Portland Timbers quotes
Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese
On how he felt about the team’s performance…
“I was very pleased with the performance all around from everyone who stepped on the field and they got the job done. We knew it was going to be a tough game. They had a lot of starters. They had a lot of players, important players, and we knew we had to battle. I was very pleased not only because we were able to score the two goals and win the match, but we showed some maturity with a lot of the young guys and we kept the ball, we knew when to move it, when to go forward and all around I thought it was a great performance by the guys. I’m very proud of the way they played today.”
On Jeremy Ebobisse and Dairon Asprilla taking the opportunity and scoring goals…
“I think they important part first is a lot of them have been playing matches with T2, so they are fit and they have been able to come and jump into this game today feeling good. And also I think these minutes are going to be important for these guys to build confidence, to be ready, also to contribute to the first team. A lot of them I think are the future. The youth of the club and they show a lot of great things. [Marvin] Loría, Jebo [Jeremy Ebobisse] and [Darixon] Vuelto when he came in, Eryk [Williamson], a lot of interesting players, very good energy today coming into the match.”
On T2 and the first team inter-mixing in training and playing together…
“We have worked very well with T2 in making sure that we practice almost at the same time, together. So we have been interacting a lot. Exchanging players from one practice to the other practice. The first team staff has been watching every game of T2; T2 is collaborating and watching and being very close with the first team and that’s why this helps a lot to make sure the players are on the same page. And I think one of the most important parts is the mentality is great all around. Everyone wants to compete. Everyone wants to step on the field. Everyone that puts the shirt on wants to represent in the best possible way.”
On the importance of the Open Cup for the depth players…
“Any competition, any game, anytime that we step on the field, we have to be competitive and give everything, and especially the guys that had the opportunity today that haven’t had the too many minutes with the first team. They showed that, they are asking to be able to have the opportunity, and that’s what the coach wants. That’s what the club wants and it was very positive today.”
On the composure of Jeremy Ebobisse and Dairon Asprilla…
“Not only the two of them, the entire team looked very composed. Of course the pieces of [Diego] Chara, Lawrence [Olum], Vytas and Bill [Tuiloma] were very important components to build that base to support those young players to make sure that they performed. But it was very good to see especially Jeremy and Asprilla, how composed they were to score those goals that were very important for us.”
On the decision to start Renzo Zambrano over Eryk Williamson and if it had anything to do with Saturday’s game…
“It was just decision because I felt, first of all Jack Barmby only had 45 minutes because he’s coming back from an injury. He played very well in those 45 minutes and then we had planned for Eryk to come in and he did a good job also when he came in.”
On the different styles of play in the two halves…
“It was more of the information that we gave the team at the second half to make sure that we changed a few things we could have done better. We started very well in the match. I think towards the end of the first half it became a little bit more difficult because we gave them some space. Then when we came back in the second half we brought back that energy and I thought it was very good. We kept possession. The game at some point broke a little bit towards the end and they started playing long balls, but I thought all around the team was very composed.”
On Renzo Zambrano and Marvin Loría’s performance in the match…
“From Renzo [Zambrano] it was keeping the game simple. To make sure he complemented Chara next to him and just to move the ball. To make sure he played 1-2 touches. That he moved and was always available to do that for the majority of the match. Loría was a little bit higher with the freedom to make sure he appeared on a constant basis. That he used his skill to make sure that he was always available and also that became a threat going forward at some point. In the first half guys were making a little bit of the same movements in the same areas, but once they started making opposite movements then there became more options for the midfielders and Loría took advantage of that in the second half.”
Portland Timbers defender Lawrence Olum
On the team being able to adjust the lineup and get the job done…
“It shows that everybody has been preparing well. We have quite the depth that anyone can step in and give a good performance.”
On the team’s approach to the US Open Cup…
“[The cup] is serious because if we do well, it’s a birth to Concacaf. It’s a way to get into that competition so as a club, the players take it serious.”
On the defense’s performance…
“It was an effort from everybody. The guys up front put enough pressure for us to be able to read the plays in the back and we were able to make certain plays in the games and we got a clean sheet.”
