MINNESOTA UNITED HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH
On the outcome of the game …
“We never started the first half. We were second best in every aspect of the game and it’s a short reminder that we still have to get better at the end of the game. We have one of these 45 minutes still in us and we can’t carry on doing it. If we want to be where we want to be, with the level of talent that we have, we can’t have 45 minutes where we basically go down 2-0 and then I come in, I go crazy at halftime and then we get a response and we look like we might get something out of it. But you’re not going to keep coming back from being down 2-0 on the road, especially. In the second half, it’s easy to be that guy in the second half. I played 500-600 league games. I know what it’s like where you just play like there is no pressure on you. The pressure starts from the first whistle and you have to be ready to play and tonight we weren’t and it’s another reminder that we’re not where we want to be and we’re not good enough.”
On coming off their best win of the season LA and how surprising this loss was …
“Well, that’s a disappointment. But I know that what we put in at LA was hard work, discipline, willingness to fight [and the] willingness to win every individual battle. You against your guy that you’re playing against. We were second best in nearly all of them in the first half and when you lose the individual battles invariably, collectively, you lose as well.”
On looking better in the second half and Finley being unlucky with the overturned goal …
“We created opportunities that I know we're capable of doing, it’s people being positive and trying to make things happen rather than just sitting and waiting to for things to happen. Everything was reactive and not proactive.”
On the formation tweak at halftime …
“We went back to a more familiar shape for us and it certainly looked better but I thought the individual was the better as well and that was why.”
MINNESOTA UNITED MIDFIELDER ETHAN FINLAY
On his initial thoughts of the game …
“Slow start. Disappointing start for us. Disappointing first 45 minutes and uncharacteristic. It’s all I can say. Very disappointed group in there, individually. I can only speak for myself. It just wasn't good enough—came off personally flat and I think there was a handful of guys that you know had the same thing. Maybe some heavy legs but we are not going to sit here and use excuses. It was disappointing first half. Obviously, a good response, easy to respond in the game when you are down two-nothing the game just kind of naturally opens up but I thought the effort and some of the changes we made in the second half were positive and a disappointing night for us.”
On his goal that was ruled out by the VAR …
“The rule is clear and obvious but there were 22 guys out there that didn’t see anything too clear and obvious. You had Dynamo guys even asking ‘what have they could even be asking’ asking about our questioning. I haven’t seen the replay so I can’t comment any further. We’ve had some of those decisions go our way and tonight it doesn’t. I really felt like if we would have got one we would of had the momentum going our way and good touch there was two, one cleared off the line and good save by [goalkeeper] Joe [Willis] and another one. Goals change games. Disappointed we weren’t able to get on the score sheet because if we do, we got the momentum.”
On if he can think of a reason the team had a slow start …
“I can’t. Us as players will obviously take ownership of it and we have to. We are a really good team when we play as a collective but if we have some individuals who aren’t up for it on the day, we tend to struggle. We know that we are not the most individually talented team day-in day-out but when we play as a collective we genuinely think that we can beat anybody in the league. And for the first 45 minutes today we didn’t play as a collective on both sides of the ball and that was disappointing. We made some changes in the second half formation and personal and some guys stepped up but you got to wipe your hands clean as quick as possible because we go back home for Salt Lake and this next five games it’s crazy with the playoffs right now.”
On coming from a victory against LAFC and why he thinks the team lost today …
“It’s pretty easy. The first 45 minutes we just weren’t up for it. We came up completely flat and we dug our self a hole and got into a deficit and you almost looked up and before you know it you’re down two-nothing and we just couldn’t get a good grasp of the game in the first half. I don’t know if I can pinpoint one exact thing that it was. We played in the 4-3-3 before. It’s a lineup that we’ve put out there before. You had a couple new guys but it’s guys that had minutes under their belt. There is no excuse. We are not looking for an excuse—just a flat performance from us tonight and what I do know is that locker room has a positive mindset and we can turn this around. We know we can. We’re very comfortable going back home and we’re looking forward to [Real] Salt Lake.”
On Christian Ramirez scoring against them …
“Great for Christian [Ramirez] but I could care less who scores the goal. No vendetta on this side. Christian [Ramirez] was a great servant to the club. I’m sure it feels great to score against your old club. I did it earlier this year but it wasn’t like a thing we have to stop Christian Ramirez tonight. We had to stop the Houston Dynamo and we didn’t do that.”
MINNESOTA UNITED DEFENDER IKE OPARA
On letting Christian Ramirez get past him to score …
“Yeah sure, I’m frustrated. I did what I was supposed to do. I just couldn’t get around the ball to win it. I may have even touched it into his path. That’s what he does, he gets into the box and he scores. [It wasn’t] anything special that he did. Unfortunately, I take the responsibility there.
On the difference between the first and second halves …
“It was frustrating that the urgency was there when at that point you have nothing to lose. That’s really all she wrote. We had to go out there and get some sort of result and it didn’t matter what the end result was going to be. If we lost, we just knew that we had to push forward and play without care and play free. It happens all around the world, when teams go down, they respond, it was just frustrating that we couldn’t do it from the start. They’re all big at this point. We play nothing but Western Conference teams to finish out the year. Every game is a six-pointer from here on out, so, I haven’t seen the results but at this point, we have to worry about ourselves and get as many points as possible.”
On his future and possibly playing for Nigeria …
“No, I don’t even think they have heard of me. If they call, I might entertain it, I’m not even sure if they know who I am.”
On mentality of team of trying to have a home playoff game …
“With how difficult the west is, the first goal should be qualifying. Then we can try and set the goal of hosting a home game. Yes, realistically we want a home game. But we have to take care of game to game before we can even entertain that idea. But obviously home games are important in this league and tonight it showed.”
