- Match: Atlanta United FC at Vancouver Whitecaps
- Location: BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Date: May 15, 2019
- Final Score: VAN 0-1 ATL (Recap | Highlights)
ATLANTA UNITED FC
HEAD COACH FRANK DE BOER
On how pleased he was with the win:
“I’m very proud of the team, it’s a long trip, short period in between those two legs. I think we started off a little bit sloppy. With passes lacking concentration, but after 20 minutes we took the control a little bit. In the second half we were even more concentrated, and at the end I think the best team won. But it was still tense at the end, as it was only 1-0 and we could’ve ended the game a number of times before.”
On the key to five consecutive shutouts:
“I think the spirit, the energy and the chemistry within the team. You can see the confidence is growing and everyone knows their role. They want to work for each other and they understand each other better, and it’s been fun to watch.”
On Pogba and Meram’s debuts:
“I think Pogba played a fantastic game today, he didn’t make a mistake. He was also very good in the buildup and defensively he was very good. It wasn’t easy, but you can see his experience and it was fantastic.
Meram’s start was a bit difficult, but later in the game he improved and got more involved. So it was also nice to see. It’s nice that they’re ready to play when we need them, and especially Florentin the way he played, I was pleased.”
GOALKEEPER BRAD GUZAN
On setting an MLS record for consecutive wins by shutout:
“I think if you look at the last couple games, the chances that we are giving up, they’re not as clear cut chances as they were the first few games of the season. The first few games of the season we were spread out, we were exposed, turning the ball over in bad spots on the field that ultimately in this league you get punished for. They say the best form of defence is the attack, and I think that’s probably our strongest attribute. When we have the ball and we protect the ball and we take care of it, we’re patient, we find the simple passes, that’s when we’re at our best and I think that’s when we’re able to get at teams.”
On Pogba’s first start:
“It was very good. It started to rain a little bit into the game and that probably helped us in terms of the surface, and his ability to use his athleticism to track down balls over the top, win balls in the air. Even playing out of the back, something that’s obviously kind of new to our system, our ideas of wanting to play out of the back. It’s not always easy for guys to step in, so I thought he was very good tonight.”
On stopping the counterattack and getting a hand on Montero’s dribble in the box:
“I don’t even remember the build-up to it. I think Montero got into the box, I was able to close down the angle, he took a touch and I was able to take it off his feet. I think that was probably the most work I had to do tonight in terms of saving the ball.”
On how the team is gelling:
“I think you’re starting to see now the understanding of guys in terms of the spacing on the field, where we want to be when we have the ball, when we don’t have the ball. I think all those little things are now starting to click. And then on top of it you add the ability to have an understanding of where other guys are going to be on the field. Someone like Pity has come in the last few games, not only his work rate on the attacking side of the ball, but on the defensive side of the ball has been very good. When we defend with eleven guys, we’re difficult to break down, we’re difficult to beat, and we’ve got the quality and the ability to go the other day.”
CENTRE BACK FLORENTIN POGBA
On his first start with Atlanta:
“Yeah, I was waiting for this opportunity to get my first chance to play with the team, the first start. I think it went well, so thank God it did. I’m happy with how I played, and how the team played, because we were able to get the win, and that’s what’s important. Now we have to get some rest and focus on these games that we have coming up and hopefully I’ll get some more opportunities.”
On any worries from not starting:
“No, because the team is winning. When the team is winning, it’s always difficult to change the team. But that’s football. We know what it’s like, you just always have to be ready when your turn is called, so that the coach can know that he can count on you.”
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
HEAD COACH MARC DOS SANTOS
General thoughts from the game:
“They came with a plan to hit us in transition where they have players that are very dangerous, they are quick to attack the space. I thought that when we had possession, we spent a lot of time in their half, but couldn’t find any kind of opening. I have to give credit to Atlanta, I think they did a very good job in their defensive organization, it showed as this is their fifth game in a row they did not concede. The disappointing part is that I thought overall the game was equal. Where it got broken was when we were down 1-0, and there was a 15 minute period in the second half where the transition moments were dangerous, and that’s where Max [Crépeau] kept us in the game.”
