April 9, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Toronto FC News Release
SCORING SUMMARY
RSL – Justin Meram 7′ (Sergio Córdova)
TOR – Kosi Thompson 9′ (Jacob Shaffelburg)
RSL – Damir Kreilach 43′ (Maikel Chang)
TOR – Jayden Nelson 79′
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
TOR – Lukas MacNaughton 36′ (caution)
RSL – Pablo Ruíz 47′ (caution)
RSL – Damir Kreilach 58′ (caution)
RSL – Aaron Herrera 83′ (caution)
TOR – Jonathan Osorio 83′ (caution)
TOR – Carlos Salcedo 86′ (ejection)
RECORDS (W-L-D)
Toronto FC 2-2-2 8 points
Real Salt Lake 3-1-3 12 points
LINEUPS
TORONTO FC – Alex Bono; Lukas MacNaughton (Kadin Chung 46′), Carlos Salcedo, Shane O’Neill; Kosi Thompson (Deandre Kerr 57′), Michael Bradley (C), Jonathan Osorio, Jacob Shaffelburg (Jayden Nelson 74′); Alejandro Pozuelo, Luca Petrasso, Jesús Jiménez (Jordan Perruzza 83′)
Substitutes Not Used: Quentin Westberg, Chris Mavinga, Noble Okello, Ifunanyachi Achara
REAL SALT LAKE – Zac MacMath; Andrew Brody (Christopher Garcia 90+4′), Jaziel Orozco, Marcelo Silva, Tate Schmitt; Damir Kreilach (C), Scott Caldwell, Pablo Ruíz; Maikel Chang (Aaron Herrera 75′), Sergio Córdova, Justin Meram (Bobby Wood 75′)
Substitutes Not Used: Tomás Gómez, Nick Besler, Bode Davis, Everton Luiz, Rubio Rubin
MEDIA NOTES
Kosi Thompson and Jayden Nelson scored their first goals for Toronto FC.
BOB BRADLEY – HEAD COACH, TORONTO FC
Q. Utah’s a tough place to pick up points. You got two beautiful goals from two of your youngsters, but you gave up a couple of goals that I’m guessing you wish you could get back. What was your take on tonight’s performance?
Yeah, it’s a very good point, this is a very difficult place to play. It’s a game — when you play here, it’s really hard to get control of the game, for the game to have a real rhythm. So on that side of things it’s a challenge.
I thought we improved in the second half. Overall, I thought our football in the first half wasn’t very good. Yes, we made some mistakes and we go down early, very good response, and then really bad to give up the goal right before half.
One change at half and also we switched and played with four in the back, thought that we could maybe get a little more going forward. The big plus on the night is the guys that come on the field – Deandre (Kerr) comes on, I think plays quite well, and then Jayden (Nelson) comes on and really does a great job to win the ball and catch the keeper for the second goal.
When I mentioned the response to the first goal, great run by Jacob (Shaffelburg) and a great ball. Then fantastic finish by Kosi (Thompson).
Q. I guess from an emotional point of view, just your club’s down twice against a tough opponent in a place that’s very tough for particular teams from the Eastern Conference to play, and both goals are scored by young teenagers. How does that feel emotionally to you?
Yeah, I think we feel good that the young guys are making progress. As I mentioned, they stepped up and made a difference in tonight’s game.
The work to build the team, the mix of the more experienced guys, the young guys, the way they push each other, the need for the older guys to be good leaders and good examples, these are things that, yeah, we speak about all the time. I’m proud to see how some of those things are developing.
Q. You mentioned it briefly in the first answer to Neil’s question regarding the switches at halftime. I’m just wondering if you could expand on that a little bit. What was the rationale behind them, and how did that sort of change the game a little bit in TFC’s balance?
The way the wingers were playing and the way they doubled the flanks between the wingers and the outside backs, I didn’t think we were doing a good enough job releasing — shifting one of the three centre backs out faster, and I thought we were quite in between a lot in the first half. I thought they were having success, especially down the left flank. And I just didn’t think that we were also doing a good enough job in terms of the way we built from the back, finding the right passes.
So in all those ways, I thought we needed to change tactics.
Q. Jayden Nelson, he’s had a bit of a rough go, I’d say, in the final third. He hasn’t been able to put it together and get that final piece. And for him to come up today and have the audacity, I guess, to take that strike on, what does that say about him? And how did you feel about his goal tonight?
Yeah, it’s a fantastic goal. The confidence, just the recognition of the moment where the keeper’s out and now you can take advantage of it.
I would agree that Jayden has had some moments where he’s gotten into the box and you think he’s on the verge of either making the right pass or finishing a chance. That part has to continue to improve. But maybe a goal like tonight makes a big difference in those ways.
He continues to show that he’s got quickness, he’s got speed, he’s got individual ability on the balls where he can get away from someone. We just have to keep working to put the whole package together.
