New York Red Bulls Head Coach Sandro Schwarz
On last week’s match…
Yeah, it was great and I watched this game, also in the evening at my house and when I saw this game, especially these 50 minutes, this was great, the performance, the mentality to help each other to support also each other. We had the moments also for the three points, especially after winning balls at the end of the game, so we were good tactically, was very well in a lot of moments of our back four behavior, the two center backs in our box defending. We need the same mentality. Hopefully we can play 11 against 11, the whole game on Saturday, but we need the same level of energy, we need the same tactical behavior, the same tactical responsibility to help each other. This is what we need against a very good team against LAFC.
On the challenges the team faces ahead of LAFC match…
Yeah, it is a challenge. First of all, it is a challenge, because it is a very good team with a very good Head Coach, Steve Cherundolo, I know him from Germany as well. Yeah with these injuries, it is tough and I think for the whole team for us, the whole club is the first time that we have this experience in four days, that we lose three important players for us, for their individual development, for such a long term now and it is tough, but now it is the situation. So, we know that we have a lot of quality in our roster and especially then also for our young players and this is now also the chance for young players then also to make the next steps not only in the training sessions, but also in the games.
New York Red Bulls Defender Sean Nealis
On matchup against LAFC…
I think it was a good collective effort. I think as soon as we went into the locker room at halftime, everyone’s mindset was let’s go and win this game, not let’s not try to lose. I think that played a huge part and we had a lot of great chances in that second half to even win the game. But, I think it was a collective mindset to go out there and keep working for each other and suffer a little bit and it was a good result for us to get a tie in that moment, and shifting forward to LA. They are a good team, a lot of quality up top and we want to get three points and kind of continue this momentum going forward.
On Denis Bouanga…
Yeah, I think you give him a half chance, one chance, you know he will bury it. I believe he was the leading goal scorer last year and for good reason. He’s got immense quality up top and I think we will have our hands full dealing with him, but we will be ready. I think that kind of has been a strong suit of ours kind of defensively this year and we are up for a big challenge again, and I’m sure he will be up for it as well.