Head coach Ben Olsen
On the match overall…
"I thought that we played pretty well in the second half after guys came on and helped boost the group. Unfortunately, the first half was a bit of a waste of time. The players need to understand the importance of these preseason minutes especially for guys who are fighting to get into the lineup. We’re still dangerous offensively and scoring goals but in the second half we needed to improve on the finishing aspect. We were getting looks on goal but the final product wasn’t quite there. It was another good exercise in fitness and increasing the minutes for guys. The trip to Las Vegas is one more chance to get ready from a preparation standpoint for our season opener against Orlando."
On how satisfied he is with the group’s progress so far…
"There’s always work to do at this point especially with a few new faces on the team but I’ve been thrilled with the preseason camp here in Clearwater. The effort and focus over the last three weeks has been great and I think we’ve made huge strides as a group. Now we have one more chance to fine tune everything and get ready for Orlando."
On what excites him about this group of players…
"We have more weapons and we’re more cohesive from a defensive standpoint. I think we have more of an identity on both sides of the ball and that’s only with a month of work together. I’m excited about this group and the opportunity to work with them. Preseason drags on a little bit and guys are eager to get back to playing in MLS games that matter. We have a couple more days of focus on the road then we’ll get back to D.C., and get ready for Orlando."
Midfielder Paul Arriola
Overall thoughts on the match…
"I thought our performance was good. Obviously we were able to get out to a lead early on in the game and that plays a big factor, and then it’s about the little things. There are little details we still need to work on, but I think overall we’re coming together as a group. At the start of the second half everyone was able to implement the things that we were lacking and missing in the first half. It was good to get a good win and to continue to work on improving going into the season."
On the development of team chemistry with new players…
"[The chemistry] is good. Today we had a mixed group in comparison to the last game and everyone’s kind of seeing each other out, but we're working together and we’re a team and it’s a really long season, so we don’t expect everything to be perfect in the beginning. As much as we can do on the field we also do off the field to build the team and build the chemistry going into the season."
Defender Oniel Fisher
On the team’s performance in their penultimate preseason game...
"As you can see we’re finishing up with preseason and I think we did fairly well and everyone was working. The first half was a bit sluggish but we picked it up in the second half. We got back on our feet and moved forward to win the game."
On how he’s fitting into the team after his trade from Seattle…
"I think so far everything has been good. I’m getting to know the guys and we’re starting to gel together. I’m just enjoying the moment right now, I’m going to keep working and hopefully I can stay consistent and win a starting spot."
On what the team has been told to work on heading into the final preseason game…
"We need to continue to work hard and work for each other. Guys are coming in and getting to know how the team plays in the system. We’re just focused on getting the simple stuff right. Hopefully we’ll be ready by the opening game."
