MLS Cup Final 2018
The greatest MLS comeback was just a dream. The New York Red Bulls could not recover from the 3-0 defeat in Atlanta. They did manage to score a goal but it was not enough as Atlanta will play its first MLS Cup.
Atlanta United will host the MLS Cup Final against the Portland Timbers on December 8th.
Atlanta players Garza and Parkhurst on the strong defensive performance:
Parkhurst: “We talked about how they’re such a good team at winning second balls. If you don’t get clearances they just keep coming and coming and they put balls in the box and they win second balls. They’re just so dangerous in that aspect.
We wanted to make sure when we clear the ball that we got it behind their backs, gave our forwards a chance to run on it. We did that a little bit and otherwise we just defended hard and fought hard for the first ball. Our midfielders fought hard for the second ball. We knew it wasn’t going to be that pretty, that we weren’t going to connect a ton of passes, but we dug in and we fought.”
Garza added “This team, we have so much talent, so many guys who have come from so many different places, they have so much experience in playing in big leagues and their national teams,” Garza said. “I think that all comes down to the chemistry on the field and off of it. I’m very proud of these guys.”
The Portland Timbers will go for a second MLS Cup in club’s history after they won 3-2 in Kansas City. Down 1-0 at halftime, the Timbers came from behind to take control of the game.
Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese
“Very proud of the performance from the guys. I thought it was a very difficult first half. I thought they were very good and we were lucky to be only one goal down, but then the character came out in the second half and I thought we were very, very good.
We were able to find the three goals that we needed. The guys were just excellent. We played together. We put the fight that we needed to put into the second half. I’m just very proud of the performance.”
Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes
“It’s hard to comment on the third goal. The other two I think were two goals – even though Blanco scores a great goal from distance – I think we just gave way too much room on both goals. That one and the other one as well, I don’t think that we stepped out to their players in those areas of the field and put them under pressure enough.
They had way too much time on the ball. Obviously, being down 2-1 we get back into it at 2-2 and we’re pushing everything forward and they get the third. We had some chances to get there and we definitely had some chances. We just couldn’t finish it off.”
