Tag: CF Montreal

CF MONTRÉAL (1) – TORONTO FC (0) POST GAME SUMMARY

SCORING SUMMARY

MTL – Romell Quioto 72’ (Rudy Camacho)

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

MTL – Joaquín Torres 21’ (caution)

TOR – Richie Laryea 36’ (caution)

TOR – Yeferson Soteldo 57’ (caution)

TOR – Mark Delgado 87’ (caution)

LINEUPS

TORONTO FC – Quentin Westberg; Julian Dunn, Michael Bradley (C), Chris Mavinga; Richie Laryea, Noble Okello (Jordan Perruzza 78’), Mark Delgado, Jonathan Osorio, Jacob Shaffelburg (Nick DeLeon 78’); Alejandro Pozuelo (Ifunanyachi Achara 16’), Dom Dwyer (Yeferson Soteldo 78’)

Substitutes Not Used: Alex Bono, Justin Morrow, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty

CF MONTRÉAL – Sebastian Breza; Joel Waterman, Rudy Camacho, Kamal Miller; Zachary Brault-Guillard (Zorhan Bassong 60’), Victor Wanyama (C), Ahmed Hamdi, Mathieu Choinière; Djordje Mihailovic, Joaquín Torres (Lassi Lappalainen 72’), Romell Quioto (Samuel Piette 78’)      

Substitutes Not Used: James Pantemis, Matko Miljevic, Emanuel Maciel, Sunusi Ibrahim

MEDIA NOTES

• Jonathan Osorio made his 25^th appearance for Toronto FC in the Canadian Championship and now leads the competition in all-time appearances, tied with Russell Teibert of Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
• Toronto FC winger Jacob Shaffelburg (one goal and three assists in three appearances) won the Best Young Canadian Player award, recognizing the tournament’s best Canadian under-21 player.

JAVIER PÉREZ – HEAD COACH, TORONTO FC

Q: You lose Jozy Altidore to flu-like symptoms; you lose Pozuelo early in the match, and you’re on the back foot most of the match and yet you have a chance in the 90th minute to tie up which doesn’t work. Do you think this game is kind of a microcosm of the whole season?

Yeah, I think it reflects the whole season, right. I mean, you are in a game, basically, with no DPs because we lose Alejandro in the 15th minute or 16th minute I think, and then you play without the piece. Remember we started the game with three academy players, and I think we prepared really well this game. We are disappointed because we wanted to win this championship. I think it was something very important for us.

But I’m happy. I’m proud of the players. I’m proud of the players and I’m proud of the way they fought today. I am proud how they execute the plan and I think we deny a lot of chances from Montréal, and I think we have a good game. We just lost focus in one play, and we pay the price of the championship.

But we have, as well, our chances. We knew that we would have our chances and then you need a little bit of luck, too. You need that ball that hits the goal post in the 90th minute just to go in, and get a little bit of things on your side, which we didn’t. I think like you mentioned, absolutely right, this reflects a little bit what has been our season this year.

Q: I appreciate how you say you think you are pleased with your team, or you thought they put in a good performance, but how do you rectify that with the fact that Montréal dominated possession and out-shot you 23-4 and you didn’t have a single shot on goal? How can that be a good team performance?

Yeah, I think I repeat again, you have to read the contest. You play without the piece, right. You play minimized, and you play away from home. As you know, when you play away from home, it’s different than when you play at home. We tried to get matched tactically, the game, as well thinking about where we come from in terms of results, in terms of conceding goals.

I think even if they had more chances, then the dynamic, you can look at the goal they score, you can’t look at the statistics after that moment, we were the more dangerous team on the field.

So a final is a final. You cannot read too much into the statistics. You play to win the final. We came here with that mentality and in the end we concede one goal and we are forced to come out to get the goal that give us the opportunity to come back in the game.

So in the end, it’s just the tactical approach to the game.

Q. How much did losing Pozuelo early and Jozy not being available impact the game plan that you guys had been working ongoing into this one?

Yeah, it changed everything, right. It changed everything from the moment that Jozy is not here with us, and he’s the most effective player I think against Montréal, so that gives you an edge.

Another one that has been historically very effective against Montreal has been dangerous on the field, is Dom. But then you lose Alejandro, and the way we were preparing, he was our catalyst. He was passing all the balls through him in order to generate our offensive game, that’s the way we prepared for the game, and obviously the 15th minute when he comes off the field, you have to change completely the tactics and the shape. So the game obviously looks different.

