On Friday night, the Washington Spirit defeated Angel City FC 2-1. After the match, Assistant Coach Adrián González and forwards Ashley Hatch and Makenna Morris spoke with the media.
On how the team did compressing spaces: González: Well, we know that Angel City is a strong team in terms of attacking, especially through transitions with (Claire) Emslie, (Alyssa) Thompson. So again, we needed to be really compact today and try to reduce those spaces. I think we’ve done a great job in terms of defending and try to be compact and wait. Also, to make transitions when we were winning the ball back. And I think, also, in terms of defending in a low block, we’ve done a good job. And yeah, defending the box, too. We’ve conceded a goal, but it was an important game for us, especially after the week that we had in terms of injuries and also coming from the last game. So, a really good performance, and we keep improving and moving forward.
On the mentality of the group to find a way to win the game: González:We always want to win. It doesn’t matter where we are. If we are at home, away, in LA or in Kansas. We always prepare the games to win it. I think the team has shown a really good mentality in terms of facing this game because it wasn’t easy. Angel City is doing good, also. They are fighting to reach the playoffs, and now the last games of the season are going to be like that. So everyone is fighting for something. We’ve shown many times that we know how to compete the last minutes. Even though they got the equalizer, we were continuing with the same game plan and also believing that we could have another chance. And that was the reason why we keep doing the same things. At the end, I think we got the three points. Really important for us. Showing that we have a strong mentality and we know how to compete in any stadium and against any opponent.
On how to coach intangibles to help players go out and get a win like that: González: So that’s a good question, and we’ve been building that since the first day. It’s not just about one week. You cannot build that in one week. So we’ve been doing that from the first day, competing every single training session like if it was the last one. And also, we’ve been working in how to start the games, how we end the games, when we are winning, losing. Especially in terms of emotions, how to manage our emotions, which behaviors are going to help us when we are maybe in the last minute. So it’s a matter of time to repeat that also during the training sessions. That mentality that we are showing right now, I think it’s a result of what we’ve been doing from the first day. So the team believes until the end. We have the desire to compete every single game. It doesn’t matter where we are playing. And again, today we show that against a great team and in an amazing stadium and in an amazing environment. So very happy for the players because it helped us also to prepare the future, the playoffs and those type of games.
On the coaching staff’s reaction after conceding a goal: González: Well, we saw that they changed a little bit the way that they were attacking in the second half, building up with three, with (Jasmyne) Spencer higher, and also going inside sometimes in pocket. So, we had to adjust a little bit or pressure because the way that we were pressing the first half. They could have progressed much better if we continue pressing the same way. We just realized that, and then we adjusted that. So we changed a little bit, the pressure, tried to be a little bit more aggressive with three players with wingers and number 9 pressing the line of three. I think it help us, to be honest, because we could be more aggressive and win more balls. After that, I think the team just improved a little bit more in terms of being more relaxed and being more compact and knowing how to compete in those situations. So, that was the conversation.
On the message when it came to chance creation today: González: Well, we knew that we had to make a step forward in terms of creating chances with different players, and the same idea that I was saying before. We can score in a different way, so I think we’ve been doing a good job in terms of being pretty dynamic and trying to get the players involved when we are attacking in a different ways. So, especially with Hatchy (Ashley Hatch), Rose (Kouassi), Makenna (Morris), Heather (Stainbrook), Britt (Brittany Ratcliffe). So we’ve been talking like, “Hey, today we need you, because we need to create chances in a different way, and you need to make a step forward.” And they’ve done a great job. I’m so happy for Hatchy. She’s training really, really good, and she deserves that goal. And also for Makenna. As always we say this is teamwork. We just see that one player scores, but at the end of the day we all score. So we have different strengths in terms of attacking, and we could exploit that today in a different ways.
On the second Spirit goal potentially being scouted: González: No, it’s about players. We know that we’ve been training that, for sure, after we block those situations, three kicks, corners. We have really fast players to make those counterattacks, so it’s something that we know as a team and we have some players, specific players, to make those runs if Aubrey blocks the ball. And yeah, she identified that really good. And also as a team, we know that would be an option. And all the important thing is about players because they identified that, and also they did it pretty good, so we could have had that chance. And because they were trying to attack with a lot of players in the box, trying to go so high, so we knew that there were spaces behind. And with Rose and Makenna, Britt, those players that, they are really fast, so we could have those chances.
