LA GALAXY FORWARD ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIĆ
On tonight’s game versus the last game against LAFC:
“I think this one felt different, because we had a chance to win in the end. Obviously, the first one was special because it was the first game of me, and the atmosphere was incredible, just like today. I think LAFC was the better team today, but in the end we catch the 2-0 to 2-2 and we had a chance to go for even more, but we didn’t use the chances we got and it finished 2-2. They had great chances, and give LAFC credit, and I think one point in the end is a good result for us.”
On the performance of Carlos Vela:
“I think [Carlos Vela] had a good game. He was active, more active in the first half, and in the second half we pressured more and we had more chances. He’s a good player if you give him a lot of time, so I don’t know how old he is, but he’s a good player, absolutely.”
On the Galaxy’s comeback:
“I think in the MLS, anything can happen. You can lose 2-0 and the game is back and forth, or you can come up and catch them, and even win the game, because you will get chances. You will get chances and you will get good chances, and the only thing you have to make sure is that you score when you get those chances and it’s not like that in the championship or in the countries I’ve played in. There, you don’t get a lot of chances, you get one or maybe two, and if you don’t score on those chances, you don’t win the game and they punish you for that. Here you get a lot of chances and I’m starting to understand the game much more. Today, we got chances, and even if LAFC was the better team, we got chances and we took care of those chances. If we did a little bit more we could’ve even won the game.”
On Banc of California Stadium:
“If I’m honest, this stadium is too small for me. I’m used to playing in front of 80,000. When 80,000 whistle you, then you go on your toes and you start to do the real work. But when 20,000 whistle you, and are not cheering for you, it’s like when I’m doing a training.”
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER JONATHAN DOS SANTOS
General thoughts on the comeback and Bob Bradley’s substitutes:
“We’re in the MLS. Anything can happen in the MLS. The game completely changed in five minutes. The team did a great job. I didn’t even pay attention to any changes he [Bob Bradley] made. He might’ve had some bad luck but that’s all I can really say. I really just worry more about my team.”
On playing the first game at Banc of California Stadium:
“Incredible. It was really beautiful. They [LAFC] have an incredible and friendly club. I’m happy that I really got to play in this beautiful stadium.
Thoughts on the next matchup between these two teams:
“We want to win it. We’re the Galaxy. We know we’re the club that has won the most titles. We know what we have to do. They’re still a lot of time until that game and we also have to think about the difficult game that we have this Sunday.
LA GALAXY FORWARD OLA KAMARA
On how dramatic the game was:
“All we wanted was to really win this game, and not to lose it. I think that they were better than us in the first half, by just us working on getting into the game. In the end of the game I think we were stronger than them. Of course, Romain’s [Alessandrini] goal gave a lot of momentum and positive energy but I think we are stronger than them in the end. We had that feeling in the end of the game that we were going to win."
On the ball that he intercepted from Andre Horta
"I hid a little bit and then saw him looking at the goalie so I knew he was going to pass it, but I didn't want to show it too early. In the end, it was a tough angle, and I was in a difficult position. I was waiting for Simon to come to me and play it square to [Zlatan] Ibrahimović. It was tough mentally to miss that one, but I said to myself that I was going to get the next one."
On the feeling after the game:
"I think that we were in the locker room with a better feeling than them. When we are winning the locker room is a lot happier than it is now. We wanted to come here and win and take it to them in their own stadium. I think we are going to leave this game a lot happier than them."
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER ROMAIN ALESSANDRINI
On coming back to earn a draw:
“At 2-0, we had nothing to lose. This type of game, you try to give everything, so when your losing 2-0 like this at half-time, you have to wake up and give more for your team. We came back to 2-1, and at this point you have to give everything to get it to 2-2. When you score a goal, the game is changed.”
On the team chasing goals:
“It’s not good. It’s impossible to concede a goal and every time have to come back. It’s not a good way to win a game, because you lose a lot of energy when you come back like that. What we did in the first half, it wasn’t enough to win this game, so I’m not sure we are happy with the performance tonight.”