To answer your question, you’re absolutely right, losing these two players, it makes a huge impact in our ability and performance.

Q. You mentioned a couple times about the designated players and how the narrative has been that you have not had your designated players available to you this season. How frustrating is that to you as a coach? And all three of those guys, they are under contract next season. Do you think that’s still an area the team has to address with how important designated players are in the League?

Yeah, in the end, the ones playing are the players, and you depend as well on your quality.

I don’t feel frustrated as a coach because in the end my job is to make the most of the team that is available. And I’m happy with the way the team has been working. And when one player is not there, another one comes off bench, or even in training, and they do the best they can.

So I cannot be frustrated when I see the players that are available and they give everything. Like in the case today, we have — I mention we have three academy players on the field. I mean, Julian is amazing. It is only his second game in the season and he has the opportunity to play the final. Then Noble, the same way with I think an amazing future. And Jacob, you can say academy or development player, he receives that award to the best young player of the tournament.

But in the end, when you lose the quality players, there’s only so much that you can do, which is fight, be in an organized structure tactically which I think we were, and then you depend on the quality.

So if you are missing players that they are DPs, Yeferson, for instance, he came off the bench, but he was injured. The minutes that he played today, he was minimized. And I think it’s been a little bit the story of our season. With our top players not being able to contribute, and in the end, we pay the price for that because in this league, in MLS or even in the Canadian Championship, you cannot count on your three DPs. You are minimized and it’s difficult to compete.

JACOB SHAFFELBURG – FORWARD, TORONTO FC

Q: Your team had put so much emphasis on this final given the way the season went, and despite the statistics, your team had a chance to tie it late in the 90^th minute. Can you give us a sense of the emotions going through the dressing room right now?

It was quiet right now in the locker room, obviously, just because it’s never the best feeling, losing a final. I don’t think we were upset because we lost it by a lot. We were upset because we knew we could win it. It’s just a hard one for everybody to get over.

But we’ll be back next year, and better.

Q: Just wondering, to get your perspective on how you thought the team’s overall performance was tonight, I appreciate that you were missing some key players, but it just seemed like it was a little bit lump and a little bit just lifeless, not coming until like really the last five minutes. I mean, how would you characterize the team’s overall effort today?

I thought we were solid. We stuck to our game plan. We defended well majority of the game except that one hiccup we had, but everyone makes mistakes, so it’s, whatever. It’s just how it works out that we couldn’t get a goal.

And I thought we had a few opportunities in the first half, and we hit the post in the second. It could have gone either way, and today it went Montréal’s way.

Q: You sort of pre-exempted my question a little bit there with your answer. So maybe I’ll just sort of ask: A lot was put into this final as a way to being able to make something of the season. How will you remember this year, and what could you look to take from this and bring it into the off-season?

It’s motivation. We’re all upset and we don’t want to have this feeling again. We don’t want to have the feeling we had the entire season honestly.

So we want to go into next season and we’ll use this as motivation, this entire season, to push ourselves for next season and have a better season next year.

Q: With the way the game is growing in this country and we see what the national team is doing on both the men’s and women’s side, just wondering what exactly does it mean to you to take home this Best Young Canadian Player award?

I didn’t actually know there was an award, so it was cool to be awarded at the end. It was a really cool feeling. It’s like the first personal award I’ve ever won, so it was a really cool feeling, and just my parents, my family, are all really proud of me, so it’s a cool moment and I can’t wait to get back home and kind of celebrate that personal achievement with them.

-TORONTO FOOTBALL CLUB-

TORONTO FC (1) – CF MONTRÉAL (1) POST GAME SUMMARY

SCORING SUMMARY

MTL – Sunusi Ibrahim 55’

TOR – Jozy Altidore 90+5’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

TOR – Patrick Mullins 6’ (caution)

TOR – Noble Okello 54’ (caution)

TOR – Jonathan Osorio 58’ (caution)

MTL – Emanuel Maciel 58’ (caution)

TOR – Jacob Shaffelburg 64’ (caution)

RECORDS (W-L-D)

