SPORTING DIRECTOR & HEAD COACH GREGG BERHALTER
On the pitch...
“We had a hard time coming to grips with the surface. We can see the final ball was off, the final action was off, and it just didn’t seem we were comfortable enough on the artificial grass.”
On not finishing chances...
“I think the efficiency in front of goal has been lacking a little bit. We have been creating enough chances. In a game like today, it was unfortunate that they got the goal right after halftime. I felt that, in the first half, we came out strong, and it looked like a game we were starting to dominate. Then they get the goal and it hurt. It put us in a hole and they are a good counter-attacking team, they showed that tonight.”
On the three things his side needs to improve...
“We are creating enough chances to score goals. It was clear in the first half in particular, a couple of really close looks on goal after some good moves. I still believe the ball can move faster, the final ball can be more precise, and we can be better in front of goal. Those are three things we clearly need to keep working on.”
On returning to MAPFRE Stadium...
"It will help. We had a tough start to the season with four of the first five games away from home against some pretty tough home opponents. It hasn't been easy but we're not complaining. You have to play these teams eventually. For us it's a good test and now we move forward."
MIDFIELDER ETHAN FINLAY
On the outcome of the match...
“I think that, if a lot of things went differently, it would have been a different game. It didn’t happen that way. I’m not going to talk about what ifs, it didn’t happen.”
On factors leading to dropped points...
“It’s a couple of factors. It’s getting on the end of balls, it’s finishing plays, and it’s, when we get in front of goal, putting it on target in the back of the net. It’s not just crosses and shots that we are missing, it’s easy ones in front of goal.”
MIDFIELDER WIL TRAPP
On the first half...
“I thought we had some decent looks in the first half. I thought we had a pretty solid first half movement-wise and getting in behind, especially on Ethan’s side and create some opportunities on goal.”
On the second half...
"Second half, obviously the set-piece goal was something that we're not happy about. I think Gregg hit the nail on the head, it's a group that relies on the collective and when we're not working 100 percent together and guys are tense, not playing to their capabilities it can fall apart like it did. Montreal, give them credit, they are good on the counter attack and they score a good goal to ice it there."
On being forced to play centrally...
“It’s kind of based on what they give you at times. They did a decent job pressing us to the inside and making us play centrally. I didn’t think we did a good enough job of switching the point of attack and getting the ball wide to Waylon [Francis] and Harrison [Afful] who were in good positions.”
