Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath:
Thoughts on overall performance
“I thought we deserved more points this evening. I’m disappointed for the players tonight because I thoughts their efforts warranted three points this game. You never underestimate your estimate though and that might be crucial for us down the stretch. They’re a really good team and a confident team as well, so I’m very proud of my boys tonight.”
Surprised or not on the amounts of cards tonight and the “chippiness”
“Yeah, but I thought the referee at times was giving himself a difficult task and I thought the players were not helping at times. I can’t imagine it was an easy game for Ted [Unkel] to referee, but we’ve got to do better at times of keeping our composure. We tend to let the crowd get us all into a frenzy and it made for too many fouls and we have to make a better job of that.”
Thoughts on the game being the third draw in the last four games played
“We need to get probably the final ball has to be a bit better at times and Cyle’s [Larin] had some great chances this evening and that’s nothing to do with the way we played or anything else. On a different night, Cyle [Larin] could have come away with a couple goals, so we have to keep working hard like we are doing and the goals will come.”
Thoughts on the control and intensity of the game
“I think the thing was at halftime not to let the pace go out of the game, to keep that intensity. To try and get about and try and go play in their half, keep the crowd involved, keep the energy in the stadium, I thought we made a really good job of that. We were about to make a substitute to go for the win, we were going to put Servando [Carrasco] or maybe Julio [Baptista] at once there, but obviously as soon as the red card, you’re thinking let’s get out of here with a point because they always look dangerous on the break…. they’re a really good team.”
Thoughts on overall performance of Brek Shea
“I think Brek [Shea] has been a little bit disappointing with his overall performance the last couple of weeks, but I thought he was back to his best again tonight. When Brek [Shea] plays like that, he’s a very difficult opponent to play against… and I thought he was back to his old self tonight. Very pleased with him.”
Thoughts on offensive opportunities tonight
“I thought we had the combination play on the break was very good… but you look at the chances Cyle [Larin] had tonight and the chances he has had other nights and you think [Larin] should be sitting here with a couple goals tonight, but if we play like that we’ll win more games than we lose.”
Thoughts on the highline of the Red Bulls and goals of the game
“Obviously the next goal is going to be the important one. I felt whoever would have scored that would have gone on to win it and I told the players at halftime that if we scored the next goal, I thought we would go on to win it and I think we put a lot of pressure on New York the second half and some good defending. On any other night, I thought we would vive for the win.”
Orlando City Forward Cyle Larin (#9):
Thoughts on overall performance and taking so many hits
“I’m feeling fine. Collin [Aurélien] is a very physical player and I think I did well and I kept going.”
Thoughts on the amount of cards given tonight
“No, I wasn’t surprised. I knew it was going to be like that. We’ve played them a lot of times and each time we play them; it gets chippy. It’s a good match against them. We play the same way as them, so it’s two very good teams playing.”
Thoughts on the drawing the game
“I think we played very well today, one of the best games we’ve played in a while. I think we need to finish our chances and I had a couple chances I could have finished, I think just finishing the ball and we’ll be fine.”
Thoughts on what needs to change to win games
“I don’t think anything needs to change. I think we made a mistake and gave away the ball and they scored, but I think we played well the entire game and I think we had the ball most of the game, so it was a great games.”
Thought on Kevin Molino’s goal
“I think he worked hard for it. I was all the way up the field and I cut it to him, he was at half and ran all the way to get the ball deflected and hit it that way and I think he worked hard for it. It was a good goal.”
Orlando City Midfielder Darwin Cerén (#17):
Thoughts on the overall performance
“It was a very tough game and it was great that we were home and in the end we all came to do our job. We only scored one point but it was a team effort and we left our all out there tonight and we fought until the end. In the end we knew nobody deserved the win to the game because we kept on making mistakes and it’s something we have to work on and keep our heads held high.”
Thoughts on the last five home games and only one win
“I couldn’t tell you. We all do our part and do our job and we think that when we feel good about when we play that it brings out the best in all of us but we’re confident that we will find our winning ways soon. We understand that we have a great team and that we will get better, we just have to demonstrate it. Tonight we just couldn’t get there.”
