Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
On his team’s performance…
This was a very
difficult match, we knew going into it. San Jose is a very good team. They've
been playing well as of late, especially on the road. They haven't given up
many goals. For us, we knew it would be a tough game in a lot of respects.
The way they played, getting service into (Steven) Lenhart, it is a very difficult game to play because you're trying to press the ball, they're trying to play the long ball. You're a little stretched, they're laying balls off and their midfielders are now running through. It was a little difficult at times but I thought the guys did a very good job really not giving anything solid away up the middle.
And in the second half, when we threw Julio (Cesar) in there, he did a really good job of sitting in the pocket when (Simon) Dawkins came in the game. to sort of close that area of the field down. Even though they were playing the ball to Lenhart, they didn't have that release player to play into Dawkins. I thought in that aspect, the guys did a good job. This was a game where we expended a lot of energy and I thought our fitness was very good over the course of the 94 minutes we had tonight.
On the goal…
It was something we've
been working on for quite some time. We have guys that we feel like if they get
to the right places, they can stick the balls in the back of the net. That goal
that CJ (Sapong) scored, I only saw it once but I would say that was an
incredibly athletic goal to be able to basically be parallel in the air to the
ground.
On Graham Zusi…
No doubt. (Graham) Zusi
has stepped up his game. It wasn't that he didn't have it in him, but I think
he is now starting to feel his form. He has qualities, I've said this all
along, on both sides of the ball. For a player like him, that is quite unusual.
Usually you're maybe 60-40 one way. He's got a very good engine. More
importantly, his attacking tendencies can come out. He's dangerous. I think
teams are now starting to see what we've seen all along. We've just been
looking for it on a consistent basis and now we're starting to see that.
On the play of Steven Lenhart…
I think (Aurelien)
Collin was an absolute beast. He matched up with him most of the time. He did
an excellent job. It's a man's game and the two of them played like men. And
Collin did an excellent job of getting in there. (Matt) Besler had his moments,
too, but he was more focused with Collin. I thought he was great.
On the team gaining confidence…
I go
game-to-game. That's all we can do in this business. What I would say to you is
that this group has never lost the belief that they could play. They know
they're a good team and now it is about grinding out results. In this League,
it is never easy. Anybody can beat anybody. Because of that, you have to come
out and roll up your sleeves, fight, battle and scrape for every single roll of
the ball. I think we've done that every game since the Seattle game. I thought
we were very organized and balanced and I think they're very confident in the
way they're playing right now.
Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman
On the victory…
It’s historic,
it’s the first win here. It’s a step in the right direction. It’s all about
optimism and it’s all about hope. I’m really happy for the guys. They’ve been
working their absolute ass off. We made them go on the road for so long, so I’m
just happy for them to come home in front of a home crowd and get a win.
On the late Kevin Gray…
Kevin Gray, he
introduced our group to soccer. The stadium wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for
Kevin, what an incredible man. I feel horrible about the tragedy of him dying,
but we’ll never forget about him here. As long as this place is around, Kevin
Gray will be around.
Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy
Nielsen
On the team getting back on track…
We keep
working hard at practice every single day and we knew that this was just around
the corner. It's no magic when you're struggling, it just takes hard work.
We’re playing very disciplined right now. Every player on the team knows their
role and accepts it, and that makes it a lot easier for everybody.
On the keys to the turnaround…
You have to give
credit to the team as a whole. It's been a team performance. We defend together
and we attack together, and right now we're playing as a team.
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Graham
Zusi
On the goal…
On those wide
free kicks, all you’re trying to do is put it in a dangerous spot where the
keeper has to make a decision whether to come off his line or not. I was able
to put it there and C.J. (Sapong) was the man and was able to touch it. There’s
always some jostling in the box. I just tried to put it in a dangerous spot and
C.J. did the rest.
On the play of rookie forward C.J.
Sapong…
He’s a man-child
up top, so strong on the ball. He can turn a defender pretty easily and is
doing very well.
On the team’s recent run behind his
strong performances…
I’ve kind of
found myself in a role where I’m getting some more starts. That always builds
some confidence as it is. Every game we seem to be getting better and I think
the whole team is playing with more confidence now. We need to continue that
and we’ll get the results.
Sporting Kansas City defender Aurelien
Collin
On marking San Jose striker Steven
Lenhart…
He’s a very big
dude. He’s very physical, but at the same time technical. It was a good battle. I’m happy that he
didn’t score and I’m very happy tonight that we won. It’s very important for
our group that we keep going on this roll. I’m very happy tonight.
