LA Galaxy 2, Portland Timbers 1
Sunday, March 31, 2019 – 6:00 p.m. PT
2019 MLS Regular Season
Dignity Health Sports Park – Los Angeles, Calif.
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH GUILLERMO BARROS SCHELOTTO
On Zlatan Ibrahimović’s influence on the game and on the win:
“He scored two goals, and we are happy with two goals; with the win. But, we are happy too, because he could finish the game without problems. I think during the game, sometimes, we managed the ball, I think we managed the game, but we couldn’t be deeper like I’d like. But, we had the possibility, they had the goal and some shot from outside the box, and nothing more. I think they took care of us. They played really defensive, and sometimes you can’t get the space, but we moved the ball, we kept the ball, we tried to go right and left and sometimes we couldn’t; especially in the second half.”
On Zlatan Ibrahimović playing the full game:
“I saw somebody kick him, but I expected that he play 90 minutes, he was ready, we were talking, we discussed that with him, what does he feel. I don’t want to put on the field someone who is not 100 percent. I talked to him, nobody forced me to put him on the field, nobody forced him to go to the field, so we need to be smart, because he’s coming from the injury. And he said yesterday I feel good to play; I am ready. And, it was true, because he scored twice, two penalties, and he was very dangerous like he is.”
On Joe Corona’s performance:
“I think that Joe [Corona] always gives the possibility to make a pause during the game. He got the ball, he stole the ball, he touched. He gives us a lot of dynamic in the midfield. I think when he came to the team, the team feels very comfortable and manages the ball better, and is more dangerous with the ball on the [ground].”
On Jorgen Skjelvik’s performance:
“I like when the left back or center back, or right back go forward and join the offense, and be part of the team. Not just waiting for crosses and that’s it. Jorgen [Skjelvik] and Rolf [Feltscher] are both very fast and have really good technique to finish the play, and I like them playing offense in the box and not just wide.”
On Portland Timber’s goal:
“Yeah, I saw the video. I think it was offside a little bit. But this is not very clear. I don’t know how many cameras they have. I had one, so I don’t know. I said to the referee, right here it looked like offside, but they have more cameras to see than me. They’re right. Not me.”
On the last chance at goal that the Portland Timbers had:
“I know [Lucas] Melano because he’s from Argentina. I know he’s so fast, but I saw Jorgen [Skjelvik] running, and he’s so fast too, and he could figure out the problem in the last play, and yeah I think that it was a little dangerous.”
[Translated from Spanish]
On how important it is to win at home:
“It is very important to be creating a winning mentality, and it’s necessary for a team to have aspirations for winning.”
LA GALAXY FORWARD ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIĆ
On playing 90 minutes:
“We said, as long as I can go, I go. We had the communication from the sideline and they asked me all the time, how is it, how is it. Every time I said, all good, all good and I kept going.”
On being a target for defenders:
“I think it will always be like that. I can … the biggest threat in the team, but I’m used to it. I’ve played more than 800 games, but I can still do a lot of 50 … and no worries, just need to put some ice on afterwards everywhere and try to recover as soon as possible.”
On the penalties:
“They were clear penalties. The first penalty was clear, I mean he came from back and he hit me and I went down. The second one, I’m 37 but I’m still fast and it was a clear penalty.”
On a potential hat trick:
“It was really close. I should have scored. I promised my son three goals and because of a bad pass, I didn’t give three goals to my son.”
On chances created tonight:
“We created a lot of chances, but don’t forget we were playing against a good team. They were in the final last year and they were playing with five behind, so it was not easy to play against their team and a good team that has five behind. I was surrounded by three guys all the time and every time I got the ball, they tried to close me a little bit. But, we created a lot of chances. I hit the post in the first half. We had some shots from outside the box, and I think possession, we had more possession than them. We had crazy support from the stands, that gave us motivation and power. We kept going because we said in the halftime the chance would come and we will score again. The goal they scored, I think that was the only clear chance they had.”
On the anniversary of his debut and time in Los Angeles:
“I’m here to perform. I said I’m not here on vacation, I’m here to play for the Galaxy and to do my best for the Galaxy. I come here with my whole family. My wife take care of my family and I do what I’m working with, I do football. I’m here to perform. The day I don’t perform we rid the contract and I go back to Sweden or somewhere else.”
