Orlando City SC Head Coach Oscar Pareja
Opening Statement
"Obviously I’m very happy with the result, but more so for the performance of the players. I want to congratulate them for their responsibility, the energy and the willingness to bounce back after the result that we had at home. They had a short period of recovery and what we saw today was full commitment for the club and the jersey and getting this result away just ignited us again. So congratulations to the players. Overall, I thought we had a very good game, very disciplined in our tactical proposal and the times that we went forward we looked like that team that is lethal and that helps us to keep adding points in our search for our quality.”
On the importance of Martín Ojeda to this team
“I think he’s carrying us in that matter; how important it is to have a player who is scoring goals and giving us those contributions in the moments that we need him the most. Not in any game, but in this one game when we were all tense and we needed to produce tonight, he took that team on his shoulders. And not just what he does when he scores, but the work ethic that Martín [Ojeda] has, that just represents the culture that we have. I’m happy for him because I think he deserves it and not just him, but the whole squad today. It was full energy and everybody was willing to work and get this game. It was a good night for us.”
On the response to New England Revolution’s goal
“I think we can highlight that part of our squad and the boys tonight. The response that they had to what happened three days ago, in a game that we had and then let it go, and then to bounce back tonight with such a great performance in a very difficult place, and what they did in the game represents what they have done as well. When New England tied the game, it was a tense game and then they kept going and Martín [Ojeda] scored and after that I thought we had control of the game. So, credit to them. I see the team that we used to see in those difficult moments, guys that work hard and find a way to get the results.”
Orlando City SC Midfielder Martín Ojeda
Opening Statement
“I’m very happy, not only for the goals, but also for the win tonight because I feel like we deserved a win like this tonight. We’ve been playing well but suffering in the last three matches after playing some great games and then, for different details, the game escapes from us for a draw or a loss, and I think the win tonight and the performance that we gave demonstrates what a great group of humans that we have and how united we are as a group of players, technical staff, coaching staff and everybody that works in the club, so just really happy tonight.”
On his first goal in tonight’s match
“We had talked during training with teammates and the technical staff about what the best ways to hurt New England were going to be and I remember from the last game that they had a lot of spaces in those areas. So as soon as Edu [Atuesta] got the ball, I knew that with the quality player that he is all I had to do was get into the space in front of me. When the ball came, I got there about the same time as the goalkeeper and I let it go under him and the ball fell perfectly to me behind him so all I had to do was finish it off. Thankfully, I was able to do that, score and make it 1-0 at the time, and like I said, I’m just very happy.”
On the team’s response to New England’s goal tonight
“I think the details can really test the unity of a group. I’ll say it again, when those details don’t go your way in football and when they actually go against you at times as they have the last few games for us, it can test the unity of a group. And I’m really proud of how we responded tonight after those last three games and I’m really proud to be a part of this group. When [New England] tied it up, we weren’t happy with just the one goal and we said to ourselves that we were going to push. Thankfully, we were able to get it to 2-1 really quickly and then in the last portion of the game we stayed united, stayed together and really focused on those details that had hurt us and gone against us in those last few games so that it didn’t end like that tonight and we were able to take the win. I think that was the key for us tonight. I think we worked really hard during the week to get those details right and get those details fixed. So, really happy for the win and to be a part of this group.”