On team’s attitude after win…
Honestly, the
atmosphere tonight at the stadium was amazing. It helped a lot to hold this
result. We’re a young team, we work very hard. We’re becoming a very, very good
team. We play football but at the same time we’re physical and very
focused. The coach and the staff do a great
job with everybody. I know we’re going to keep going and I’m sure we’re going
to do very good things in the future.
Sporting Kansas City striker C.J. Sapong
On the goal…
It’s basically the story
of my life. Refs don’t really see too much that goes on in the trenches. From
the second it was hit, I knew I could get my head to it, but he was holding me
back so I just stuck my foot out, and it went in.
On his work ethic…
I’m going to work as
hard as I possibly can, every roll of the ball, that’s what Peter (Vermes)
stresses. It’s something that’s embedded in my DNA, and that’s never going to
change.
On the team’s confidence…
The confidence has
always been there. We’ve always known, this is just reassurance. It’s different
when you have fans calling your name, and when you know you can put results on
the board, it makes everything so much easier.
San Jose Manager Frank Yallop
On the match…
Obviously, going down
deflates you a little bit. I thought we did a good job keeping it to one at
that point. And the second half, I wouldn’t say we bossed the game but we
definitely had some chances to score. I thought Simon Dawkins came in and did
really well, and I thought we deserved at least a point tonight.
On LIVESTRONG Sporting Park…
Fantastic, first class
with everything since we’ve arrived. I’ve been looking around and I’ve yet to
get a tour from Peter, maybe I’ll get it one day, but it was fantastic. The
crowd was lively, excited, they cheer at the right times, and I’m sure that the
fans went away happy with the home win and the performance from both teams.
San Jose Earthquakes forward Khari
Stephenson
Thoughts about the game…
Everyone was
excited about coming here. Obviously a new stadium, the team was on a good
streak, a run of games and everyone was looking forward to it. The first half,
it started out slowly and they were able to capitalize on their chance. It was
a back and forth game, especially in the second half, but now it’s back to the
drawing board and look forward to the next one.
On how to come back from the loss…
We go to
training and find out what we did well, what we didn’t do well and you go from
there. It’s only one game, there’s other games to go. You can’t get down when
you lose a game, and you can’t get too up when you win one. So we have to
continue to work harder and try to get better.
Thoughts on LIVESTRONG Sporting Park…
It’s a good
atmosphere, good pitch, fun times. Kansas City fans should be happy right now,
they have a home.
San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch
On the goal…
It was a good
free kick. They are dangerous on free kicks and it was just one of those where
who can get position. Unfortunately for us, they got a little better position,
and re-directed it. Good free kick, tough to defend, and maybe another night we
get a piece of it, but not tonight.
On the game…
Both teams had
some chances here and there. Second half we played a little better than we did
in the first half. But it was one of those nights that it could have went
either way, and maybe on a different night we pull a goal at the end and at
least get a point out of it. But it wasn’t meant to be and we move on, show up
on Monday, and prepare for next weekend.
On LIVESTRONG Sporting Park…
It’s awesome, it’s fantastic. I think it’s, without really taking a whole tour of it, it looks like the best stadium in the League and that’s topping Red Bull Arena, and that’s a very nice arena. I think it’s a fantastic stadium and it sets the bar high for the teams coming in here now.
San Jose Earthquakes defender Jason
Hernandez
Thoughts on the game…
I think coming
in, we knew it was going to be a very difficult game. They’ve been playing well
the last couple of games and obviously with the new stadium and the crowd
behind them, they would come out and push the tempo. I thought across the field
we matched their grit and their fight for 50/50 balls and all that. And on one
set play, they got a break and got a goal and we were unfortunate that we
couldn’t return the favor and get one back. It was a pretty ugly game for the
most part, but sometimes on the road you gotta make it like that, you know you
don’t want them to get joy in play. So, we had to come out and play a little
ugly and hope to get a result, but in the end we just couldn’t pull it out.
Playing on the road…
I think on the
road, our main strategy is to be difficult to break down on the defensive side
and when we get the ball, and get the ball wide and get some dynamic movement
going forward. Their energy defensively was an issue for us, they were very
good defensively. I thought also we had a little trouble with the heat and
really getting going and getting our legs under us. They seemed to be moving at
a good pace, and at times we were just kind of gassed a little bit. I thought
that also played a role, and give them credit; they came out to play tonight.
On LIVESTRONG Sporting Park…
The stadium was
a great experience. It seems the teams that are coming to MLS with the
soccer-specific stadiums are really doing a great job, and are doing it right.
This was a tremendous experience. Those guys should feel very fortunate and
very lucky to have a stadium like that because I know in San Jose, we’re very
much looking forward to having one of our own over there.