Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor
Opening Statements
“Obviously very pleased, not just with the result, I thought overall the mentality of the players was excellent. To play at three o’clock in Florida is a test, a mental test, and I thought the mentality of the players showed - going a goal down and then coming back and reacting the way they did. I just said there, on TV, the supporters have been fantastic. We’ve gone a goal down and the supporters are trying to encourage the players, really trying to lift them and get them going and they played a big part again tonight, like they always do. I don’t want the supporters to think that we take them for granted. We don’t. We value their support. And the way that they stuck with the guys today really helped us through the second half. I thought it was exceptional.”
On message to the team at half that led to fast scoring
“There was a couple of things I thought we just needed to be a little bit sharper on and areas I thought we needed to try to play in. I think, obviously, then the quality of the players started to come through. So, again, I think the players deserve enormous credit for the mentality and the way they went on and performed second half. I thought they were excellent.”
On the significance of passing the 200-goal mark in the game
“I think from our standpoint, it was important that we try and win the game. Obviously you want to try and create chances. I thought we had a good amount of possession. First half we just needed to be a little bit smarter in the areas that we needed to play in. Second half I thought we did a really good job. Nani’s quality obviously comes through. He’s, I’ve said it before, he’s an exceptional talent and a world-class player.”
Orlando City Forward Nani
On importance of today’s win to team morale
“We knew entering this game that it was a tough situation, I mean the couple of last games was very hard. We were in a situation to have more pressure from our fans, from the club, even for us because what we want to achieve is getting more difficult but today we had a great performance, great result. And we must take the positive things from this game and then continue to work hard and continue to believe, because there is a lot of games to win and we have a great chance.”
On taking positives from this game into next match vs. LA Galaxy
“It’s always important to get the positive things, to win our games at home, first of all. And from there, continue to work hard and continue to believe in our team, in our staff, because just like that we can get the results. We know it’s not easy, we are not in a comfortable position but we must be strong, mentality and continue to believe because like I said before this is a great team, great players. We have a lot to do, so, we have a lot to show. We didn’t show our best yet, but we need to stay on our feet and continue to work very hard because just like that we are going to get our results.”
On his condition
“Yes, obviously I had a little issue with my leg, I was recovering. On this day I’m very happy to help the team on this evening, but most importantly is the three points. It doesn’t matter if I play 90 minutes or not, what’s important is the time I’m on the pitch I produce something to help the team. Today I’m very happy and I hope the next game I can do the same, but like I said we must put always the team in front of us and the next objective is to gather the next three points, and in every game.”
Orlando City Forward Tesho Akindele
On getting back on the score sheet
“It was really good for me. I feel like forwards, obviously we live and die by goals, so the more games go by without one you kind of feel the pressure, you feel uneasy so I'm glad I got one or two today and got back on track.”
On what was working today for the team
“I think we were finally finishing. I think we got a little bit unlucky in the past in some of the chances we missed and I think maybe we got a little bit lucky today in some of the ones we scored. It kinda balances out in the long run as long as you’re creating chances, which we’ve been doing all year.”
On the adjustments made at halftime
“I mean just to stay on course. I thought we completely outplayed them in the first half. They had good chances, but off the counter attacks, but in the run of the game I thought we controlled it where like if we keep controlling the game like that we’re going to break through and then we did.”
FC Cincinnati Head Coach Yoann Damet
On the early injury to Greg Garza and how that impacted the match
“For sure that has an impact. When you start players, that is because there’s a thought behind it. Listen we played one man down for maybe five minutes, I didn’t look at my watch. I think it’s difficult when you play one man down for five minutes to get your head straight and keep analyzing the game. So I think the guys did a great job during those five minutes being tight, compact and defending but for sure it’s an adaptment [sic] before we had an opportunity to make a sub with Alvas [Powell] and you’re again 11 against 11. It takes a bit of time to get back to the game plan and to reintegrate the concept that we wanted to see.”
On the impact of the unavailability of players
“For sure with the heat and the conditions. You always want to have three subs in the second half we have to manage the game. That’s part of it, that’s part of the game we cannot blame that.”
On if he saw progress in terms of maintaining possession
“Yes, yes I spoke about the set up. I think the guys have to understand it’s more of a set up how we want to play. Again the positioning was one thing, now what we do with the positioning and how we use the ball is something different. It’s going to take time and I said it last week, we have to be on board about the performance against Montreal and we have to keep working. So that’s going to be the message again today, I think we have to keep working. We want to play, it’s maybe one of the most difficult things to do. We need to get confident and we need to keep training and keep working.”
FC Cincinnati Defender Kendall Waston
On his overall thoughts on the match
“Tough, really tough one. In that first half I think we did really good, second half I think we got a little fatigued about different situations. When being 2-1 after it was a little bit harder. Let in some goals and a little bit of deconcentration [sic] on our side, it was harder. So, at the end when that score 5-1, it was frustrating for us because we didn’t go to concede so many goals.”
On the VAR decision
“Well, I was involved, obviously, in that situation. He like fell down on me, so I know that referee, he follow instructions, you know, he follow instructions. I spoke with him and he’s a really good referee, a nice guy and obviously, he have to follow what they told him.”
On the progress within the team
“We are trying to continuously work in those aspects like playing from behind. I think, like in the first half, when we are with more energy, we are doing it well. We have to improve when we are a little bit tired. In these conditions, we have to maintain our focus and we are going to continue working on those things.”
FC Cincinnati Forward Darren Mattocks
On his goal
“We were working on it all week, you know, remember finding the pocket and strikers making the run in behind and that’s what I did. I was actually looking for a pass to one of my teammates and I saw no one in the box but me. I’m like, ‘alright, I’ve got to do this on my own.’ So, credit to myself and credit to my teammates first of all for the buildup in getting me behind, but also to be able to shake off the defenders and get the goal.”
On getting a goal on the run of play
“It’s good, I mean I know it was going to come and I’m never worried about it. I know what I can do and it showed tonight, today, I just need to be more consistent and you know, I mean get a chance you know, I mean, and I’ve been getting a ton of them. Mostly, creating chances for myself, like, you know what I mean, but if that’s what it takes for me to get on the score sheet then I just got to keep on trying to do it.”
On the amount of space and time before taking a shot
“No, I mean you are in the 18-yard box and the defender’s gonna be smart. You don’t want to give away a PK, I mean I got a ball on my feet and as soon as he tried to dive and he didn’t want to move and draw a PK. So, I mean credit to the defender to stay on his feet and as I said, you’ve got to find a way to create a goal for yourself so I faked him one way and he bit and I just cut to my left and get it off.”
