Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja
Opening Statement
“I’d describe the game today as a great effort with a poor result. The poor result means we have to take the point, but with that performance, that effort, that energy, you may think that things should end differently. But it did not. We concded a PK from nothing. Other than that dangerous play by New York in the second half, but I don’t remember any other [Red Bull opportunities]. We have volume, we have sequences, we have energy, we have many things that make you win games. But if you don’t have punch then it's not going to happen. So, we need to score goals if we want to win games.”
On how tough it is to play from behind against the Red Bulls
“We prepared our game like always. We’re frustrated but I believe that we played well today. It’s a moment that can come from nowhere. A PK is going against the result against a team that defends in the lower block and after that goal even more. That’s where the difficulty comes for us. We need to have punch in that final pass in that final touch, final pass. That kept us from the result."
On coaching in a way to get quality but to not create stress or have team overthink
“That’s a great question. We are here to assume that responsibility. It’s easy to be on the bench or the stand and ask, ‘why aren’t the players aren’t doing this?’ or ‘why are the players not passing to the others?’ but I will never ask that. I have a big responsibility on that part. I need to create a final sequence where I can probably bring more advantage to finish and maybe they can have that space and time to make good decisions. It's not happening, and I have to come up with something and help them. They have the energy, and they have the quality. I need to be better for sure.”
Orlando City SC Defender Robin Jansson
On tonight’s result
“Disappointed, I think this was a game that we played well, we had the ball a lot. We were not too dangerous in the opposite attacking area, unfortunately. But we created a lot bringing the ball up there. We need to get more dangerous chances to put the ball in the net.”
On the difficulty of playing the New York Red Bulls
“Yeah, I mean, we know that they are a good team. They have some very good players; quick players that like transitions. But I do think that we controlled most of the game. They got the penalty which was too easy that we let happen. But other than I can't remember anything crazy. I think the best one was when they shot one in the box in front of the goal. But other than that, I don't really know what they created. I do think that we had the ball most of the time and we were really trying to go for go for it today.”
On the improvement of the team since being back together
“That's 100% correct. We started to get better connections on the field, we’re starting to understand which spaces we want to use and where to occupy, and that comes with training. In the beginning of the season, we were in a tight schedule for games. We would play games and then recover and then travel to the next game. A lot of flying miles, and that doesn't really help. But I do think, in my opinion, we should have gotten better results early on. Now it is how it is, but we started to feel a better connection, more glued together within the team. So hopefully soon, we're going to turn it into the streak that we had from the summer of last year. We just need to find that one earlier than we did last year.”
Orlando City SC Midfielder Iván Angulo
Opening Statement
“It was a complicated and tough game like it always is against this opponent. I think we came in tonight pushing for the victory, with those illusions and sensations of pushing for the win, but unfortunately, we were having trouble finishing in the final third tonight and getting it across the line. The important part is that we were able to equalize and get that draw, which is a lot better than walking out of here with a loss.”
On the play that led to the goal
“Before I put the center in, I took a look up and saw Jack Lynn right there at the front post, so I crossed and centered it his way. Unfortunately, Jack wasn’t able to get the touch on it, but thankfully it went off the defender and resulted in that own goal that we were able to equalize with.”
On what the team needs to improve in the final third
"I think that’s something that we’re always working on, always trying to improve, it’s obviously something that we’ve been lacking to this point in the year. We just have to keep calm and remain focused on the work that we’re doing, that we’re getting ourselves into those positions and starting to create chances. Now we just have to remain calm, finish off those chances to score goals. There will be periods this year where it’s happening, there’s times where it’ll be more difficult, but we have to focus on continuing to do that work and stay calm and trust our ability and the plays that we’re making to create those chances.”
