The Rapids secured just their third MLS victory on the year Saturday night with a 2-1 effort over Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
Following the match, head coach Pablo Mastroeni, striker Kevin Doyle and forward Luis Solignac spoke with the media. These are the highlights…
Mastroeni: All season we’ve created a lot of great opportunities, and today we were fortunate enough to finish two. That’s what defines games and changes mentalities. I’m elated for those guys. We really pulled it together against an exceptional Vancouver team. The guys left everything on the field, and for that we were rewarded with a great result.
Doyle: Tonight I felt very fit and played the full 90 minutes here at home for the first time. I still felt strong in the last bits of the game. First time I played in MLS as the number 9 as well and it felt more natural in that position. I enjoyed it and we deserved to win the game.
Solignac: I think we maybe got too excited after the first goal; we wanted to score more goals. Vancouver is second in the league, so that can happen… We deserved the win.
Mastroeni: Vicente (Sanchez) was very key – Doyle and Solignac were a three-headed dragon in the attack at times. They were very dynamic. They changed it up at times and were very mobile. Vicente found a lot of space early. In the second half he created a lot of trouble isolating the back 1v1. Kevin was really busy in the box getting his head on it. The commitment that Kevin showed defending the game was exceptional.
Doyle: We pressed higher up the pitch and closed them down. I was playing in the center but we had Luis (Solignac) and Vicente (Sánchez) pushing very far forward. I think we started really well in the first 10-15 minutes. Maybe we sat back a bit then and try to protect what we had but when they got the equalizer we got back strong again.
Solignac: (Dolye’s) a great player. He played in one of the biggest leagues in the world. It was important to have him here. He’s a good target player so it was easy to find him in the middle.
Colorado next faces Real Salt Lake on July 11 at 7 p.m. MDT from Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids must secure a victory if they hope to force a decisive final match for the Rocky Mountain Cup.
