Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor
Opening statement
“Obviously very bitter game for us to accept. I think when you look, it’s a stereotypical smash and grab. I think when you look at the volume of chances that we’ve had, the possession that we’ve had, [and] I think they’ve had one shot on target. So I think it’s a really difficult one to take because you look at that and it’s hard to say that we deserved to get beaten in that game, that’s for sure.”
On how to finish the chances
“Yeah again it’s just I think the big moment...it’s not just the shots, it’s shots on target as well. I think when you break down the statistical side it’s like we’ve outplayed them for large parts of the game. We’ve had great opportunities we just haven’t managed to take the final piece, which is the most important piece. I think we get into great areas, we create an opportunity. I still think even after all our shots there’s a couple more opportunities that we could maybe be a little bit cleaner and take the shot a little earlier, but it’s just incredibly frustrating and the players don’t deserve that. I think when you’ve worked like they’ve worked, had the volume of chances, it’s a real kick and punch to the gut, but it’s always reaction. You have to accept it and swallow it as hard as it is and try to react in a positive way, but it’s incredibly frustrating for everyone. For the supporters as well to have a game where you have so many shots, so many chances and end up losing the game when they only have one shot on target I would say is a bitter pill to have to accept.”
On if this was just one of those games where the shots weren’t falling
“I think we can say it’s unfortunate, but I think also we have to take our chances. I think you can get games like that where you have an evening where you look at it and you think ‘Is it ever going to go for us?’ I think the way the game transpired with the volume of chances, the shots on target, the way the game was going, we needed a little bit of luck. I think it got to the stage where we have them camped in their half with balls flashing across the face of goal, the keeper is pulling out saves. So I think when that happens it because a case of you need to stay focused, you need to stay mentally tough and keep doing what you’ve been doing and I think the players did that. I don’t think anyone can say that the players didn’t really throw everything at them. The players were throwing everything at LA to try to get something out of the game and it’s just unfortunate that we didn’t get anything and incredibly frustrating because we want to win games, especially at home.”
Orlando City Forward Chris Mueller
On his frustration level after the loss
“Very high. We wanted to win that game really badly, felt like it was really important at home to get the three points and we threw everything we could at them. It’s like you said, it’s really frustrating not to come away with a win. But we just got to keep moving forward, right? We’ve got to focus on the next game. This one stings, and hopefully it’s the springboard for what’s to come.”
On the team’s record of conceding the first goal of a game
“Honestly I couldn’t tell you why. If I knew why, I think that we would have solved the problem. We have to find a way to stop doing that. It’s really tough to come back from every game, we’re just shooting ourselves in the foot and that type of stuff has to stop if we are really going to start turning the corner here. Like I said, it’s really frustrating. Tough night, tough one to swallow.”
On this loss after a win against FC Cincinnati
“I don’t know. I think we, like I said, we threw a lot at them. I think that I heard that they only had one shot on target. So, like you said, you have to come out at home and only give up one shot on target and lose the game one-nill, is tough to swallow.”
Orlando City Midfielder Josue Colman
On frustration when team misses chances
“We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities so it’s very frustrating, we have to work on it and take advantage of it.”
On trying to turn things around
“I always try to grab the ball and go to the front. Sometimes I have a motive to make a goal or make an assist. But, like I said, sometimes I try to go to the front and get a goal.”
On how he has seen his season for himself
“I think it hasn’t gotten on how we want, obviously one always wants playing time and to get in more minutes but I keep working for that. I know coach (James O’Connor) believes in me and that’s why I try to put myself in the best position to show I can have more playing time.”
LA Galaxy Head Coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto
On how the team battled for 90 minutes
“Yeah I think we talked about we need some points, we need to win, we need to recover on the point we lost to New York on week ago. We need to fight more, I think we are a really good team, very big club, we need to fight like Galaxy-esque. I think today was wonderful about that because the players fight, the players tried to play and won three points very important to us.”
On their defensive intensity
“We practiced yesterday, about the defense. We were very clear with the instructions with the players, they could understand really good. Because today they made a wonderful game. I know in the second half maybe we give the ball to other team, but we defend, we are a big shape for 45 minutes. The second half was...they couldn’t just get in our box for ground balls, air balls so we forced them to divide the ball. They never can get [by] with touches. At the end of the day, the defense was exceptional.”
On David Bingham’s performance
“It was wonderful, the penalty he saved. Here we did the penalty. You know I think he is a really good goalkeeper, very good condition. He could take out everything he had on the side, because he is really good.”
LA Galaxy Midfielder Jonathan dos Santos
On scoring a goal while battling with a hip issue
“It was a little difficult, but when I start to have pain in my hip and I start to do some movements, my body gets tired faster because I don’t have the complete mobility. But, I suffer with that pain and try to do everything I can for the team. From one part, it takes a lot from me. Almost every year, I experience some pain in my hip but like i’ve always said, there’s never an excuse. If you are going to play, you are going to play at 100%. Today I found myself good, truthfully, I found myself good. All week I felt good as well. The most important thing is that we won, we suffered, but we won.”
On goal
“Yeah, like you said, I am playing in a position that is a lot more back so that gives me the opportunity to get to the area, have more clear options to score. When I score a goal, it’s not for nothing, I get golazos. I have to try it more. At first it was a pass to Rolf [Feltscher], change of game, Rolf enters, the rebound was there and I got a goal. To be honest, it was perfect for me to get a goal. Happy to get a goal and to help the team.”
On the energy of the team
“We knew it was going to be a difficult game because of the temperature, the humidity, because of a little of everything. But I think the team knew how to suffer the second part more than anything. The first part was very equalized, both teams had the ball, it was a game there and back. But I think the second half for the team was very good, in the feeling of suffering, in the defense. I think the team knew we were together after coming off a bad record but this victory and the suffering we had in the second half will help us tremendously for the rest of the season.”
LA Galaxy Goalkeeper David Bingham
On the way LA defended for 90 minutes tonight
“Yeah it was a hard fought game tonight it was a lot different than last week, we were under the gun a lot of the game and we were able to stay organized, and put up a shutout on the road and we were able to get three points on the road tonight which was big for us.”
On what the result does for LA and how it feels
“Yeah three points is massive on the road, we’re not happy with how we played and we shouldn’t be, but at the end of the day we’d rather play bad and pick up three points than play good and lose, so.”
On his performance tonight
“We knew we had to come here and get three points and we had to be locked in the whole game and luckily I was able to make some big saves tonight and keep us in it.”
