NYCFC kicked off their road campaign with a big 2-0 win against the Montreal Impact. Here are some of the soundbites from Dome Torrent and the team after coming away with their second three points on the road this season...
Domènec Torrent
On the final result...
"It was a fantastic game for us because it is not easy to play here. They defended really well the last three or four games. But I’m very happy because I remember last year how many problems we had and right now the feeling is much better."
"Maybe [the players] are more comfortable with this system because we defend really well and when we have the ball, we have two players wide, two players in between the lines. My feeling is they are happy to play in this system, 3-4-3. Sometimes soccer is about the feeling and the feeling is much better. But that doesn’t mean we’ll win the next game."
On beating Montreal at home...
"We didn’t play well against Montreal at Yankee Stadium. I remember they played with one player down. Even so, we weren’t able to create chances. We played much better here. But you are a genius when you are able to win the game and you are a bad coach when you are not able to win a game."
Sean Johnson
On the keys to the result tonight...
"I think the shift in shape helped us. It helps us defensively shore things up a little bit. I think going forward, if we can quickly transition, getting guys in the right places enables us to let them showcase their talents."
On the referee asking goalkeepers to resume play faster...
"I think [Baldomero] Toledo did a good job of keeping the communication open. I appreciate that as a player with him explaining how he wants the game flow to continue to move. If you work with referees like I did today, there’s never going to be an issue. So, it’s nice when you can have discussions and you have to respect him as a referee and what he wants."
On Moralez’s performance...
"Maxi brings so much to this team. When we don’t have him, it shows. He’s a special player, a special talent. He makes things happen even when things are tight. He’s got this leadership about him where he’s always sure of himself. I was really happy for him today."
Sebastien Ibeagha
On the win...
"Throughout the whole week Dome [Torrent] had a set plan and we stuck to it and it worked really well today. We’re pushing on all cylinders and just kept pushing the game."
On rotating squad to different positions for injuries...
"I’m very comfortable. We train like that. Like Domè said, it takes more than just 11 on the field so everyone has to stay engaged throughout every session and when it’s our time to be in there, we have to perform."
On adapting to Urruti’s entrance in the game...
"He’s a very dynamic player – likes to make runs in behind. So, we always have to watch out for that. [Urruti] definitely impacted the game in that sense but we just kept a deeper line and just try to make sure everyone’s in front of us."
Montreal Impact Head Coach Rémi Garde
On the way the game played out...
"The fact that we went down very early is never good, especially against a good team. We were confident at half-time that we would come back. The desire to score and not concede another was there. We’re not pleased after a defeat, especially at home, but I think the team’s collective attitude was good tonight, and I’m disappointed for the players because of the effort they put into this game."
On the game plan and what didn’t work...
"The game plan was to limit any available space to them, to try and stop them from passing the ball around but going down a goal early made us want to attack a little more. They were hard to penetrate. We tried very hard, but then we conceded again in the beginning of the second half. These are crucial moments. We tried to come back in different ways, but it didn’t work in the end."
On Anthony Jackson-Hamel’s role compared to Urruti’s...
"Jackson-Hamel and Urruti don’t have the same characteristics and the same qualities. Maxi exhausts defenders physically and psychologically because he constantly harasses them. Jackson did a good job of it as well with the tools he has at his disposal. I would’ve liked it if we found him behind the defense a little more, but we weren’t able to."
Montreal Impact Defender Zachary Brault-Guillard
On what the opponent did well...
"Our opponent caused us a lot of problems tactically. We had a hard time understanding each other in the beginning of the game. After, we tried doing good things, but they scored in the worst possible moments. That hurt us more than anything. We’ll bounce back. We have two games next week, that’s what’s most important now."
On his performance...
"It took me a bit of time to get into the game, but I think I bounced back and played well after we conceded that first goal. I defended better and focused more on the defensive part of my game rather than the offensive one. We tried to get back into the game but unfortunately, we couldn’t find the back of the net. The goals will come for us."
Montreal Impact Defender Jukka Raitala
On conceding the first goal early...
"We’ve been strong at home, especially defensively, so it was tough for us to concede a goal so early. It was difficult to come back and create chances. All in all, I think NYCFC was better than us. We had scoring opportunities, but there was a lack of accuracy for us, and they were sharper than us."
On the busy schedule next week...
"We have a big roster, so whenever we have a three-game week, we have to adjust. It’s the same for every team though. It’s a situation we need to handle and try to make the best out of."
