WILMER CABRERA – HEAD COACH, HOUSTON DYNAMO
Your team generated 19 shots tonight but only 5 on target. Do you think you got the quality of chances you were looking for tonight?
“No, we didn’t get great or quality chances. Different from them, those two goals were one touch. That’s a big difference. I must say that we reacted very well, it’s a lesson for us and we need to grow from this and we need to understand that we must go out more aggressive. Hopefully we learn that for the games to come because when we did it we matched up with them and we started to play with better possession and control. And we could generate better attacking control and hopefully we can learn from that and start doing it from the beginning.”
Your decision to put Juan David in the middle between Adolfo & Leonardo was that to match up better with Altidore & Giovinco?
“Yes, we didn’t want those two guys to be alone against Adolfo & Leonardo so Juan David was there to help cover but we fell a little bit in the sense that when they were faking to the middle none of them stepped up with them and they took advantage and were creating those chances. We fixed it after we talked at halftime but sadly even though we were much better with the ball and we created some chances and some shots there weren’t that many on target. Overall our performance was much better but definitely they were very good at finishing and putting the game away in the first half.”
JUAN DAVID CABEZAS – MIDFIELDER, HOUSTON DYNAMO
Thoughts of the game?
“We are sad and hurt, because we came in with the mentality of winning the game. We started the game in a good rhythm, we could control their attack and play the ball. They took advantage of our mistakes and score the two goals. During the first half, we weren’t able to make the right moves. On the second half, we played way batter. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get the result. We are still on a debt to ourselves to get a positive result playing away, hopefully and God willing we can get better results in the upcoming matches.”
On Toronto FC’s offense…
“They (FW Jozy Altidore and FW Sebastian Giovinco) are world-class players, there is a reason they have played at the level they have played. They are players with a great resume and you can see that on the field. We gave spaces and when they have the space they can be very dangerous. Perhaps, when we were more compacted, we were able to complicate things for them.”
On your take away from this match…
“What I take away from this game is that we can’t go on the field not focus, when there are players of high quality like the ones in this team. If we play like we did in the second half, it will be very hard for us to lose a game. Hopefully, we can make up for the lost points at home and on to look for a positive result on our next away match.”
A.J. DELAGARZA – DEFENDER, HOUSTON DYNAMO
Obviously not the best way to return but how did it feel to be back out on the field?
“It was good to be back on the field as it’s been almost a month. Still gaining my fitness and my touch. Obviously, the formation today meant that I got a little bit more fitness. We know it’s hard to win on the road but the first half was unacceptable. The 2nd half we came out and competed better, won more tackles and had more chances. We need to play like that on the road as we have a three-game road trip coming up next month. We need to start getting points on the road and continue winning at home.”
Wilmer mentioned that in the 2nd half you started winning more duels and the physicality is what got you in the first half.
“Anytime you go on the road you have to win your 1 on 1 battles and I didn’t and I’m sure that some of the other guys will say that as well so we’ve got to regroup and come back next week and continue to get better. Like I said it’s hard to win on the road but we came out with that tactical change we thought could match up with them. I think we gave them a little too much respect and too much space and when you give those guys time and space they can pull things off.”
What do you take from this game into next week at home against Orlando?
“Just how we played better in the 2nd half on the road. We have to be able to do that at home now for a full game like we did against San Jose. We’ve got to keep building and keep moving on. We can’t get low on a loss and we can’t get high on a win. Just stay even keeled as we’ve got talent and need to put it all together.”