Thoughts on the eight yellow cards/one red card and frustration on the field
“There were too many tackles for the New York Red Bulls and never a yellow card and we got tackled the first and second time and we got a yellow card and then the red card for Cristian [Higuita] was unbelievable. I don’t think it was a red but maybe the referee made a bad decision. But now we just have to work and come back harder next game.”
Thoughts on tension with the referees
“They sometimes can get confused and it was always frustrating but we can’t put so much blame to them. We can’t think they will only favor one team because we are home but it definitely felt that way. When we have cards go in our favor we can’t ever get too excited because like we experience before, the game is never over until the final whistle blows.”
Orlando City Midfielder Kevin Molino (#18):
Do you feel confident with your goal moving forward
“I’m definitely confident going into every game and it’s been a rough nine months for me but I just have to focus on the work that I’ve done in the past and from that my success should take me there.”
Thoughts on being frustrated with so many draws
“We cannot get frustrated, we are only nine games into the league and we have to as a team keep one head up and with a still mind and continue working hard and eventually we should be unbeatable.”
What needs to change in order to win instead of draw
“We need to keep pushing in life, in sports or whatever you do and remember that nothing good comes easy so keep working hard and once we start working as a team we will get there soon.”
Thoughts on Cyle [Larin] contribution
“Cyle [Larin] has been playing tremendously and to get 4 goals while getting the team assists is always a plus for a striker and we really appreciate him and we hope he continues doing what he’s doing and that he can keep it going throughout the rest of the season.”
Thoughts on his [Larin] physicality
“When people look at Cyle this year compared to last season he’s put a lot of time and effort in working together with me and it shows day by day and I hope he continues to do what he’s doing.”
Thoughts on how difficult he Dax [McCarty] is to stop
“Well that’s why he’s the captain of the Red Bulls, he’s experienced and a great player and has great vision so we have to make sure we shut him down and keep the mid-field compacted. We felt outnumbered at some points in the games but he held ourselves and put them under pressure.”
Any chippiness with the Red Bulls
“It’s two teams playing each other and it was a really scrappy game until the final whistle blew. There was about a fifteen or twenty minute run where there was so much contact but credit to our players that we kept fighting but unfortunately for Cristian [Higuita] got a red card but this is the beautiful game of fútbol. Sometimes it will be tough and sometimes it easy but we just have to go out there and give the best for our team.”
New York Red Bulls Head Coach Jesse Marsch:
Thoughts on overall performance
“We knew we were going to get Orlando’s best. They threw a lot at us and they were very aggressive and wanted to win a lot of battles at mid-field and it so it made for a very physical game. Then the referee had a hard time managing it not to say it wasn’t an easy one to manage and a hard time doing it but overall that’s what good games are about. Sometimes it’s not all about the beautiful fútbol, it’s about digging it out and fighting your way through the game and then if you have a couple plays, it’s about making them and preventing the other team from making them.”
Thoughts on Aurélien Collin
“I thought he looked good. The yellow card’s not a yellow card, he doesn’t even touch [Kevin Molino]. Molino falls on him. But that means that for the rest of the game he has to be very cautious. We know that a lot of his strengths are his aggressiveness and desire and competitiveness. I thought he contained himself and controlled his aggression in a good way in the second half didn’t put himself in many dangerous positions. It was a good first game for him, we’ll look at some video, and we’ll help him understand how to adjust certain things. We knew he was going to be up for the challenge, he’s that kind of guy and I think he’s going to be a great addition.”
Thoughts on Sacha Kljestan
“He’s very good. His ability to dictate the game and see plays and setup attacking players and find gaps in the mid field and meet the demands physically of how we ask him to play, to pressure to run, to win battles and head balls, he’s the perfect number ten for us. He really is. As high of expectations as I’ve had for him he’s exceeded them. I think that even when every team plays us and they know how important Sacha is, he still manages to have great games and dictate and control the game. Obviously the play made to setup the goal was a very good play, thought he had a lot of good plays in the game. A very important guy for us.”