Portland Timbers goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh
On his personal performance…
“It went great. Any time you get a clean sheet at home in front of these fans, you’re going to be excited, happy, and I think that it was just a really great performance from everybody on the field.”
On the opportunity to feature for the first team…
“It will always give you confidence. Playing well in front of these fans is wonderful, an amazing feeling. It makes you hungry and want to keep doing it. I have to keep plugging away, supporting Jeff [Antinella] and Jake [Gleeson] and keep grinding away.”
On playing with a different back four than usual…
“It’s definitely different, but I think a lot of the players are really adaptable. We have really good chemistry within the group of guys. It feels like every single guy can get plugged in at any moment and every guy that’s plugged in feels like they are going to do well. That camaraderie builds off itself; it feels like we’ve been playing with each other the entire time.”
Portland Timbers forward Jeremy Ebobisse
On his thoughts during the opening goal…
“I knew [their midfielder] was going to turn out. I was lucky to get that first touch toward goal. From there, I saw Marvin [Loria] making a good run in the box so my first thought was to feed him. I didn’t trust my right foot in that instance, so I cut it back and luckily had some time and took a good goal.”
On the biggest improvement in his game from last year…
“I’ve become a little more mature in all aspects of the game. As a rookie, I was almost in awe of every situation that I found myself in on the field. This year, I’ve been able to take a step back and find some sort of composure and I think it showed in that goal. Last year, I may have rushed that a little bit or made a rash decision.”
On his first career goal at home and what he’ll do with his log slice…
“I’ll get it cleaned out and put it somewhere in my apartment. Maybe have the team sign it, somebody will have an idea for me. I thought about making a table out of it at one point but I don’t know if that’s practical in my apartment.”
San Jose Earthquakes quotes
San Jose Earthquakes head coach Mikael Stahre
On his overall thoughts after the match…
“I felt in the first half it was a really good game. It was a nil-nil feeling in the first half. We made a crazy mistake in the middle of the field and they scored 1-0. Even though Portland possessed the ball well and controlled the game, I thought there were hardly any chances on goal. In the second half, I thought we pressed higher and we provoked the opponent more. We created at least three or four really good chances in the second half. Portland did well and they have really good players and have a clear strategy, even if they rested some players, as did we.”
On the upcoming league match against Los Angeles FC…
“We have two extremely important league games now. We are close, but we’re obviously not good enough. We have to win now, with two extremely important games at home. First against LAFC and then New England. It will be super important for us to bring back the confidence and show the fans and ownership and everyone that we’re proud to play for the club and show the qualities in order to win.”
San Jose Earthquakes defender Kevin Partida
On his overall thoughts on the match…
“I thought we looked solid. I think we were unfortunate on both of the goals we gave up, but there’s plenty of upside.”
On the difficulties the team faced against the Timbers…
“I think they held most of the possession, but despite that we felt comfortable because we were compact. There’s a lot of upside to take away from the match.”
Notes:
- Dairon Asprilla scored his second career goal for Portland in the Lamar Hunt U.S Open Cup. Asprilla is the third Timbers player to score in two different years in the U.S. Open Cup for the Timbers, joining Darlington Nagbe and Diego Valeri.
- Asprilla has now scored eight career goals for the Timbers, four in MLS regular-season action, two in the MLS Cup Playoffs and two in the U.S. Open Cup.
- Jeremy Ebobisse became the 34th different Timbers player to score in the U.S. Open Cup.
- The 2-0 victory marked the 15th Timbers win in the U.S. Open Cup since the club's debut in the competition in 2004.
- For the sixth consecutive season in U.S. Open Cup play, Portland has faced at least one MLS team and has recorded five victories against MLS competition during that stretch.That is the longest active streak for an MLS team.
- Modou Jadama, Foster Langsdorf, Marvin Loría, Kendall McIntosh, Darixon Vuelto, Eryk Williamson and Renzo Zambrano each made their competitive debuts for the Timbers.