On what the group did to impose a rhythm as the first half went on: González: Well, we talk about first minutes to be patient, because it’s not easy when you come to a stadium like this. And with the environment, all the crowd, and also coming from a loss. So we know that maybe the first minutes will be a little bit difficult in terms of getting to the match and manage our emotions. But we’ve done a great job, trying to avoid easy mistakes and trying to avoid to take some risk, especially playing maybe too much through the middle, trying to play in the half as much as possible. Maybe we couldn’t have the control, but they didn’t, also. So the first minutes, I think it were just a good start in terms of settling a little bit and get the opportunity to identify where the spaces were. And from maybe the first 10 or 15, I think we’ve been doing a great job creating chances again. We could have scored maybe early. And yeah, happy with the performance.
On the game phase prior to the Spirit goal: Hatch: Yeah, I mean we wanted to come out and we wanted to put a lot of pressure on them. And like you said, it’s a great stadium with a lot of fans, so we just wanted to put them under pressure. A lot of trial and error at first, I feel like, but we kept going, and we were able to organize a little bit better. Then, that ultimately led to the goal of being able to just isolate one of their defenders and get the ball and get the goal.
On the build up of Makenna Morris’ goal: Morris:Yeah, I mean there was a lot of space. Rose gets the ball, and she’s running by people. So, I think that was a great find from Aubrey. And I just wanted to keep up with Rose and just get the ball up the field. Rose was able to play a great ball. It was a great find from Aubrey. It started all the way back there. With all that open green, I think it’s great we were able to find that space and then move it forward.
On the feeling of scoring goals: Morris: I kind of shocked myself with the chip. I didn’t know what to do or how to celebrate. But I mean it was really exciting to be able to celebrate with the team and all the hugs and a game winner. So, that was awesome.
Hatch: Just excitement. I think it’s really fun to be able to put the ball in the back of the net for the team. A lot of hard work and then finally being able to score. It’s just super exciting. It’s hard to describe.
On how big this win was: Hatch: It was huge. I think it’s a testament to all of our hard work. Every single player, we have a deep roster, thank goodness. Coming here, away trip, in this environment, is definitely not easy. But I think the last game we learned a lot of lessons, and most importantly, the message to us was we just need to compete. So I think we came here and we did that every single player, so I’m really proud of the group, and I know that the players back home are really proud of us, and we’re excited for them to be able to join us whenever they’re healthy.
On the chip goal from Morris: Morris: Honestly, a couple of games ago, I had another opportunity where I didn’t chip the keeper, and I hit it right into their chest. So, I think going into that, I was kind of like, “Alright, learn from mistakes. The keeper’s already going to the ground.” So, it just kind of came to me.
On following the ball into the net: Morris: I didn’t believe that it went in. I was so shocked. I truly was like, “Wow, did I really just chip the keeper?” And I was like, “Is that going to go in?” So I did. I ran after it because I wasn’t sure.
On Thunderstruck in the locker room before the game: Hatch: They’re giving away our secrets. No, I’m just kidding. It’s just a song that we like to play before the coaches come in, so it’s one of our songs that’s on rotation. Nothing crazy there, but it’s a song that we like to play.
On finding different ways to win matches: Hatch: I mean, from the beginning of the season, something that we’ve talked about, that’s part of our identity, is being dynamic. And I feel like we showed that today, whatever the other opposing team, whatever their weaknesses are, we’re going to exploit it. We talked about quick transitions against them, and we were able to score that. We also were prepared to press them and hopefully they would make a mistake. And so I think first and foremost, we’re really dynamic, but we also go into every game prepared and looking for opportunities to be able to score. And that’s going to be different, based off the opponent. So, I think we are prepared, but also we have the players that are capable of running in behind, quick transitions, putting their back line under pressure. So, I would say it’s a combination of all those things.
On a chance to get West Coast food: Hatch: I’m sure there’s always time.