Toronto FC                    6-17-8              26 points

CF Montréal                  11-10-10           43 points

LINEUPS

TORONTO FC – Quentin Westberg; Auro Jr., Michael Bradley (C), Chris Mavinga, Richie Laryea; Mark Delgado, Noble Okello, Jonathan Osorio; Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty (Jozy Altidore 66’), Patrick Mullins (Alejandro Pozuelo HT), Jacob Shaffelburg (Jayden Nelson 85’)

Substitutes Not Used: Alex Bono, Justin Morrow, Eriq Zavaleta, Julian Dunn, Nick DeLeon, Jordan Perruzza

CF MONTRÉAL – James Pantemis; Joel Waterman, Rudy Camacho, Kamal Miller; Zachary Brault-Guillard (Zorhan Bassong 85’), Emanuel Maciel (Ahmed Hamdi 66’), Samuel Piette (C), Mathieu Choinière; Joaquín Torres (Bjørn Johnsen 89’), Djordje Mihailovic, Sunusi Ibrahim (Matko Miljevic 84’)

Substitutes Not Used: Sebastian Breza, Mustafa Kizza, Aljaž Struna, Ballou Tabla, Rida Zouhir

JAVIER PÉREZ – HEAD COACH, TORONTO FC

Q. Your team really came on strong in the second half. Do you feel this is a game where you finally — your team finally got what it deserved?

I think we deserved more. I think the numbers say that we deserved more, and it’s a little bit unbelievable that we were 10 seconds away from going empty-handed. We crossed the ball 19 times against five from them. We got more possessions. We got the expected goal higher than them. Everything was on our side except one thing, which is the scoreboard. So I think in the end, we are happy with that point. I think the team looks like a team, and I think — I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but I’m every day with the players and I’m every day with the guys and I know how hard they are working, how they are trying to get out of this situation, and it’s very difficult, but I think tonight, that extra effort that it was needed, they put it — they put them — they put it on the field, the energy, and in the end, we got a point, I think well deserved.

Q. I think it was earlier this week, you were asked about the team’s lack of finishing in front of goal and you didn’t really have any sort of definitive answers. I wonder if today, was it just a matter of just on Pantemis was playing really well and you ran into a hard goalkeeper before Jozy scored with a free kick late in the game?

No, I think — I still struggle to find answers because we have the opportunities. Again, the statistics, they showed up, goal expected is 2.7, visitors 1.8. I think we have enough opportunities to be ahead in the scoreboard, but we were not.

Obviously it’s no question, right. When I say is no — I don’t have answers; I do have answers. We are not a team that is really built to capitalize or have players that they score a lot of goals, and when we look at the goals that we scored this season, it’s very well spread out with our players. I mention already that in our previous press conference with maybe also the top scorer, but we have a lot of players with three goals. That means with we don’t really have goal scorers. We have a team that collectively we enjoy playing and we have the possession, we are a possession-based team but we don’t have players that they can capitalize with a lot of goals. That’s the answer, really, to the question.

But I think — I think we have the ability to move the ball quick. We have the ability to have the control of the game. And I think this is an appealing part of the game, too. I would like to have more players, they can find double-digits scoring goals. That would be helpful for the team. I think the way we have to go is finding that collective effort to score goals — goal-scoring opportunities, and again, I think to know we have the chances. We just struggled to capitalize.

Q. Just listening to you, it sounds like you’re disappointed by this point. Would that be fair to say that you’re a little bit disappointed by this result and that you’re not coming way with more here?

No, I’m not disappointed. I think it would be ungrateful to be disappointed, because we didn’t have any points all the way up till the 90-minute plus, almost four, right. I think we have to be very grateful that we got a point out of this game. We were very close to be empty-handed. So the only thing I’m saying is that we did all the right things to — and we were the better team statistically to get away with three points.

Somehow we didn’t capitalize, we don’t score the goals. But I think it would be unfair to be unhappy or to be — I think it would be being ungrateful for that point that I think tonight, it was well-deserved because the players, they gave everything and they played really well.

Q. We haven’t seen Michael Bradley play at center back a whole lot. I asked you a question earlier this week about the back three last match, it’s very much the same here with Michael. Was this a necessity they played at center back or was that something you wanted to try out?

It was both things. It was a necessity, and it was something that I had in mind. I think that proves that when Michael needs to step up for the team, does it, and tonight he showed up again. He came up big doing a great job as a center back.

I think that’s an example right there for the rest of the team and for everybody else. He inspires us in a way that he played tonight, and he embraced the role.

