Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner
Opening statement
“I don’t think we were quick enough first half. I thought we could’ve cut them open, we could’ve hurt them. We didn’t do that and then second half, obviously it’s a bit of a joke. From what I see I don’t contest the first decision, I didn’t see the second one so I have no idea the severity of it was a red card or not, I don’t know. I genuinely was looking at tactical changes at the time. Apart from that, just another game that’s got away from us because I can see the things starting to happen, but we’ve got to be ruthless in front of goal and if you don’t do that then you run the risk of losing the game.”
On tactics change after going down two players
“It’s mad, it’s mad. We went to a 4-4-1 and counter-attack with a central block and then attacking with the wingers to all of a sudden then changing that plan and going three at the back, four in midfield, and then whatever we had left up front. It’s crazy, coaches can work on that kind of thing but it’s really a deep block once you lose two players. But, we had to get back in the game so we had to risk, and the girls have given everything that are still on the field, of course they have. And then before they went off, Julie [King[ sees an unfortunate timing of a challenge. I think she scores if she doesn’t, so it’s a decision she’s got to make. I’ve not seen Marta’s so I don’t know, but it’s a tough one. Tough tactical changes, you’ve got to be inventive.”
On the fight of the team
“I think that you have the characters, you know it should’ve been a happy night for our captain [Ashlyn Harris] tonight because she epitomizes the fighting character. However, I think they are, I just think that we need to be so much more aggressive. I do think they’re fighters, I do, but I think they don’t know just how much fighting they can give. What’s really clear to me, I’ve said it a million times, I’m not going to rest until I have a team that is able to tactically adapt very, very quickly, physically match the opposition and then literally technically take the team on that they’re playing. I think they fought tonight, but I want more. I want more, and I want my players to know that I want more and I want my players to know that if you are going to be in Orlando in the future there is no resting place, there’s no hiding place. You’re either here to be successful or you’re not and that’s what I want my players to know from tonight.”
Orlando Pride Defender Ali Krieger
Thoughts on the game
“That’s just a tough loss for us. I think we were the better team, especially in the first half. We obviously have to finish our chances and we have to be better. Just tidy up the little things, play a lot faster. I think we all know that the tempo of our play was a bit too slow. We would beat lines and then play passive passes, and I think we have to play more active passes going forward and obviously not give away the ball and make those little mistakes, myself included. We just have to be better, finish our chances. We had a few chances in the first half that were 100% chances, so we have to finish those and just be better in and around the box, because the game would have been completely different if we would have been successful in that.”
On new additions to the team in the last few weeks
“Really great. We have such great camaraderie within the team. I think we have players who want to work hard, who want to bring their best every single day, who want to win. We have to keep that mentality because at this level, that’s what it’s about, it’s about winning. It’s about playing well and it’s about gelling on the field. It’s about playing quality soccer and not just kick and run, and high press, and just chaotic soccer. It’s actually trying to put a good product out on the field, because we want to continue to be the best league in the world. And these new additions, just with [Claire] Emslie and obviously the younger players and Marisa [Viggiano], you can see that these players are getting better, they’re working hard, they’re putting everything into the game. We just have to continue that, and we’re working our asses off day in and day out and these results are just unfortunate right at the moment. It’s not really going our way, but that’s why in the first half we should and need to finish our chances that we have, the 100% chances.”
On how the team will move on from this match
“We just have to honestly move forward, starting tomorrow. We can think about this game and review it and then honestly this week we need to start preparing for Utah because we have to start getting points. There’s points that we need to take, they’re not going to be given, and we can’t lose anymore. We have to just refocus and play with the players that we have, focus on the players that we do have and quickly get organized and prepare for Saturday.”
Orlando Pride Midfielder Joanna Boyles
Thoughts on game
“I thought in the first half, I thought there were times we created two really good opportunities. I thought we were executing our game plan really, really well. Unfortunately, we didn’t put away a couple of clear chances and you know the second half, just the way the game goes it’s unpredictable. I thought in the second half everyone grinded and everyone left their hearts out on the field and that’s really as a team all we can ask for.”
On the performance of Julie King
“I thought she stepped in really seamlessly and that’s a huge credit to her. I think she’s practiced with us for a week or so, not even, so for her to be able to jump in and do what I thought a really great job, that’s a huge credit to her.”
On what needs to change to score more
“You know I think the past three games we’ve scored eight goals, so I don’t think it’s us not being able to create chances. You know sometimes soccer is a cruel game and we were inches, centimeters away from scoring. We created some really good chances and you know it just comes back to haunt us later on. It’s just, unfortunately, the way the game goes. It can be a cruel game sometimes.”
