LA Galaxy 2, FC Dallas 0
Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019 – 7:30 p.m. PT
2019 MLS Regular Season
Dignity Health Sports Park – Los Angeles
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GUILLERMO BARROS SCHELOTTO
On the LA Galaxy’s defensive performance:
“We played against a really good team. They are fighting for playoffs. I think this soccer match, they had some opportunities to score, but I think our defense today was very focused on the game, and very concentrated. I think we gave the possibility in one set piece in the first half, and I think it was [Santiago] Mosqueda; we lost the mark in the box. And then, they had one shot when they started in the beginning of the second half. But, I think we played well. We were very clear, because we knew before the game, that from now and the last game, that the games have been very even, because everyone needs points. Everyone is thinking about getting something to get to the playoffs, but today I think the team worked very well thinking about every time they managed the ball. We need to move in, touch, and the goals will come. We can’t lose our heads. We never lost our head. During the game today, we were the team with a very calm head, and very smart.”
On the importance this game had on the LA Galaxy’s playoff run:
“It’s very important, but the next game will be important also; not just today. We need to think game by game, and we need to know that every game that we are playing now, until October 6th , will be very important.”
On the team’s preparation for Seattle Sounders and Cruz Azul, and on Joe Corona’s recent absences from the team roster:
“I think we have a very important game on Saturday. We have to think one hundred percent on this game. Once we finish the game against Seattle, we will start to think about the Cruz Azul Game. About [Joe] Corona, he felt something in the knee. Someone kicked him during the game in Portland. So we preferred, after the game in Atlanta, to take him out for a week so he can have a better recovery and be ready when he can be.”
On Perry Kitchen’s status:
“Perry Kitchen, after the game against DC united, felt something in the pelvis. The doctor gave him a shot, and he will be ready; I don’t know if for Saturday, but for Tuesday, I think so.”
On what influenced LA Galaxy’s playing style in today’s game:
“Well two things. The result, of course, but we could never lose our head during the game, and they had to show me today that they are smart players. I think they showed me that. We never played nor got confused. We tried sometimes, and we couldn’t [score], like in the first half it was a little hard, and in the second half we found the pass and the movement, and we scored. I never gave the possibility or the opportunity to the other team a good position in our defense. Of course, they had the shot on the crossbar, but it was from set pieces. Today the team was very clear.”
[Translated from Spanish]
On looking at every game as a playoff game from now on, and on Cristian Pavon’s performance:
“I think that [Cristian] Pavon played well. It shows in the result, and in the game. I think that as he gets to know his teammates, the league, and once he’s well rested, he’s only going to get better.”
LA GALAXY FORWARD ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIĆ
On Cristian Pavon:
“He is very good. He is too good for MLS.”
On the play that Pavon set up for the goal:
“I think MLS will not have him for a long time. We should enjoy him while he is here.”
On bringing Uriel Antuna and Favio Alvarez off the bench:
“In the end, we were all tired. So fresh legs come in and I think that made a difference when they came in with speed and fresh legs. It was good changes and it changed the game.”
On what he tells Pavon:
“When you have a player like that, you don’t need to say much. You just communicate in the game and try to make the best of it. He knows what he is doing. This is his second game and he was the best on the field and today he made a difference. I have played with many players and I see when a player is the difference, and he is the difference.”
On if Pavon was the player he was missing on the team:
“I think any team would miss a player like that. We will be thankful and happy that he is with us now.”
On if he is frustrated with the last few games and decisions that haven’t gone his way:
“No, it’s OK. We are still grinding. We still work hard and we do the best out of the situation. People know when they lose something, they will know how much they will lose.”
If the team played desperate to get the win:
“No, we played good today. We played under control. They had one chance when they hit the cross bar at the beginning, but for the rest of the game, we were solid, we were stable. Then we controlled the game and in the end, we were the stronger ones. We played against a good opponent that is fighting also to come in the playoffs and it was a good game.”
LA GALAXY FORWARD CRISTIAN PAVON
[Translated from Spanish]
On his chemistry and relationship with Zlatan Ibrahimović:
“The truth is it’s very good. He treats me well, he gives me the confidence to be able to do a give and go play with him or just play my game.”
On feelings after making his home debut:
“Obviously like I said before I was anxious to make my debut and show what I know, like I said in other interviews. I felt very comfortable and very happy to make my debut at home which is what I wanted since the beginning.”
On whether his debut was what he expected:
“Yes obviously. To be honest I was very anxious and was looking forward to playing here.”