Q. In the past you’ve talked about how hard Jozy has worked in training to get back. Tonight we got the pay off and we got to see Jozy the way we used to see him, causing havoc, creating scoring chances and then delivering the final blow. Can you just talk a little bit about his performance and his fight really to get back on the pitch given everything that’s happened to him this year?

Yes, I think I mentioned already that every time I was even coming here to the stadium, seeing him in the training facility, working by himself, it’s difficult for me because I know how emotional and how much he wants to succeed and to help the club.

But at the same time, when I come here to the games and I see that he’s working really hard, and tonight, I think it was paying off for him. I think it was really a relief. It was a great relief to see that finally he can come, help the team, being part of the group. I think it paid off all the effort that he made.

Now we have to keep building up on that. I think his quality is undeniable. His quality is right there, and I think he can be the player that he was before. Again, I think it’s been a really difficult year for him, being out with a lot of rhythm that has been cut out of his training or his games. When I first was in charge, I thought he was going to come back. Then he got the injury, and he’s been out for a long time.

So hopefully now, the team that it starts to look like a team, we can fight together for this last stretch of the season, and we can get a title and we can add up some points in the table.

JOZY ALTIDORE – FORWARD, TORONTO FC

Q. It’s been a long, difficult season for both you and the team. I’m just wondering, how good did that goal feel tonight?

It felt great to score again. Especially against Montréal, who is always an added bonus with the rivalry. So it was great to see the people that came out tonight behind the goal, to see them out there even with the season we had, knowing obviously it’s an important game, that was special. To have that moment with them and just talk with them a bit, and manage to come out with a result tonight, not many positives, but it was a positive.

Q. Can you just sort of break down the goal a little bit? Pantemis came up with some pretty big saves on you. Was he cheating off his line? How did you bend it over the free kick? Can you give us some insight?

No, I just tried to hit the target. It was a good distance to go around the wall or up and over the wall. I just figured I’d try to go around that. Haven’t tried that in a while, so said, let me try to go around with a little bit of power and caught him by surprise. I’m happy it worked out, and like I said, I’m happy we were able to get a result, a somewhat positive result.

Q. Obviously you’re happy to get the goal. How happy does it make you to maybe put a serious dent in their playoff aspirations?

Oh, that was obviously a plus. You know, we don’t have much to play for with the season winding down aside from the Canadian championship, so obviously we are aware that they are pushing for a playoff spot. You want to be respectful to everybody else who are competing and trying to make the playoffs. Obviously whether it was Montréal, doesn’t matter who it was, we were going to try to give our best, especially at home but obviously it feels a bit sweeter when you slow Montréal down a bit. That never gets old.

Q. I know you’re a big supporter of a lot of the young guys on this team, and what have your thoughts been on seeing guys like Jahkeele and Noble and Jayden all getting chances?

Yeah, I’m very happy. It’s something to be said because, you know, Jahkeele, when I came here, I used to see him at some of the camps. He was a little guy, and to see him now getting meaningful minutes, to see him locked in improving every day, it brings me so much joy because a lot of these guys were is he very young when I arrived, and to see them making a difference and playing important minutes, it’s just as rewarding as winning a trophy.

To see Noble today in a different role in a tough game, I thought he was fantastic. Never looked phased. Was in control throughout the 90 minutes and then Jacob, we all know he’s been great throughout this season, and Jahkeele now emerging. We have some very, very good young players that have to continue working, but the talent is there. To see Jayden Nelson come on and be full of energy, pushing the game, trying to help us get that goal, like I tell you, it means so much because we spent a lot of time with these guys over the years, and to see them now playing and getting important minutes, it means the world. Hopefully it’s something to build on and they can keep improving as the season goes on and into next season.

Q. You guys launched wave after wave of attack the last few minutes. Was there any sense at all that the goal might come as long as you kept playing hard?

Yeah, I mean, myself, I think I got robbed the first one. I didn’t — I was surprised as how open I was and he made a good point-blank save, and I just wasn’t — I don’t have that game sharpness, normally a couple of chances, even the second one I should just pass in the goal.

I think it’s kind of the story of the season. We’ve never quite lifted off fully as a group. You know, certain guys in, certain guys out. It’s been the story of our year.

