Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez
Thoughts on the match…
“Proud of the boys, proud of all of them. I thought they showed a lot of energy and courage to play, created good chances, could’ve been up in the first half. Portland, they went for the game there at the end, and we started to absorb more. There were some long balls, second balls, ping pong up and back and we faced a situation where they scored. It’s very disappointing to work so hard and leave everything on the field and come up short. A point would have been a positive and we could have even had a goal or two in the first half to get up. We don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves, we need to be ready for preparation and if we can show that performance at home or away with that commitment and energy, then I know it’s a matter of time until the points do bounce our way.”
On his takeaways from the first 70 minutes…
“We wanted to make sure we got pressure on them in the right parts of the field with organization and collectively do it. We needed to make plays individually, defensively, to win duels, to tackle and get in their face and play with attitude. We did that. And with the ball we had courage, we played, we circulated the ball, attacked the flank, got crosses, created some chances that didn’t go in. Those are the small margins that can win or lose you games, so we’re disappointed at the final result but proud of the team.”
Midfielder Paxton Pomykal
On how he is feeling…
“I’m feeling great, I'm cramping up in my calves a little bit. Obviously that's the most I've played in a long time but it felt really good to be out there. It’s another thing to go that long in a MLS game than in a training session. I felt really good, lungs felt great. It’s almost been two years since I’ve last played a full match so that’s why my calves are cramping.”
On the game plan...
"Our game plan was to dominate the ball. I think the first half we did that. In the second half we kind of split it more. I thought it was a good performance by the team but at the end of the day we couldn't get the result. It's bittersweet, but we keep playing like that on the road. I am confident that I'll be able to finish a chance, not like the one in the first half I missed nor will [Ricardo] Pepi’s header won't go off the post. You know the ones that don't bounce our way will bounce our way eventually. I think we left it all out on the field and I am really proud of the boys. Also at the end of the day we didn’t get the result. I know everyone left it all out there including myself.”
Forward Ricardo Pepi
His overall thoughts on the match…
“It was a great match from the team and I feel like we got unlucky. Last 15 minutes, it felt like they were all over us and we should be able to manage that game better but it was one of our best performances of the year.”
On his position on the wing...
“It was great, we all had that free role. It was interchanging positions, sometimes you saw Jesús (Ferreira) out wide, or Franco (Jara) out wide, we had that freedom. I feel like it was a good strategy for us and it went well.”
On defending as a winger...
“It’s a little different to go from defending as a striker where you have to do the press. Defending as a winger is a little bit different but I had a couple opportunities to do it in training. It’s a little different but it’s very important and the team needed it.”
