NOTES
- Whitecaps FC remain unbeaten at home in 2013 (2W-0L-2D)
- Whitecaps FC midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker was named Budweiser Man of the Match
- Whitecaps FC rookie Kekuta Manneh scored his first professional goal
- Manneh also earned his first professional assist on the second goal
- Striker Tommy Heinemann earnerd his first assist with Whitecaps FC
WHITECAPS FC – QUOTES
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
COACH MARTIN RENNIE:
Thoughts on the team’s comeback:
“In the end, I can’t believe we didn’t win that game. We had some fantastic chances. I know we’ve got a good team. I know we’ve got good players. I know that the quality will come. We’ve got young players and sometimes they will miss chances here and there. Sometimes I ask how much heart and how much character does the team have and today no doubt, I got answered that question. We’ve got a lot of heart and got a lot of character. If you’ve got someone in there like Nigel Reo-Coker and Andy O’Brien, the experience, driving people forward, it inspires people, it inspires the other players. “
On striker Darren Mattocks:
“Well I think first of all I was real impressed with his work rate today. You know one thing I question the work rate for the team. His work rate for the team is by far the highest that he’s shown yet. His running in the channels his closing people down was what we’re looking for. As a result, he’s got many chances, and some days they don’t go in, and some days they do.”
On if Brad Knighton and Joe Cannon are still competing for playing time:
“Yeah, definitely. Everyone has a chance to play here. I have to watch the goals again to have a clear opinion on that. Brad has done well; he’s played for us and hasn’t let us down. As has Joe, he’s made some fantastic saves, and as you may have seen, made a big save in the end.”
On Nigel Reo-Coker:
“Nigel is an incredible professional. I’m really impressed on how he goes about doing things. Sometimes when you’re tired, your heart has to take over and your drive has to take over, and he’s got more of that than most players I’ve ever seen.”
STRIKER DARREN MATTOCKS:
Thoughts on the match:
“I think that was the toughest game we’ve played all season. Everyone knows this team has a lot of talent and a deep squad but it’s not always about the style of play, but about heart and to never back down.”
On his chances in the match:
“As a striker I’m always going to judge myself on goals but I think my work rate was extreme and the hardest I’ve worked since I’ve been to Vancouver so I am going to take the positives.”
On the crowd support:
“It was very faithful and they kept us in the game, so I have to give credit for taking us to the very last minute.”
DEFENDER BRAD RUSIN
Thoughts on the match:
“We fought hard and showed heart today to get a tie. The fans were behind us and going down two is pretty tough. It was a great fight back.”
On the team resiliency:
“Our captain Nigel has done well, he showed a lot of heart and desire going forward to get the boys going and through his play we can feed off him. He has driven us a lot.”
On defensive and offensive struggles:
“We just have to do better in both boxes. Defensively, maybe we are giving up too much space, a little lapse in concentration and they can go up 2-0. Offensively we’ve had a tremendous amount of chances again today and in every game. One of these games I’m sure we’ll get three or four goals. I have a lot of belief in the guys and I’m sure one of those games is coming.”
DEFENDER ANDY O’BRIEN
Thoughts on Kekuta Manneh’s performance:
“He’s got the world at his feet, and that’s not blowing wind up his backside. I think he’s a very exciting talent and he demonstrated today what he is capable of, he should be very proud about himself tonight.”
On the match result:
“It was a pressure game today because of how we performed against Dallas away but we are pleased to get something out of the game and arguably could’ve won the game at the end. I think a few of the goals we’ve conceded have been unlucky like today, but I’m not making any excuses. It’s a testament to the players that both started and who came on to get the result.”
On defensive and offensive struggles:
“We just have to do better in both boxes. Defensively maybe we are giving up too much space a little lapse in concentration and they can go up 2-0. Offensively we’ve had a tremendous amount of chances again today and in every game. One of these games I’m sure we’ll get three or four goals. I have a lot of belief in the guys and I’m sure one of those games is coming.”