But the quality is there, and I think you saw that, and to be able to repeat attacks like you said. Look, we have to take the positives away, and we put a team, a good team that’s fighting for the playoffs on the road.

Q. It’s been a hectic schedule recently and the club has been cautious with you and the other players in terms of minutes, bringing you on off the bench. You talked about game sharpness just now. How do you feel in terms of your game and your fitness at this stage?

To be honest, I feel the best I’ve felt in a long time. You know, I kind of paid the price playing with some injuries, with some broken bones here and there. Eventually, they catch up to you, but to be able to have the surgery and my foot is starting to feel much much better, just to be able to run and not feel pain is a huge boon. So I’m excited about that and I’m taking it day-by-day, but I feel so much better now finally, and I just want to play.

I just want to play. I missed the game. I’m just disappointed about how this year has gone, and you know, I’ll be the first guy to tell you it’s disappointing. But nobody is running away from anything. We take all the criticism on the chin and rightly so, but you know, there’s more here. I’m a firm believer in that. People will come up with their pitchforks but that’s part of the business. I just feel better, man. Like I told you, to run and move around without pain, it just feels amazing, because it’s been awhile. I’m just very, very happy and I just thank God for that.

-TORONTO FOOTBALL CLUB-

CF MONTRÉAL (4) – TORONTO FC (2) POST GAME SUMMARY 

SCORING SUMMARY 

MTL – Mason Toye 3’ (Zachary Brault-Guillard) 

MTL – Romell Quioto 24’ (Joel Waterman) 

TFC – Mark Delgado 44’ (PK) 

MTL – Victor Wanyama 54’ (Mustafa Kizza) 

MTL – Djordje Mihailovic 71’ (Erik Hurtado) 

TFC – Richie Laryea 88’ (Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty) 

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY 

TFC – Michael Bradley 18’ (caution) 

TFC – Ralph Priso 45’+1 (caution) 

MTL – Victor Wanyama 67’ (caution) 

RECORDS 

Toronto FC       0-1-0    0 points 

CF Montréal      1-0-0    3 points 

LINEUPS 

TORONTO FC – Alex Bono; Richie Laryea, Omar González, Luke Singh, Auro Jr.; Michael Bradley (C), Ralph Priso (Liam Fraser 59’), Mark Delgado (Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty 76’), Noble Okello (Nick DeLeon HT), Jacob Shaffelburg (Justin Morrow 59’); Patrick Mullins (Jordan Perruzza HT) 

Substitutes Not Used: Quentin Westberg, Eriq Zavaleta, Griffin Dorsey, Tsubasa Endoh 

CF MONTRÉAL – Clément Diop; Joel Waterman, Rudy Camacho, Kamal Miller; Zachary Brault-Guillard, Samuel Piette (C), Victor Wanyama, Mustafa Kizza (Aljaž Struna 79’), Djordje Mihailovic (Amar Sejdič 79’); Romell Quioto (Bjørn Johnsen 69’), Mason Toye (Erik Hurtado 57’) 

Substitutes Not Used: James Pantemis, Zorhan Bassong, Clément Bayiha, Emanuel Maciel, Joaquín Torres 

MEDIA NOTES: 

• Luke Singh made his MLS debut and first MLS start for Toronto FC. 
• Noble Okello made his first MLS start for Toronto FC. 
• Jordan Perruzza made his MLS debut for Toronto FC. 
• Richie Laryea scored a goal in the team’s MLS season opener for the second consecutive season (February 29, 2020, against San Jose Earthquakes) 
• Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty registered his first assist for Toronto FC. 

CHRIS ARMAS – HEAD COACH, TORONTO FC 

Q. I wonder if you can give us your thoughts on the team’s performance today, and I guess in particular, about the goals that were conceded.  

Well, look, I would say that our team has experienced in just a few days, maybe the highest and the lowest. It quiet in that locker room, much different from a few nights ago and, yeah, in some ways it will be good for our team to feel what that’s like and for all of our players to understand that it’s not just about showing up because you’re Toronto FC, and it comes easy, just because.  

Look, when you look at the game, I think the starting point is we just finished second all day long. Start with the coaching, the tools, tackles, coming in second all day long. You know, in moments we look like we are out here for a pass, right, just not good enough. And when you’re not good enough against a team that can hurt you in transition, that’s what it looks like, right. We knew that. We knew that no matter which structure we played, transition would be their thing and with some speed and we played into their hands. I think you could see that in three of the goals, you know, its transition moments, some bad giveaways, losing the race down the field and the set piece. We clawed our way back in, 2-1, made a push and fell short. But on the day, not good enough.  