Thoughts on the game
“I think once they got the goal there was a little time in there where it was back and forth, and when you’re on the road you don’t want a game that goes back and forth. As much as we tried to play up the field we felt at that time it was more important to secure the back line and not give the anymore opportunities with Kaka and [Cyle] Larin. What was interesting was making a defensive sub actually helped us grab a hold of the game and gain a little bit more possession. Then we got the red card and we were a little unlucky with Felipe [Martins]’s shot hitting [Gonzalo] Varon that we weren’t able to walk away with the win. Overall I thought our guys managed the game well, we made the decisions to put the right guys on the field and I thought that the subs, when they came on, had really good performances.”
Thoughts on the draw
“We came down here for three [points], but then you start playing the game. It’s not easy on the turf, and the crowd is incredible. Just an incredible energy to the crowd. I think it’s called the Ruckus, it feels like a ruckus, okay? Once its one-one and you’re in a difficult game you’re just trying to figure out ways to walk out with points. We have three unbeaten games in a row and it keeps the momentum going for us, and in some ways we are dissatisfied not to walk away with three [points], I think that it was a hard earned point and well deserved we can walk away with our heads held high and keep the momentum going.”
New York Red Bulls Midfielder Sacha Kljestan (#16)
Thoughts on playing Orlando City
“The environment is hostile, the Orlando City fans are great there behind their team the whole time while putting pressure on the referee and the other team and that’s what you want form a home crowd. Difficult team to play against at their place and to leave 1-1 is a pretty fair result.”
Thoughts on assist from Bradley [Wright-Phillips] goal
“He made a great run and I put it in front of Bradley [Wright-Phillips] and he did the rest.”
Thoughts on possible rivalry
“I think so, Orlando City is a very good team and they always pose a big threat for us because they have a lot of talented players and they work hard. Their pretty similar to us and rivalry may be developing.”
New York Red Bulls Defense Aurelien Collin (#78)
Thoughts on chemistry with Ronald [Zubar]
“We understand each other and I tried to stay as simple as I could while strong in defense. I think we did a good job and we have a lot to work on but I think the team adopted me perfectly.”
Thoughts on Orlando City fan base
“A lot of love from the fans, it’s always fun to play here. Very emotional that I had to control my emotions and the love that I received and focus on the game. Most of the league already knows how it is to play at Orlando City and we got prepared.”
New York Red Bulls Forward Bradley Wright-Phillips (#99)
Thoughts on overall performance
“You obviously know it is good coming down to the citrus bowl, it’s a tough place to come. They are a good team too but it’s difficult to play on their turf. The ref had some tough decisions, it’s just a tough game all around everything was tough. In a day or two I’ll be happy with the play.
Thoughts on Goal Scored
“It was the only thing I did today. I think the defenders played me well. It was hard to get any room, any space, and it was the only thing I did. I’m just happy it went in. I just tried to hit the target. Great ball by Sacha [Kljestan]”
Thoughts on NY Red Bulls momentum the past 3 games
“Yes that’s what we talked about between ourselves. We wanted to carry out this form; these wins mean nothing if we are just winning and losing and then losing and winning. It’s good to be on a nice unbeaten run, because you know the beginning of the season wasn’t all that great. So this is nice.”
Thoughts on possible rivalry between Red Bulls and Orlando City
“I wouldn’t say like a rivalry but I feel like the respect is definitely there. We are both a young team there is a lot of pride out there.”
Thoughts on Sacha Kljestan leading the team with assists
“Sacha’s always got it. I think he ended last season with a good number of assists but he’s been on fire lately. He has been one of our best players of lately. I just hope he keeps up. He’s finding those areas; once he finds those areas and turns he is very dangerous.”
Thoughts on Collin’s first return to Orlando City after getting traded
“Very tough, very tough. He handed it well, true professional. I think the fans were great to him. They gave him a great welcome. He was fully into the task. He got me proud today. I was happy for him because it can be hard, the emotion can get on top of you.”