On getting the start for today’s match:
“Every player wants to start the game, we ‘re all competitive. It was a good feeling for me, because I like these kinds of games. I played a lot of games like this when I played for Marseilles [Soccer Club] against Paris [Saint-Germain F.C.] and it’s always exciting to play. I tried to give everything, I scored a goal, and the second half was much better for me and for the team.”
LAFC HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY
Thoughts on the match:
“I’ll start with the worst news of the night, it’s Mark-Anthony Kaye. He fractured the inside part of his ankle and will get surgery, so that part had me in a bad mood since I got the report at halftime. Then we lose our minds at the end of the game, and we do a lot of good things, but what we still haven’t been able to get right is, when there’s a game with a motion at the end and it’s spinning out of control, that there’s a couple of players on the field that have the composure and the intelligence to just make sure that we get it right. That’s the part that we still must get in order to get to the next level as a team. It’s a classic example, because at that part of the game it’s just about making smart plays. The first goal, the ball gets played up toward Walker [Zimmerman] and it skips by him, and it’s not a play that should lead to something in the box. When it gets lose in the box, instead of reacting and stepping up, we drop back, that gets them back into the game and gives them life.”
On Andre Horta’s debut:
“Andre Horta is going to be a very good player for us, and I feel very bad for him tonight, because when he comes on, we just remind him that at that point of the game to be smart. His skill on the ball and his composure can make a difference for us, but he’s young, and in that respect, he’s been waiting a long time to get his chance, but obviously it’s a very bad decision to play a ball back from that part of the field. It turns into two, and to top off a tough night for him, he manages to come forward and smack one off the post. There was a lot there, but certainly a night where on our end, our ability at the end of the game, composure, intelligence, decision-making, maturity and more let us down.”
On Latif Blessing’s performance:
“In this last stretch, he’s really moved himself forward. His energy, working for his teammates, going by people, and holding onto the ball, in all those ways, he’s been fantastic.”
LA GALAXY DEFENDER WALKER ZIMMERMAN
Overall thoughts on the match:
"It was a tough game. We knew coming in the emotion that would be involved. I thought we had a very good performance the first 80 minutes. Didn't feel like they created too many chances on their own, and that they came off of our mistakes. Sometimes that’s the game. For us, this is not a reflection of a mentality of our team. We know it's happened a couple of times now and so I'm sure it will be addressed even more than it has been. Just about our mentality, stay together, and digging deep in this kind of moments."
On the team’s fatigue:
"You look at how the game played out and we hit the post three times, we had some amazing chances to put this game away and go up 3-0. I think we have actually had a couple games at home now where we have been up at least one [goal] sometimes two goals, and we have got to figure out how to get a third one in the goal. Game control of the match. I don't think that we were relaxed we were still trying to create chances. I think after their first goal went in we have to find a way to dig a little deeper."
On the differences between the two games against Galaxy:
"It was something going into the game, just looking at different matchups. Whether it was Laurent [Ciman] switching to the right side and me drifting to the left. That was a tactical change that we made and I think it worked really well. Looking even just on how we were able to create a lot of chances going forward that’s just something that we have been doing well at all year, and doing well at on a tactical standpoint. We knew this game wasn't a game where we were going to put together 600 passes, we knew it was going to be a little more direct, a little more open, and I think we handled it well for the most part."
LA GALAXY FORWARD CARLOS VELA
On the biggest difference between the first and second half:
"We started really well, the second half we had some chances to score and finish the game, but we missed and it's hard, the team does really great things. We controlled the game for 80 minutes, but we have to learn and improve because we are at an important moment in the season and if we want to do good things we have to be a better team."
On his message to Andre Horta after the game:
"I think it's just one mistake, we know he is a good player. We know he can bring really great things for the team. He is young and he has to learn. I am here to try to help Horta and the other guys to be better players. And I hope every game he can be better."
On the feeling after the Galaxy’s first goal:
"After the goal, I think the feeling was bad and you look around at what is happening [to the environment]. When everyone is like 'I don't want the ball.’ If we want to fight for the title we have to improve and be a better team and not loose points like these in the game."