Q. We know you don’t like to make excuses, but do you think fatigue came into play at all in the match, how you played on we had night, hot again, that kind of thing?  

No. I think we just weren’t ready for the match. We’re not ready for the match. We knew that we could push guys certain minutes, we knew we had reserves, we could go to them quicker, but on nights like this or days like this, what was stalked about is — is although we can play with 90 minutes intensity physically, that we have the intensity in our minds. The times we can be intense physically, we do it and other moments, with the ball, without the ball, we can have recharging periods and still the intensity at our minds could be at a high level.  

So, no, I’m sure, I’m sure Montréal was tired, too, today, in moments. We’re not accepting that as the reason.  

Q. What did Montréal do right, do you think? How did they sort of get at it today and sort of make life difficult for you guys?  

I think they took their chances well. I think they were dangerous in transition. They forced some mistakes and with the ball they moved us around a bit and we chased too many back passes which is something that as we grow as a team and we want to be a pressing team, we have resetting moments and moments where it’s not time to go. 

But they opened us up at times and we expended a lot of energy chasing in moment that is we shouldn’t have and overall, they executed without the ball and with the ball especially in transition. 

Q. Tough matchup, but is there any silver lining you can take from a loss like this? 

There’s always information. That’s the silver lining, you find out where we’re at, and you know, on our way to becoming a great team. We’re on our way to understand days like, this how to show up and as you are fatigued and like that, all the things that become important against a team like that, right.  

It’s a derby match. It’s opening day. We understood where they could be dangerous, and yeah, we gathered information. It’s especially valuable for young players that are out there to understand these types of games, right. When things are tougher or different types of stock positions.  

So, there’s certainly value, and I think on the inside, that I think the silver lining may be as a coach and even for a team, as we see Ayo stick to it. We had a play early on that gets away from him but he’s the one sliding and running back 60, 70 yards to put out a fire, Omar Gonzalez, Michael, still pushing late.  

So, we are a team that understands we don’t get too high, and we don’t get too hoe. One thing for sure, we don’t give in. We don’t quit. We don’t give in and the third goal is there, and we had a couple of big chances, and it could have got interesting on a day when our good stuff didn’t show up. But we don’t quit. We learned that today for sure.  

Q. A couple of valuable minutes at the end for Jahkeele, picks up his first assist. Maybe did he do enough to warrant some more minutes from you next time and what did you see from the young man? 

We saw today and what we’ve seen in training, he’s clever and tidy and in interior spots, he’s very shifty and elegant with the ball. He helped build some promising attacks, and yeah, I thought it was important to get him out there and not just for the experience.  

I know I wasn’t the only crazy one thinking we are going to score the first one and next ones are going to follow. I think he had a good relationship with Richie out there, and with Richie overlapping, he had some really good moments.  

But Jahkeele, he’s shown some good moments in training. He earned those minutes today.  

Q. You’re missing some important pieces like Pozuelo, Mavinga, Altidore. Will you have them back for the next game? 

It looks like we’ll have a few of our reinforcements, if you will, back for the next game. And that will be good for those players, good for our team, and each day, it seems like every few days we are getting healthier, we’re getting stronger, yeah. We’ll get back to full strength real soon.  

Q. Luke Singh, big occasion for him, especially coming off the Champions League sort of on display in mid-week in his MLS debut tonight. What did you make of his performance overall? Are there still learnings there and growth to be made? 

I think we know, yeah, there’s so much — our veteran players will still learn and grow. Imagine a player like Luke, we’ve thrown a lot at him. We discussed not starting him today because it could be a lot for a young player early on, but we wanted to expose him to this type of game, and he held up in many ways, he did. It’s just a big challenge on the day as we had to put out a lot of fires in transition. So, with two strikers, with good moments, with quickness that he’s dealing with all year long, I think he’s growing quickly.  

So, it’s a couple of really difficult games, you know, that he’s had to face, but I think it will pay dividends for him moving forward.  

Q. Three different games in short order, a lot of valuable information for you to go over. What do you do with that as you look ahead to the next match? 