On the second penalty kick:
“Trust me, with penalties you should not think too much. You should step up and just put it in the goal. I was focused, but it took too much time. Every time I shoot a penalty, they take too much time. I’m used to when the penalty comes, they whistle, the guys go out and I shoot the goal and now it takes too long. If you see me, I’m waiting there with the ball.”
On potential to play in Vancouver next week:
“I have no problem with turf fields and last season was special because of my knee injury, which people forgot because I was playing every game almost and I was feeling good. Coming into a new season, I feel fresh, I feel good, but I have this issue with my Achilles, but it was feeling good today and let’s see during the week what happens. If I feel like I do today, I’m present, so all the fans can come and enjoy.”
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER ROMAIN ALESSANDRINI
On the win tonight and being back from injury:
“We have worked hard together since three weeks and tonight was good for me. I am glad to be back, no injuries so good feeling tonight and day by day, game by game I will be better.”
On created chances and whether there’s concern:
“It’s always good, maybe sometimes we were a bit unlucky, Zlatan [Ibrahimović] hit the post the first half and the Portland goalkeeper made some saves too. We have a good midfield with Joe [Corona], Jonathan [dos Santos] and Sebastian [Lletget], they make the plays every game and obviously Zlatan, [Uriel] Antuna and myself have to finish the plays. I told you we were a little unlucky tonight, but we won and that’s the most important thing. Now we keep going and look forward.”
On this being the first time, he plays with Joe Corona and how he changes the game alongside Jonathan dos Santos and Sebastian Lletget:
“Like I said, those three guys all do important things because they make the plays. They run, they win the ball and that’s very important. They try to find us, [Zlatan] Ibrahimović, myself and it’s good because we run a little bit less and we just focus on finishing the plays. Joe [Corona] is as important as Jonathan [dos Santos] and Sebastian [Lletget] in this team.”
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER JOE CORONA
On fitting in right away:
“I feel very comfortable playing alongside great players and I’m happy the chemistry has been good.”
On whether he is surprised about how quickly he’s adapted:
“I was already playing a regular season, so I was physically fit and I think it was just a matter of training together, having a couple of games together and that was it.”
On his partnership with Jonathan dos Santos:
“Ever since I got here we have been working side by side and we talk about it during trainings, before the game and say ‘let’s be together, have the ball’ because we have that technical side, so we try to take advantage of that and it’s been working out.”
PORTLAND TIMBERS HEAD COACH GIOVANNI SAVARESE
On the team's performance:
“Today I was proud of my team. I was proud of my team. I was proud of what we did. I thought that we did a lot of good things. I thought that we were a difficult team to be able to break down. I thought we created chances. I thought we had good energy. We played together. This team is going to win more games than lose games and today I leave from here with a sensation that we are just about to win the first match. And the things that are out of our control, maybe they will go different.”
On tonight's game:
“It was important for them not to find any passes through lines, we did a great job especially the first half. We made sure that we made it difficult, they had to move [Jonathan] dos Santos to the right and [Sebastian] Lletget on the left to try to create more space but never the less we were able to do well till the point that some guys got a little tired, they were able to find a little more space but we made some substitutions, we regained some of the dangerous moments we created in the first half especially. I think it is just unfortunate that things outside of our control allowed the game to become very difficult and when you have to play against those things it becomes very tough."
PORTLAND TIMBERS DEFENDER ZEREK VALENTIN
On the team's performance:
“I think we are definitely progressing in the right way. Obviously, we have to look back but I think we had the better of the play throughout the 90 minutes. I think we controlled a lot of the game and barring some things out of our control with penalties we could have gotten a result tonight and unluckily we didn't.”
On the team's defense:
“I think it carried out pretty well seeing a lot of those pieces were playing it for the first time this year and for the first time with this team. Obviously, Jorge [Moreira] coming in fit in seamlessly and lot of other guys just communicating and working through the moments and allowed us to get pressure wide to them which was something important but obviously they still through in a few good crosses as they should. Sadly, we didn't get a good result but we put in a very good performance.”
PORTLAND TIMBERS MIDFIELDER DIEGO CHARA
On the team's performance:
“We played a better game today, we tried to keep the ball a little bit more and it created scoring opportunities. I think we did a very good job today.”
On playing his 250th game of the Portland Timbers:
“Obviously it wasn't a good result because we didn't win, and it is hard but at the same time I am happy to play my 250th game with the team and we need to look forward.”
