Dallas 2-1 Toronto –
FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja
General thoughts on the match…
I want to start with this because the players talked about it as soon as they got back to the locker room, and that’s the great job the front office is doing with the fans, and the incredible job the fans are doing with this franchise right now. They help us a lot. I will say that they were pushing (us) all the time and that was great. We felt that energy in the second half when we needed it. Regarding the game, the second half was very good, very well played by us. We were not as flashy, maybe, but we looked more mature. We had very good possession, very good control of the game. We really played against a very good team. (Give) credit to this group of players. They are doing an incredible job, and we’re proud. They (the fans) are playing with us. They’re our number 12. I have been here for many years and this is the time I feel (the fans’ presence) the most. This is a credit for them, really, because this is their team. This is their atmosphere. If we continue with this and them pushing that hard, I don’t have any doubt that a lot of good things are going to happen here.
On Blas Perez returning…
I can’t stress enough how important (Blas Perez) is for this team. The rest that he had during the last couple of weeks was just what he needed. He trained very well this week and today we knew that he was going to come in (and play well) because he’s experienced. I’m very proud and happy for him. He helped us a lot. He can hold the ball for us and he’s experienced. He’s tremendous.
On franchise record 16 corners and pressure on TFC…
It happened against Seattle too. We had five corners in the first 10 minutes. Unfortunately, we came out with no points (last week). But, the team continued to put pressure (on them) and all of those things, the corners and fouls and open crosses, are due to the pressure we’re putting on teams.
Toronto FC head coach Ryan Nelsen
On the result of the game…
Well I feel really bad for the guys because I thought it was a really solid away performance. We just got really undone by two set pieces. The first was a fantastic delivery. It was very hard to defend and you take your hat off to a delivery like that. The second one’s the most disappointing, I think. It wasn’t a very good ball; It was a scrappy, nothing-really, kind of goal which is really frustrating because — even though we had position and we created much you look down and (see) the set pieces, that was the frustrating thing about conceding that second goal and I feel really bad for the guys.
On the number of corner kicks…
You obviously don’t want, whoever you’re playing, to concede corner kicks. It’s an opportunity to get the ball in the box. But as the game kind of went in it, we found ourselves defending in furor.