Like always, this is when we played a USL team in preseason, and now that we play our opener and even Leon, we look hard at ourselves. We look at video. We just assess individual performances, collective performances, keep implementing. It’s still early for us. It’s still early for us. We need time to all get on the same page and understand what it takes to be a team, what it takes to play a certain way, to understand all the details and nuances of when you have the ball and you don’t, when you lose the ball, when you win it, yeah, so what does the next week look like, we get home, we take some rest, it’s been a tough stretch, we take some rest and we look hard and we put it right back to work. That’s what this team is about. When we get right back to work in a real way, and it requires taking a hard look.  

But that one’s passed us. It’s passed us. We’ll be looking forward after a few days of rest.  

MICHAEL BRADLEY – MIDFIELDER, TORONTO FC 

Q. Obviously a tough day, tough result. Wanted to get your thoughts on the performance, what you thought of the effort from the team.  

Yeah, I mean, look, it’s a frustrating day. We never really gave ourselves a chance with the way we started the game. I mean, obviously we spoke a lot before the game about understanding that — we knew we would be playing a team that’s motivated for their first game this season. Obviously, the fact that we have played two Champions League games means that, yeah, in some ways, we have a little bit of match rhythm under our belt. But that doesn’t count for something when the whistle blows today.  

Like I said, it’s a frustrating day because for me, you know, we never really gave ourselves a chance in the game, and on a day like this, you know, with all the — with all the factors that go into it where, you know, you find yourselves behind 1-0, a hundred seconds into the game and from there, you’re chasing.  

Q. I’m not sure any of those four goals — happy to be conceded. If you could sum up what went wrong in general? 

Oh, we are not happy to concede any goals. So obviously, yeah, the frustration to give away four is big. Yeah, obviously, it’s nothing new but you have to understand that when you play teams on certain days, they are going to be looking to take advantage of the fact that we want to play in their half and we want to be aggressive in how we play and also how we — how we, you know, close down our ability to be good with the ball and to not — to not give battles away. But then our ability to be — our ability to put out fires and our ability to react and counter press quickly, all these things get put under the microscope. Obviously on a day like today, we are just not good enough. That’s as simple a way to say it as there is.  

Q. A lot has been thrown at Luke Singh in the last couple of weeks. What can you say about the young man and how he’s risen to the challenge? 

He’s done really well, really well. They have all continued to grow. They continue to come in every day with the right mentality. They continue to push themselves and listen. Yeah, listen to the — listen to the coaching staff, listen to their teammates. They have personality, they are not afraid and so I think they have all taken big steps forward in the last, you know — in the last few weeks, but really, the entire preseason and many of them going into the end of last season.  

So you know, we are going to continue to push these guys and move them forward, and obviously Luke has done a really good job in the last few days being ready when he was called on, you know, and now for all of them, it’s continuing to use the experiences in training, in games and continue to push themselves forward.  

But we are really, really happy.  

Q. Jahkeele picks up his first assist as a professional if I’m not mistaken tonight on Richie’s late goal there. As a player who has been linked with some pretty big name clubs, what’s your message to a guy like that and what have you seen from him in this preseason? 

Well, continuing with what I just said, all of these guys are doing a really good job. They have to just continue to come every day ready to work, ready to — ready to commit to what we are doing, enjoy the — enjoy the part about just being ready to go for it every single day. You know, to push themselves with how they train, to listen, to take in information, to not be afraid when they get their chances to show their personality.  

So, you know, whether it’s Jahkeele or Ralph or Noble, Luke, Jacob, Liam, go down the line, the message and encouragement for all of them is the same in that regard.  

Q. An off-field question if I may. As you know, things are not going very well up here with COVID-19. I’m wondering if you’ve been able to get your family down to Florida, and if more of your teammates are looking to bring their loved ones down given what’s happening north of the border? 

Yes, my family got down two days ago as I mentioned. Everybody’s plan was slightly different. Had schools stayed open and had things been relatively normal there, the idea for my wife and kids was to be around there and to, you know, let the kids enjoy being in school every day, be with their friends, activities.  

But obviously with the way things have played out over the last few weeks, we wanted to just, you know, use the opportunity to be together as a family again. So they were able to get down in the last day or two. And I think, again, everybody’s situation is slightly different, but you know, when all said and done, I think a good number of guys will try to get their families down here at one point or another.  

-TORONTO FOOTBALL CLUB-