Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja
Opening Statement
“We're so excited, and we have a lot of gratitude with the Club and with the fans that have supported us this year. One more time we qualify for the playoffs. It’s great for a group of players that have a big heart and a big love for the Club too, and a lot of passion for what they do. So, I'm very happy. It’s a special night today, coming here to Dallas, in a very difficult city to play against and we won, scored three goals. I thought we played an excellent 75 minutes, and the reaction of Dallas in the last part was very good as well. Complicated game, but we finally clinched, and that was the first objective, and we're happy.”
On maintaining possession throughout the game
“Well, I thought it was a clear idea that we had with the players during the week after our game in Columbus, that we wanted to have more domination of the ball and more compromise and trying to look for the spaces with personality. That was our compromise with the players. I think that’s what I saw on the pitch. I saw them moving everywhere and providing support to their teammates when they had the ball. Our line of passing was very correct, the occupation of the spaces as well. So, we had a very complete half. And the second half, we had periods where we showed the same and we could probably score a fourth goal. But at the end, we started defending low. We lost control of the ball, and Dallas pushed, sent numbers and complicated those last 15 minutes. Credit to them, too. I thought that they did a good job in that part. But once again, we're happy the game plan worked, and the boys clinched it. And congratulations to everybody who's involved in our Club and the fans.”
On turning the season around after a slow start
“I will remark on two things. The first one is, and I know it's not natural but we forget in the first semester we had a lot of challenges in completing the lineups just due to absences, and the Copa America, the Euros and the qualifications for the World Cup, the call-ups. We have a few players that are very important for us right now that were in that period of adaptation. I recognize, too, that I was looking for the best formation, and sometimes that probably didn't help us. But all those things made us not get the best of results. Despite that, we really played well. Many of those games that we didn't win, but now we have found the cohesiveness and the connections again. I think the endurance that the boys had during the year is an honor to see. I think the heart they had put for this Club is great, and they had transformed again the season. So, we aren’t done yet. We still have a journey to navigate. The boys are in a good mentality. Today, we're going to celebrate that the team qualify one more time, and then try to qualify it in the best position and standing. So that will be the next objective.”
Orlando City SC Defender Rodrigo Schlegel
Opening Statement
“Obviously, we're very happy. With this group, our first goal for the year is to qualify for the playoffs and clinch a spot in the playoffs. So obviously, we're very happy and just very proud of every player in this group and every member of the technical staff and this whole group together.”
On the consistency with the team making the playoffs the past five years
“I think over each and every single year we've proven that we continue to work and try to achieve those goals that we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year. We work through the entire year. We continue to push even when things aren't going well. So, I think for me, that's the thing I've seen the most, is just the consistency in the work that this group continues to put in each and every day.”
On his goal from Martín Ojeda
“I think it's obviously something that we work on constantly throughout the week. Sometimes it's almost automatic that we know that we work on, that we're going to work on those set pieces. Sometimes in the games, they don't turn out the way that we that we practice them, or that we hoped a lot of times based on the defense, too. But it's something that we always continue to work on together. In terms of Martín [Ojeda], you know, just really happy for him and the way that he's showing out. He's a really humble guy, somebody that knows what he wants and continues to push for it each and every day. He's a guy that's quiet, but he's so incredibly hard working. I've known him before he arrived here. We faced off a couple of times in Argentina when I was at Racing [Club]. He's just a really great teammate to have, and I'm really happy for him.”
