LA Galaxy 0, Colorado Rapids 1
Sunday, May 19, 2019 – 5 p.m. PT
2019 MLS Regular Season
Dignity Health Sports Park – Los Angeles
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GUILLERMO BARROS SCHELOTTO
On the game:
“I think we could have managed the ball better during the game. When they got the ball they just counter attacked us. They gave us the ball to manage, but I think we fell on the last pass or when we got in the box we never were able to find a player to score. We had some situations to score, but we couldn’t. We made a mistake in the defense, because we gave them a lot of counter attacking options in the second half and they are very dangerous in that zone when they counter attack. The goal they scored came from that way and we lost. I think we can take possession of the ball, but we need to do [it on their end], and we need to score. We knew before the game we had to beat them to the ball, because they would give us the ball, the time, everything; they were just going to play counter attack and we knew before, and they won. So, I think we need to work a little harder and try to get something in the next game [against] Orlando.”
On the LA Galaxy’s recent performance:
“I think you can check game after game, we always have had some problems. [Romain] Alessandrini out, [Zlatan] Ibrahimović out, Jonathan [dos Santos] out, all big players for us. We had three games in seven days last week. I don’t want to put excuses, but when you want to play the same line-up, you’re going to [come across] problems always. But, we need to work. That’s the only thing I can say to you. We need to work. We’ve got a roster, and we need to work with everyone and get something in the next game.”
On whether he is more disappointed than frustrated after tonight’s loss:
“You know we came in before these four games, we were almost in the first position, playing really good, deserving to be there, and then came the four games where we lost, but I think every time you lose you can learn something. You can realize this league is very even. Any team can beat you, like you can beat everyone. So, the year is long, its long; the season is long. We need to try to start to get the points and play better. Keeping [the team] always in a [playoff position] and getting the best team in that moment. So, right now we need to work and get something next Friday.”
On Favio Alvarez’s debut:
“I think he did a good game. But maybe right now since you are a little angry from the result you can’t clearly see Alvarez’s play from today, but we know him, so we hope he can get along on the field with [Zlatan] Ibrahimović when Ibra is back. I think they can be very important for us during the year. We need to work.”
On Zlatan Ibrahimović’s absence:
“When we don’t have [Zlatan] Ibrahimović the team can feel like something’s happened with us because he’s our forward, but I think we need to work because we know that [Zlatan] Ibrahimović is not coming the next game. So, we need to figure it out and not count [Zlatan] Ibrahimović as an excuse if we don’t win or get something in Orlando. But, he’s very important for us. It is very clear. He’s very important. Romain [Alessandrini] is very important, but we need to work. We need to try to do something without them, because next game none of them will be [with us], and I want to win in Orlando, of course.”
LA GALAXY DEFENDER DANIEL STERES
On if he’s more frustrated or disappointed:
“It’s a little bit of both. Really not happy with getting that result at home against that team who hasn’t won all year long. It’s a disappointing feeling, but it’s pretty frustrating as well.”
On the defensive performance:
“I thought we played pretty well defensively. Pipo [Gonzalez] stepped in and played well. Diego played well at left back. For the most part I thought we kept them at bay and did a good job controlling the game. I think we got a little laid back in organizing in the second half when we were trying to go for the goal and go for the win. We’re at home and we’re trying to go for it and I don’t think we were organized well, and we let them counter. I’ll put that on me and us in the back. It’s one counter attack, but we gave them a few chances like that.”
On if the team’s attack lacked variety:
“It might be too simple, but there were times that I think we got in good spots, but it was the right cross because we don’t have the biggest guys up there. Or it just wasn’t the right time. We might need to figure out another way to pull the other teams out because they are kind of waiting for it now. We’re getting in good spots, but we need to do something more and something different there. Today I think we were also a little unlucky with a couple that we didn’t knock in.”
On if he’s surprised with how the team is playing:
“I am surprised. I think we have a good team here. Last week was a tough week for us, but I think we went back to the drawing board and had a good week of training this week. To be honest, I thought we came out and played pretty well in the first half. In the second half, we didn’t come out like we have before. We put pressure on them. It’s a little surprising, we should be doing better than this.”
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER JONATHAN DOS SANTOS
[Translated from Spanish]
On the team’s frustration after the loss:
“Yes, it’s very frustrating. I’m lost for words, we were doing so well at the start of the season. It’s difficult when you go through bad runs. I think the team attempted and tired until the end, we dominated ball possession on their half, like usual. We are lacking that final pass and goal, which is the most important in soccer because you can have all the ball possession in the world, but at the end if you don’t score goals, nothing happens. Also, defensively we are lacking, I also didn’t have the best game, I’m not trying to make excuses, but I didn’t feel 100 percent. It’s true I trained all week after being out for ten days, but it’s not an excuse. In the end I played because I wanted to, and because I thought I could help my team. But at the end of the day this is a team, and we have a long season ahead and we must be together. It’s hard to overcome a situation like this one, we lost against a team that’s sitting in last or second to last, not sure how they are doing. But like I said, it’s sad because we are the LA Galaxy and the fans don’t deserve this. Four consecutive games that we lose is something no one likes, but Friday we play another final and we hope to go back to winning ways.”
