SPORTING DIRECTOR AND HEAD COACH GREGG BERHALTER
On the team's energy level to start the match...
I think our intentions were good. We showed we wanted to come here, control the game and create goal-scoring opportunities. It's a very interesting place to play, a very good environment. We didn't back down. It was important for us to have a good mentality from the start, and I think we did.
On Ola Kamara's two goal performance...
Ola [Kamara] had an excellent game. I've been telling a lot of our local media and some of the national media, his movement is outstanding. He gets in very good spots. I think he could have had a hat-trick today.
On the frustration not to bring home some points...
I addressed this to the team, in my opinion, we worked too hard and were too strong not to get something out of this game. I told the guys I was extremely proud of their effort after going down a man and getting back into the game and sticking with it. So that's disappointing, but it's also soccer. That's how it goes, you know? We're not naive, we understand that the game's not over 'til the whistle blows.
On Dilly Duka's first Crew SC appearance...
I think to get Dilly involved was a plus, I think he showed his quality. He's going to be a player that can help our team. It was good to get him some minutes in a difficult environment and in difficult conditions, being down a man.
On Ola Kamara's goals being a product of movement or timing runs...
It's both. You have to have awareness. You have to have awareness of what your opponent is giving you. Football is about two teams, not just one team. You have to be aware of what the opponent is doing then you have to do the movement yourself.
On Ethan Finlay and Justin Meram's ability to penetrate pockets in Sporting defense and counter against the press...
That was a focus for us, getting into those pockets with our wide attacking-midfielders. Justin [Meram] got into some good spots, Ethan [Finlay] did as well. That allows our fullbacks to push a little higher up the field. I think the mindset and the intentions of the team was to be very aggressive, even though we're playing away from home, to put the opponent on their heels, and in the meantime, play entertaining soccer for the fans.
Opinion of the red card...
I'm not a referee so I'm just lucky I don't have to make those decisions.
On Hector Jimenez's performance and distribution as an attacking midfielder...
Hector [Jimenez] is an interesting one because he's the ultimate team player. It's not easy for a player to be switched and play all these different positions but he does it without skipping a beat. That's his 100th game in MLS and you can see why he's had a long career. It's because he's adaptable and he's a total team player. Performances like that will help this group.
MIDFIELDER HECTOR JIMENEZ
On tonight's match...
I felt comfortable. I think in the first half we actually created some really good chances in the first half to potentially get a bigger lead, but unfortunately, that’s how the game goes sometimes.
On how the team was able to create the early chances...
Early in the first half, our shape defensively was really good and we were able to counter pretty well. Tim [Melia] had a good save on Ola [Kamara] and I think if we go up 2-0, it turns out to be a completely different game. We are just so unlucky right now. Sometimes the game is really cruel and we just can’t seem to find the rhythm moving forward.
On how the team rebounds from the loss...
It’s not so much about getting a win. It’s about trying to finish a complete game. As you saw there, at the end of the second half we fell asleep at the last play of the game and that’s the difference between going home with a point and going home with nothing.
DEFENDER COREY ASHE
On the game plan coming in to today...
We knew we had to match their intensity. Obviously, with the crowd we knew they were going to be up for it and we needed to start the game well. The plan was to get behind their lines. They like to press so we knew if we could break that pressure and find midfielders in good spots, we would be in good shape. We were able to fight back after the red card to pull one back, but we just let our guard down in the end. Overall, it was a pretty good performance.
On rebounding from the loss...
It’s always tough, but it’s soccer. We have another good opportunity against New England. We will go back, review the video to see what we did wrong, correct our mistakes and move on.