On the penalty:
“The disappointing part was that if we concede a goal in transition, or if they score on a good buildup, or Josef Martinez scores – a player that’s scored 31 goals last season – it’s okay, it happens, we are playing a very good team, we can forget that. What’s disappointing is the penalty shot that we gave away is very clumsy. It’s a play that is under control, where Pity [Martinez] gets the ball, but Ali is there with him, and then it’s clumsy, that’s frustrating to lose like that.”
On Atlanta’s defence:
“I think that overall Atlanta did a good job in their defensive structure, and you don’t go five games in a row without conceding a goal if you don’t know what you’re doing collectively. When you play a team like that, you need to be sure you have better solutions in the last third, and better plays, and I think that was difficult for us to find openings in tonight.”
On second half strategies:
“We spoke about more runs, more penetration, things that were not happening in the first half. We asked the guys to be much more pragmatic in the last third, because if you’re there against Atlanta and you’re always looking for the perfect play it’s not going to help you. There were moments we had to be a little bit more aggressive; put the ball into the box, try the shot, and I thought there was a little bit more [of that] in the second half, but I have to highlight the job that Atlanta did defensively. “
On Crépeau
“When those three saves happened I thought, now we are going to score. But it didn’t happen. Max has been a keeper that has kept us in games, an important player to this team, and that’s why he’s with Vancouver Whitecaps.”
MIDFIELDER ANDY ROSE
Reaction on the game:
“Disappointing for sure, we came into this evening in a really good form and it just goes to show, when you play against a top team, you have to finish your chances. We had opportunities and the difference between the two teams was just that one little bit of quality in the box. Obviously disappointing to give up a penalty but against these teams you have to put the ball in the back of the net.”
On his purpose coming onto the pitch:
“At the time I came on, we stayed the same shape, so I was trying to get myself forward, into the box as often as possible, trying to give the team energy and to push the game, look for the equalizer. Then obviously when Ardaiz came on we changed more into a 4-4-2.”
On the challenges of Atlanta’s back line:
“It’s obviously a team that’s played together for a while, you can tell, there’s some continuity there, they sat quite deep and had a lot of pace in terms of their counter-attack. So they were very well organized, and for sure we found it difficult. At times, maybe we were a little bit too impatient. The more opportunities we got to possess the ball in that final third and then put quality delivering into the box would have helped. But for sure, they were a very compact and organized at the back.”
GOALKEEPER MAXIME CREPEAU
On making a number of key saves:
“This is the second game where I see a little more of the ball than usual but there’s some games that are quiet on my side, it can happen. Honestly, the first half I didn’t have much to do, just in the second, off the two transitions, that I have to respond to keep the team in the game. But honestly, we were good tonight going forward in the second half, we just missed a lack of opportunity. The boys work really hard up front, the pass across the goal and we all just missed that little chance to get in and it’s one-one or two-one but the guys fought; right there all in front of me, they were exhausted.”
On generating offence:
“People are going forward as Marc said. In the second half I think we could have been a bit more patient. It’s no secret that we launch balls forward, create 50/50s instead of going around, so a bit more patience. But overall the guys wanted that one—wanted that one—because we are home. It’s difficult in this league and pretty much everywhere but especially with the time change and travel; it’s difficult to go away and get the result, so at home it is important to make an impact and to get those points. So the boys are disappointed, I could see it, I felt it inside. So now we turn, there’s no heads down there. [We go] in KC and Red Bulls, two good teams at home and it’s a turn around right away, we can’t put ourselves down.”
On the three saves in a row:
“You know, it is just ball watch, first action is the counter attack on the corner kick, Villalba was running at me and I just tried to close the angle well and the second save is just…ah, I don’t even know quite well, I’m just trying…I just remember that I focus one ball at a time, that’s it. I said often when I spoke to you guys but it’s one ball at a time, you focus and I’m happy that I kept the team in the game and give a chance to actually tag and win, but it’s disappointing to get out with no points right now.”