On the team’s previous performances and today’s fall:
“In the end, if I was playing well it’s because I have players around me who are also playing very well. Like I said, we are a team. If one player isn’t playing well it affects the whole team, we should all be one. In the end the team was doing a great job, I was feeling great, it’s true I had a setback with a small injury and that cost me when coming back and playing today – like I said, it’s not an excuse because I’m a professional and if I play it’s because I feel ready but today wasn’t one of my best games in all aspects. But like I said, we have a long road ahead and we hope to clear our minds tomorrow and Friday we play another final.”
On the play that led to the goal and how he felt physically as his trailing back looked off:
“Yes, like I said, I wasn’t feeling great. I had problems during the week with my hip and that hurt my training because I couldn’t train 100 percent throughout the week. The last minutes in the second half were hard for me, you could tell I wasn’t great. I sort of had cramps throughout my body to put it into words, but the good thing is that I have all week to train and be 100 percent and I hope to be fully ready by Friday to help the team.”
On whether there’s a reoccurrence with the recent injury:
“No, I felt great in terms of the previous injury, but in the end, I am not sure what happens with athlete’s bodies, that when you recover from something you start feeling something else. It’s like a bad cycle but it’s just a small setback and I’m hoping to be fine this week and be able to train because in the end, you play as you train so I have all week to prepare be ready for Friday.”
On whether what he felt today was his hamstring or his hip:
“It’s a little bit of everything, I have always had problems with my hips, if you notice I have a big butt so that causes me to have more issues with my hamstrings and in the end, I have to take care of myself a lot. And I also just need to train, because being on the training table always getting treatment takes a toll on a professional athlete but like I said, there’s no excuse and I always try to prepare myself 100 percent and I didn’t play my best game today, but I have another week to prepare myself and be ready for Friday.”
COLORADO RAPIDS HEAD COACH CONOR CASEY
On tonight's game:
"I'm incredibly proud of the guys, they've worked so hard this season they haven't quit and tonight should give them a lot of confidence. We've been working so hard and they haven't stopped believing in each other and to pull through the way we did tonight showed a lot of character and we have a lot of games left in the season so it should all those guys in that locker room confidence in what we are doing going forward and that we will be a real threat to other teams."
On what he told the team before the game:
"To be brave, the underdog mentality is something that I think we've really captured and it's going to drive us forward. I told them to play free, play confident and that we had nothing to lose."
On the team's performance:
"We had a lot of chances tonight and in the end, I think it was just the perseverance. They kept pushing and we were so close many times and, in the end, a great team play. I think we caught them on the counter a few times tonight and we were finally able to capitalize on it."
On the backline's performance:
They were great, the entire backline, Timmy [Howard] came up huge for us a couple of times and Tommy [Smith] and Lalas [Abubakar] looked quite comfortable and both Deklan [Wynne] and Keegan [Rosenberry] did a really good job with the speed that they have on their wings, so I was very pleased and encouraged by the performance. First shutout of the year so it's a big step for us."
COLORADO RAPIDS GOALKEEPER TIM HOWARD
Thoughts on the game:
“It felt good to win. I thought we weathered the storm in the first half. They did a good job of overloading us, particularly on our right side. But I thought we were able to get to halftime. We defended well. We hit them on the break a few times in the second half and we could have scored more goals. But it feels good to get a win.”
On the complete offensive and defensive performance:
“It did feel like a complete performance. Even when we got the lead, our ability to see it out and be professional about it. I think this league, more than anything else, is about transition and turnovers and being good in those moments. There’s a lot of giveaways in football. Today we were good. We didn’t let them play through us. We held a decently tight line in the back and defensively we were rock solid.”
On what led to the Rapids' breakthrough:
“We weren’t clinical tonight which is unlike us. The one thing we have been doing is scoring goals, so can’t fault the guys up front. We created a ton of chances. It’s a big pitch. It’s one of the biggest in the league and it just seems wide open. Quite honestly, that goal was coming and it should have come earlier. However, they were attacking and they were giving space on the wings and we exploited it.
On the defensive performance:
“Lalas has been really good since coming in. He’s given everybody a lift, that’s what new players do. He’s aggressive, he wins his tackles. He’s no-nonsense. Doesn’t mess around with the ball. I think you see him and Tommy [Smith] have a really good partnership tonight. Again, rock solid. Did the dirty work. And I think the windbacks, Deklan [Wynne] and Keegan [Rosenberry] were good. It wasn’t easy because, the one thing LA did really well was overload us on the wings, so they had a lot to do and I thought they did well.”
COLORADO RAPIDS FORWARD ANDRE SHINYASHIKI
On tonight's game:
"I think we worked really hard as a team and we were rewarded in the end something that hasn't really happened for us but at the end of the day when you get a shutout you know our guys are going to score. It was a very important team performance for us and you really have to take this win and move forward from it."
On the team's performance:
"I think when you have chances and you keep stomping on team's throats and you keep going at it you are more likely to score and that is what we did. We stayed resilient, it's common for people to miss chances, we've missed chances all season we've scored all season those things happen. Often times you expect some of the guys to put those away but today they didn't. At the end of the day our defense stepped up when they needed to and that was the most important thing."
On the backline's performance:
"I'm super proud of the guys defensively. Something that we've been talking about for a long time, we have to defend better, and I think from top to bottom everybody played their role. I think that the center backs and outside backs had an amazing game Keegan [Rosenberry] clearing a ball of the line, Lalas [Abubakar] and Tommy [Smith] blocking shots, blocking crosses and things like that just really happy for them because I know they wanted a shutout, they've been working for it and they got it. It's a testament to the training to Tim [Howard] organizing our backline so I'm super proud of the guys."
