Head Coach Caleb Porter
Opening statement
Another great result. I’m really proud of the fact that we’re unbeaten at home on the year. That was something we talked about going into the season, that we wanted to build a fortress here. It’s even better to have our supporters out and to have some of the Nordecke in there to be able to sing for the first time after the game and celebrate with them. It makes this a really special night. It’s been a real grind; the last three weeks, the amount of games we’ve played every three days, basically playing a game has been difficult. You can see that a little bit in the first half. I thought that we were – we looked tired. But, [I’m] real proud of the guys, what they did second half. The credit goes all to them, how hungry they are. This group, they refuse to lose. It’s that simple. They’re hungry, they take pride in clean sheets – we got another one of those. They wanted to, obviously, put a marker down a little bit in this rivalry match of not only a win, but scoring goals. I thought we did that. Again, the credit goes to the guys. I’m real proud of them, and now we get a little bit of time to breathe. We got six days until Chicago [Fire FC], so I know the guys will be looking forward to having a little bit of a reset before that game.
On the substitution of Luis Diaz changing the game
That’s why you sub guys into games. You know what they bring. We had always planned to put him in the game. We didn’t plan to put him in at the 45[th minute]. We knew the game would be tight [in the] first half. We knew it would be a great moment for him to get back into the team after a couple games of not playing, and we knew he’d be hungry, and we know what he brings. So, I thought that was a key change. He unlocked the first goal, and I also felt with Pedro [Santos] on the left, [he] really made a difference with a goal and an assist from there and was able to link up really well with Milton [Valenzuela]. And then obviously Gyasi [Zardes] coming into the game, scoring two goals. We always knew, again, that he’d factor in off the bench. I’ve said it time and again: you need to start games well, but we also need to have guys that you can put into the game. The last thirty minutes, the last forty-five minutes of matches are always going to be important, and in this game, we knew it would be a tight first half. It was great that we found the first goal, and with the way they play, pretty much their game plan’s done. From there, it was easier to get a second and a third.
On the positioning of Darlington Nagbe in the 10 role
I thought Pedro [Santos] did well later in the game as well there, and we saw that last year. We really felt, as tight as they play, that he was the right choice to play the 10 in this game. That allowed us to keep Pedro wide, where he’s so dangerous, floating in between the lines. I thought, like you said, he was excellent. I thought he gave them a lot of problems. He’s such a technical player who can work in tight spaces, and they had really no answer for him, and that’s what we had hoped he would show. I thought he had a great game. I thought Fatai Alashe as well, who we decided to insert and push Darlington up, so that was another factor. We really felt a lot of confidence in Fatai, and I thought he showed, in his first debut with the club, that he’s a quality player. I knew he was. I remember watching him and playing against him a lot in San Jose. I think he was, for a couple of years, dead in the water for whatever reason. We had an opportunity to get him, and it was a steal. He showed his quality today. He’s just a real nice player – solid player.
On Crew SC having a high goal-scoring performance
I think it’s a real credit to the belief that I think everyone around this club has in our team and our players that they were not happy with our scoring. I think it shows that everyone’s standards were raised – our standards were raised. For us to not score in two games and for it to become this huge deal. I wasn’t worried. We still had thirteen goals. I think there were 14 teams that had less than us. I think some people have to find something, and ultimately, we know we’re a good attacking team. We know we have good attacking players, and that felt with the way we played, we played proactive and aggressive like we do. You’re going to score goals. You’re not going to score every game, especially with the way Cincinnati plays. A lot of other teams didn’t score against them – I think four or five, so it’s difficult. But I believe in our group, and I believe in the way we play. The way we play, we’re gonna get goals, and we’ve shown that, really, in most games. A couple games, the well dried up, but that never worries me, because the way we play, we’re eventually going to have a game like tonight where we can get two or three.
On Crew SC’s depth
We just have so many options. Everyone brings something slightly different. It was great to be able to kind of pick certain guys for certain games. I said it with Luis [Diaz], it wasn’t coming easy for him at the start of the year, and I think it’s probably because he came in midseason, and we were evolving our team, and basically flipping the team – or at least half of it – and he came right in and he made an impact. We’ve continued to evolve as a team, we’ve continued to add pieces. There’s a guy – Ema [Emmanuel] Boateng – who didn’t play today, who has been outstanding in training. Derek Etienne scored a goal a couple [of] games ago, and has been really reliable, and you saw at the end of the game he was very dynamic and lively. We have so much depth that you never need to worry about who’s starting and who’s not starting. It’s just that we’re picking the guy for the game, but we might also be picking the guy to come into the game for the second half.
Midfielder Pedro Santos
On whether scoring a goal helped confidence
Yeah, always when we score we feel more more comfortable and more confident too. And today, I felt confidence and I think I showed it in the game. And I was confident that I would score today and that might be because I helped the team to score the first goal. Like I said before, I always work hard for the team. I want a few points first, but if I can score it’s better for me, better for the team.
On Luis Diaz’s performance
We know that Luis can help the team, and that was exactly what he did today. And he’s a guy who team-plays and can assist with a cross. And we know he’s a good player, he can come from the bench and help the team. But it’s a choice from the coach who he decides to play, but I know playing him [Luis Diaz] in the first 11 where he always tries to do the best for the team, and I think that is our best quality as a group: everybody wants to win, and everybody helps everybody.
Forward Gyasi Zardes
On coming in during the second half and scoring two goals
I give a lot of credit to my teammates. Coming off the bench is very difficult, you have to adjust to the speed of the game, and as soon as I got on the field my teammates helped me get involved into the game, and I give them all of the credit. And it’s a match that means a lot. Every time we face against FC Cincinnati, they’re another team based here in Ohio, and you know, it means a lot to not only us players, but also our fans and our community.
Gyasi on how it felt to hear fans in the stands tonight
Yeah, tonight I feel like we had a glimpse at what the atmosphere used to be like when the stadium was packed full with all of our supporters and fans. I’m thankful that they allowed the fans to come out, especially [for] a game against Cincinnati, one of our biggest rivalries. So, you know, it felt great just having them out there, and supporting us, cheering us, and making that presence known through the game.
On Crew SC players coming off the bench to contribute
Yeah, so I think it’s extremely important for guys to come off the bench and make a difference. You know, I feel like [Fanendo] Adi played a great game. His hold up play today was phenomenal, just being able to play it to him and get me into the game. So, you know, I give a lot of credit to Adi’s first half performance and tiring Cincinnati’s defense out, to where I come to the game full of energy, and their defenders are pretty tired, so it gives me a little bit more freedom, you know. So, I just try to do whatever I can coming off the bench just to help my teammates in those situations.
