against them in the second game of the season, so we’re about to come back and have a good team performance. I thought all of the guys that came in did well. Obviously, Jack [McInerney] scored a goal, [Fanendo] Adi came off the bench and got a goal. It was just a good team performance overall, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
On earning maximum points at home…
“I think it’s everything. I think to come out there and to put in a good team performance was a gut-check for us.”
Portland Timbers defender Nat Borchers
On team’s response from Wednesday night’s result…
“We showed a lot of character, we didn’t have a good game on Wednesday. A lot of guys stepped up. We had to go deep into our lineup and guys came out and played well tonight.”
On strong second-half performance…
“I think we were just a little bit shaky in the first half. We were still trying to get rid of that game we had Wednesday night. It was important for us not to give anything up in the game and we stood strong. In the second half, we were able to find some more space and get the goals we wanted to.”
Portland Timbers defender Jermaine Taylor
On the result…
“We all understand the situation and what occurred in the last home game. If you look back at the last game, the result was never going our way. For this game, I think it sets a tone going forward and we just have to build on it. When we get back on the pitch, we just need to keep the momentum going and just ride with it.”
On preserving the second-half lead…
“It’s all about guts and courage. We fought and we battled today and that’s key going forward in terms of guys fighting until the last minute. With it being 2-1, they were pushing players forward to get the second goal to tie the game, but I think we did well to stick to the game plan and get three points.”
San Jose Earthquakes Quotes
San Jose Earthquakes head coach Dominic Kinnear
On what was different for the Earthquakes in the second half…
“I thought we played good in the second half too. Just gave up some goals. The first goal was, we lost a couple challenges that were important challenges and they broke through and scored. I mean, I thought [Fanendo] Adi’s insertion into the game was really beneficial for them, even though it came off an injury. So he came in and made them a little more dangerous. Still thought we played well. Down at the end there [Jake] Gleeson makes a couple real good saves and it could be 2-2. And then they go down the field and score. We’re throwing everything forward. We played some real good stuff in the first half. Great possession, great movement, some good looks at goal. Would have been nice if they’d gone in with a little bit of a lead. Think we probably deserved that, but sometimes you don’t always get what you deserve. Like I said, they were a bit more aggressive in the second half and we lost a couple challenges, led to a goal and then we’re chasing the game.”
On whether he’s disappointed with the result…
“Anytime we lose, I’m disappointed. Doesn’t matter. Gleeson comes in and he plays great so congratulations to him. Adi comes in for Darren Mattocks and he does pretty good too. We were preparing for Darren Mattocks or Adi tonight. We had a feeling one of the two was going to start, or both. Yea I’m disappointed. I thought we played pretty good.”
San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Shea Salinas
General thoughts on the match…
“I think overall we’re really happy with how we played, especially that first half. We just played really well. It was unfortunate not to finish the goals and we got punished for it. I think we still fought hard there at the end and had a chance to get a point out of it.”
On the attitudes between the two teams in a hard-fought game...
“I think we enjoy coming to Portland to play. We like the atmosphere. It’s just a game we look forward to. We’ve always played them well and it’s always been a hard-fought game. It’s just fun soccer.”
San Jose Earthquakes defender Andrés Imperiale
General thoughts on the match…
“I think that we played well, but we made some mistakes that cost the game. We need to move on now. We need to think of rest for a few days after a tough week and move on and look at the next game at home against a difficult team like Kansas.”
On if he believed the team could score a second to tie the game after Wondolowski’s penalty…
“Yes. I think we could collect points here. We need to give credit to the Timbers. They are a very good team. As I said, after the first goal they started to play better. We need to move on. We are a good team. We collect good points at home and we have the next game at home. We need to win that game.”
Notes:
- Sunday’s game marked the 89th consecutive regular-season sellout for the Timbers at Providence Park.
- Jack McInerney scored his third goal of the season for the Timbers, recording all three in the second half of each game.
- Fanendo Adi's goals were his fifth and sixth goals of the season, placing him in a tie for first place in MLS with Chris Wondolowski for goals scored this season.
- Adi notched his seventh goal as a substitute for Portland – the most during the Timbers MLS era. Additionally, Adi is the only player during Portland's MLS era to deliver a brace after coming on as a substitute. Overall, Adi has recorded three multi-goal games as a substitute for Portland, previously notching braces against Seattle Sounders FC on Aug. 24, 2014 and against the New England Revolution on June 7, 2015.
- Adi's second goal occurred in the ninth minute of stoppage time in the second half, marking the latest goal in a MLS regular-season match in team history, surpassing Nat Borchers’ game-winning finish in the 95th minute against Real Salt Lake on Aug. 15, 2015.
- Adi's goal was the second latest stoppage-time goal in MLS history, behind only Dominic Oduro's goal for the Houston Dynamo in the 100th minute of play on Sept. 25, 2010.
- Darren Mattocks and Jack McInerney both made their first starts for the Timbers, becoming the 73rd and 74th players to start a MLS regular-season match for Portland.
- Jake Gleeson entered the match as a substitute for the second time in his MLS career.
- The Timbers have scored 10 second-half goals this season, which is the most in MLS in 2016. Only three MLS teams have scored more than 10 overall goals this season.
- With the victory, Portland has not lost consecutive matches to conference opponents since April 2014, marking the longest active streak in MLS.
- Under Caleb Porter, Portland's record immediately following a loss is 14-3-11. Additionally, the Timbers are undefeated in their last nine regular-season matches immediately following a loss (4-0-5).
- With the win, Portland's record against the Earthquakes in MLS play improved to 6-2-7. In five seasons in MLS, the Timbers have never lost to San Jose at home in MLS play (5-0-3).