On whether he has enjoyed playing in MLS and what differences he’s found:
“Yes, I like it a lot and moreover because I’m able to play my game and try to be able to be dangerous on the attack, to run the line and send crosses for my teammates to score.”
On how comfortable he feels being in a new city:
“I feel good, I’m adapting because it was a big change. To come from Argentina is a big change but I’m adapting little by little, trying to settle in and trying to learn more every day.”
On whether he missed playing regularly:
“Yes, because at Boca [Juniors] I didn’t have that regularity the last games but now I’m here and thankfully I have the coach’s confidence. He’s giving me playing time and I’m trying to take advantage and learn from this every day.”
On the crucial time of his arrival:
“I know my teammates have been fighting hard this year and now I have the opportunity to be here and also try and help the team, try to continue pushing forward and continue winning every game which our goal is to get higher in the standings.”
On the team and his teammates after playing two games:
“The truth is from the little time I’ve been here, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned to be calm, to know that you are given the possibility to play your game. As games pass by and as days pass by as well, as months pass, I’ll be able to adapt better.”
On how calm he looks:
“As I said before, I feel great here. I wanted to come here since the beginning when the opportunity was brought up. I am very happy here and we will be pushing for more.”
On the Guillermo Barros Schelotto and how comfortable he feels to be coached by him:
“With Guillermo we have always have a respectful relationship. We both have a lot of affection and confidence towards each other. I am very happy here and enjoying everything. He has to do a lot with my adaption. He asked me from the beginning, and he believed in me. And I’ll be returning that to him little by little every day, doing my best and giving my all on the field.”
FC DALLAS HEAD COACH LUCHI GONZALEZ
On your thoughts of tonight’s match:
“Disappointing, I thought we had better control of the game for more parts of the game, with more shots, but they were more efficient, they put away their chances, their shots were on target, ours were not and we had more shots in the box than them, yet we couldn’t put them on target and at the end of the day it is going to cost you points. So it did tonight, their goal came from a moment in the game where we weren’t necessarily controlling it, it was a little more open and they caught us on a break and they found Zlatan, who doesn’t waste chances. I thought we could’ve been up before they were but this game came down to the importance of who scored the first goal and they scored the first goal. Disappointing but we pushed, we tried to respond, I thought the PK call was, you know, unfortunate, it was one of those 50/50 ones that end up getting called either way and I would have liked for it to be reviewed but it wasn’t and then it was 2-0, but we didn’t give up, we kept pushing, we don’t have a lot of time to get our heads down, we got to go to Montreal and that is a must win. It’s a must win, we are in a position mathematically where we have to climb, we have to climb and we don’t have a choice and that means we have to respond, but I am lucky we have a group of players that respond, and that is the next step.”
On what to work on to get a result:
“We have to focus in that last part to put it on frame, and believe and have a killer conviction and instinct put it on frame. Any player, last game we scored four players that play different positions not necessarily just forwards, this is for all of our players, so we have to keep encouraging that and believing that, and do it next game.”
On focusing on Montreal:
“Well, we already talked in there, they are already moving forward and focused on that game. We are going to rest tomorrow, have a travel day, recover and rest, and have a light training on Friday and leave everything on the field for our fans in Montreal.”
On Matt Hedges breaking the record for most games started:
“It doesn’t surprise me, Matt still has years ahead of him and he is already a legend on this club, putting in those starts and those minutes, they have been earned. He is a model for all of our young players in our academy, and the players in the league, in terms of tenure ship and commitment to a club and I am looking forward to continuing to support him and him fighting for this jersey and develop him to have many more years for this club.”
FC DALLAS DEFENDER MATT HEDGES
On focusing on Montreal Saturday:
“You know we just have to move on, it’s a quick turnaround for Saturday and we need three points, there is really nothing else that is acceptable at this point.”
On breaking the record for most games started:
“It is a special thing to play that long for one club, but at the same time we didn’t get three points tonight, so it is kind of a bittersweet moment.”
FC DALLAS MIDFIELDER MICHAEL BARRIOS
On the thoughts on the game:
“We knew it was going to be a complicated game, a difficult game from the first minute. A rival who was going to be playing at home and who has great players. We knew they had the pressure to get the three points, just like us, but since they were home this was their priority. We had options, we didn’t score them. In the end, I think we let our guard down on two plays and they finished off the game. It became hard for us to come back in their home.”
On what the team must work on to come back from this result and win the next game:
“We knew the goals are the priority to get the result. We weren’t sharp today as we have been in other games. We hope to be able to work on finishing the plays and show that on Saturday against Montreal Impact and score goals which is what gives you the winning result and it’s what we all want.”