MIDFIELDER KEKUTA MANNEH:
On his celebration kissing the ground:
“I’ve always wanted to use that one. I change it sometimes.”
On scoring his first goal:
“It always feels good to score my first professional goal. Really excited about that. Thank my teammates and the fans for their support.”
On his nerves coming onto the match:
“Not really, we had to score two goals, we needed a goal, so we had to hurry it up a bit. So, my philosophy is that I have to go forward.”
FC DALLAS
HEAD COACH SCHELLAS HYNDMAN
On the animosity between the two teams:
“I think the players really get on well before the game and after the game, but once that whistle starts, it’s a war. We had a very strong contest in Dallas. Obviously we had a really strong contest here, but I don’t think there is any animosity. We have no ill feelings for Vancouver at all.”
On having a lead and Vancouver coming back into the game:
“I’ll give them a lot of credit. We created a lot of opportunities and didn’t do much with them. At the end of the day, it was a battle ground out there.”
On injuries’ and ejections impacting the game:
“It was huge. Huge. You have your centre back, who is your best defender, out, and your best central midfielder, out. If you take a look at the replays, the first one with Mattocks, I don’t think there was anything there, but the second one, Koffie kicked him, and he did the same thing a minute and 30 seconds into the game on Jackson. So, consistency on the calls, referee doesn’t want to make a difference in the games, but one of our best guys is out and now we’ve got two out. So give my guys a lot of credit for not losing this game.”
On the performance of Fernandez:
“Fernandez had a couple of moments where he might have handled the ball a little bit better and get a rebounds and I think Vancouver missed a couple of great opportunities there, but at the same time he probably made two great 1v1 saves that kept us ahead.”
On excitement of the game:
“It was a very exciting game, from the beginning of the game, where at a minute and 30 seconds there was a yellow card, to the end of the game where Blas Perez had a chance to win the game. Then Camilo has a ball that bounces eight yards from the goal and he fires it right at the ‘keeper. Very exciting game. Either team could have won the game. We’re disappointed that you have a 2-0 lead, and you don’t walk away with the three points. At the same time, we give Vancouver a lot of credit for just coming to us with everything they had.”
DEFENDER MATT HEDGES
Overall thoughts on the match:
“I’m definitely disappointed giving away two goals in the second half when we had control but it’s always tough to get points on the road anywhere we go so I think one point is better than none at all.”
On the defensive play of his team:
“I think there were just a couple of breakdowns. They have a lot of great attacking players and I think we managed them well for most of the game.”
On his goal:
“Someone flicked it in front of me and I kept with it and I saw Cannon out of the corner of my eye and I thought he was going to get there so I just tried to get a touch on it and it went in so I’m happy with that.”
STRIKER KENNY COOPER
Overall thoughts on the match:
“It was an eventful game. I thought we did great to come out and get the two goals and go 2-0 up. Obviously we played a very good team today supported by a very enthusiastic set of fans. Their fan support was phenomenal; it was a great atmosphere to play in. You’ve got to give them credit coming back but I thought we did well in the end with ten men to come out with a point.”
On giving up the lead:
“The guys are all disappointed obviously and we’d have loved to come away with three points but at the end of the day one is better than none and it’s good to get that point. We’ll just look to improve and get better each week.”
On the first goal:
“I’m honestly not sure whose it is but at the end of the day it’s one for our team and whether it’s mine or theirs that’s not the important thing; we got a goal and that’s the important thing.”
GOALKEEPER RAÚL FERNANDEZ
On conceding two goals from a winning position:
“The opponent is also playing and playing for points. We got distracted a little bit and that cost us the game, the points. We came here to win, we came here for the three points and we’re leaving with a sour taste in our mouths almost as if we had lost the game.”
On the team's defensive performance:
“We know Vancouver is a very difficult rival but we had a chance where we could’ve taken all the points. We fought hard. I congratulate all my teammates because we fought hard a man down for a good part of the game. It’s small things that cost us two goals but overall we defended well and even after those two goals we continued to defend well.”
