Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja
Opening Statement
“Very excited with the three points, very proud of the character of the team and the players that brought us back after an irregular first half. The second half, it was what we wanted and the reaction was outstanding from the players. It seems like our confidence keeps rising, and finding the net is helping us to believe that this is the team who can keep that rhythm and get into the playoffs. The game? I thought in the first half we conceded a lot of freedom for New England players and the first goal is something that we need to correct. After that, we had a lot of reaction, not too much [time needed] to tie the game. In the break we decided just to push our lines way higher and just bring more stamina for those actions and dueling, passing and landing in the box. And I see that team that we have seen in the last two games. A team with more chemistry, but at the same time, with more passion and more energy that allowed us to dominate the game and score our goals. This is the first time that the team [has won] here in New England and that means a lot of respect for the players to that achieve that.”
On what changed at halftime for the team to comeback for the win
“First, we have to congratulate the group of players that came [back from] losing one-zero in the first half and decided to change that story. The connections were much better, sharper the way we move the ball. I think the way Rafa [Santos] came up in the second half helped us a lot just to have more freedom, more connections and be more dangerous there. That left leg that he provided us definitely changed the game. And then we find the net again with the players. Very happy with Ramiro [Enrique], with Facu [Torres], that they have not just that protagonism that we want, but they are carrying the team on their shoulders. So I think the individual performance in the second half, again, it looks much more like what we want from the team.”
On if starting Ramiro Enrique was due to his similar qualities to Duncan McGuire
“It is. I think we're finding a lot of success in having that forward that stretches the field. We’re finding much space, as well, on the way they connected with him [Enrique]. And Duncan has done it, now Ramiro has done it too, I can see that with Luis [Muriel] and Jack Lynn. When they play in that position they are understanding: what is the need of the team? But definitely what Ramiro did today was very similar to what Duncan does for us.
Orlando City SC Forward Ramiro Enrique
Opening Statement
“Thank you very much. Obviously, very happy right now especially because it was a really tough and complicated game for us. The first half cost us a bit, but thankfully in the second half we were able to really start playing together and thankfully we were able to complete the comeback. Obviously, I'm very happy to score tonight as well and get the win.”
On what changed with the team between the first and second half
“Yeah, I think more than anything it was the patience and knowing that we're a great team and knowing that we have the ability to make those things happen. It was the patience to know that we've got the time to drive the ball, to maintain the ball, to really push the tempo when we want and to drive those changes. And overall, just the patience to know that we have time to attack and that we have time to find those spaces and exploit them. Thankfully, at the start of the second half, Facu [Torres] was able to get that goal and then I was able to find that one that César [Araújo] got over to me and then things just went from there.”
On his strategy to get past defenders that are bigger in size than him
“It's true, they're definitely bigger than I am but I think at the end of the day, I'm faster than they are. So trying to have the ability, the capacity to find spaces with those diagonal balls, getting behind their backs. Try and find those spaces where I have to make them move and play them more to my strengths with those diagonal balls. Running, stopping, changing directions. I think at the end of the day, just trying to utilize my skill set and force them to play the way that I like to play the game.”
