Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja
Opening Statement
“I thought the boys performed very well. I think we played against a very good team that brought in a very good match as well. [Cruz Azul] were intense from the first minute and the level of the technical part and the level of the tactics, that was first level, and we were up to it. We leave the competition without losing and that’s the pain that we have and obviously we’re sad, but we played very well. I saw the Orlando City that we want to see. We’re sad but we’re proud.”
On Cruz Azul’s performance
“We knew that the game was going to present a challenge of not having many options. We created some when we could find the game as you saw it. We were not sharp with our finishing, but we had the best chances out of both teams. We have to take that right now and we are proud of our performance against one of the best teams in Mexico. It doesn’t make us feel better after losing at home but thinking about this performance we need to keep doing what we are doing down the road.”
On biggest takeaways from Leagues Cup
“The biggest difference coming into these interviews after the games is when we score goals. We have been scoring goals constantly in the last six or seven games because we have been defending much better. We kept that level of defense, and we were very concentrated and very generous with our tactics that we implemented in the game. I think we played a tremendous game. I saw Orlando City creating better moments. What happened is that we lost in PKs and that makes us feel bad, but we were not sharp in those actions, and we created this situation and that is the pain that we felt in the locker room. We had the better chances of the game. We are going to keep working in that direction for sure and keep the level of play the way it has been.”
Orlando City SC Defender Robin Jansson
On chances throughout the match
“I think we had a great game. I didn’t see them come here to play us out or be something special. We played a great game and created a lot of opportunities and had good control over the total 90 minutes. I think we had a great game, and it ended up going to PKs and didn't go our way this time.”
On getting the clean sheet against Cruz Azul
“We’ve been doing well for a long period now. We’ve continued to try and build on that and think today we had a great game. Pedro [Gallese] made some great saves when they [Cruz Azul] had a couple of chances, but I don’t think they had many chances though. But the save at the end on Pedro and he maybe had something in the first half too, but nothing crazy that I can remember. We take that with us, that we had a great game, but right now we’re disappointed, we really wanted to go through. PKs sometimes is a lottery and tonight we weren’t good enough. I missed, I’m not happy with that but sometimes that's the game.”
On taking something from Leagues Cup back to MLS play
“As I said before, we’ve been in a good period now and we have to continue building on that. Continue in the league because we to finish great the last couple of games, I think it’s eight or nine games, to end up higher in the standings. What we can take with us from this is a group stage win, one draw and win on PKs. We’ve become a united team on the field. Everyone is putting in the work and doing the right stuff a lot of times. I think we have to keep building on that and be even better and I think we’re going to end the season on a good term here.”
Orlando City SC Defender Luca Petrasso
On his first game back with Orlando City since being on loan
“I was excited, of course. To get thrown into a game like that, it's a big game against a very good opponent. I’ve been happy and excited to be back with the group for the past couple weeks training since coming back from my loan. I’ve just been waiting for an opportunity to get on the pitch and just waiting to help the team the best I can. I was excited. It’s good to be back home in front of the fans, but we didn’t get the result we wanted.”
On experience playing in Italy
“It was a good experience, definitely different in many factors, [especially] culturally. Obviously, I’m Italian but I don’t know the language that well. But it was good to play in an environment regularly and get consistent minutes for the first six months and to play in an environment where we were fighting to get promoted. Kind of different than playing in MLS, so I think that added to my game to be playing at that level of competition and then bringing it back here to play big games like this against Cruz Azul. I think it was good for me and for my game.”
On where he was in the shootout lineup
“Obviously we had our first five shooters already lined up. When it comes to after the five, before we get to that point, Dagur [Dan Thórhallsson] was number six. He scored the game winner last game, so he stepped up to shoot. I think if it came to me, I was around the seventh, but after the sixth, seventh and eighth, it was deciding who wants to step up, but it didn’t get to that point for me to go up to take the shot.”