Q. We talk a lot about milestones, whether it’s a first start, first goal, 50th goal, 300th appearance, whatever it is. What do you do internally? How do you talk to the guys after they have a big moment like they did tonight?
Are you talking more like a big moment individually, like Kosi? Or are you talking about the team?
Q. Like Kosi and Jayden, for young players to get their first goals, how do you speak to them after that?
Yeah, I smile and hug them and tell them that I’m proud to see the way they’re coming along. I’m happy for them. There are times when you’re pushing them and challenging them and saying, come on, it’s got to be better.
But I think we always want to make sure that they know the work we’re doing is to help them, that we see the talent and we believe in them. When they do something good, it’s a great feeling to just let them know that the work has paid off and just to let them know that everybody’s really excited for them and very proud of them.
Q. Luca Petrasso has played the full 90 in each of his first five appearances for the club now. Is that just a testament to how impressed you’ve been with him both in training and on match days?
Yes, Luca’s doing very well. He’s shown versatility. When Jacob came out, he played as a left back again. We’ve seen what he can do when he’s higher up the field. On the ball, going forward, he does some really good things.
And as I sort of say with everybody, now we’re trying to continue to develop the package of everything. I think there’s times where he can use his skill in even better ways. When you play a lot on the flank as either a left back or even wide left, then there are times when you’ll get the ball inside and your ability to receive across your body so that you’re not just facing the way the ball came and going right back where it came.
There’s little things like that that we have to keep trying to help him with, but he’s another young guy that I think has made progress.
Jordan Perruzza got a few minutes tonight. He continues in training to show improvements. So that part has been very, very good to see these guys all going in the right direction.
Q. Bob, I guess all teams are a work in progress at this early stage of the season, but especially yours given the turnover since last year. I wonder, a player like Jacob Shaffelburg, who’s learning a new position, the first goal obviously he gave up the ball, but he immediately responded with a terrific run down the left flank to set up a goal. I just wonder what it says about his mentality, the way he rebounded?
Yeah, Jacob is a great kid. You guys have all seen him develop. You think about his background and where he comes from, and now he gets into the first team at TFC. There still are moments where he can be a little bit naive, but you see that part changing. You see him picking up little things and getting a little bit more savvy. His willingness to just give you everything, his ability in certain moments to run down a ball or push a ball by a defender and absolutely use his speed, those are great things to see.
Now it’s just how can the rest come together. But that is sort of typical of Jacob, that he doesn’t let anything get him down, and the willingness to keep trying to make plays that can help his team, he’s accepted really well the challenges of playing in a new position, and I think he’s done really well.
It’s just another example of the work that goes in every day, but how we’re excited to see the progress.
Q. I was just wondering if you could evaluate Carlos Salcedo’s performance tonight? How concerned, if at all, are you that it’s now two red cards in five appearances?
Look, Carlos is a big personality. I think you guys know that he was here for a few years. So sometimes you come back here and there’s a lot going on. So I don’t think in terms now — and the game also is a challenge. As I mentioned earlier, the way the ball flies around in some of the different situations.
Carlos, his strength is making plays, and we’re constantly working to make sure that his decisions are in line with everybody else and that he’s a guy that not only is making plays that help the team but also helping organize the people around him. So those are things that still need time.
Tonight I don’t think was his best night, and yes, I want him to be a player that defensively not only makes great plays, has personality, but organizes, and in big games obviously, doesn’t put himself in those kind of positions where we end up down a man.
Q. In your experience, how crucially important is it for a player like Nelson who’s had quite a bit of chances in his, I guess, 19 games with TFC before tonight but was unable to score to finally get one like this?
Yeah, very important. Look, I only speak about what I have seen from working with Jayden this year, and I mentioned throughout preseason that he seems to be excited about the little things that get worked on every day. We’ve seen him in a more dynamic ways, making more plays on the field in terms of getting away from guys, more moments where his skill, his speed, his quickness catch your eye.
Now the final part is turning that into greater production, and so when a player like that makes a really big play coming on as a sub and scores a great goal, it’s something that everybody — every player, every coach was so excited for him in the locker room after the game.
Q. I’d be remiss if we didn’t specifically talk about Kosi’s goal. We’ve talked at length during the week just about him and how he’s impressed you, but did you know he had that in his locker? And I guess how big was that response for you guys?
It was a great goal, as we discussed. Jacob’s run, the ball, and Kosi’s finish was fantastic. Look, Kosi shows good qualities. He’s versatile as a player. He had been more of an attacker for TFC II, but he’s been able to use all his qualities to help us as either a wingback or even an outside back. He’s played in the midfield in training. So we see good things from him every day. So really excited for him to get his first goal.
KOSI THOMPSON – MIDFIELDER, TORONTO FC
Q. Kosi, congratulations on the goal. Really well done. Maybe you can just take us through the play. Jacob made a great run down the wing before cutting it back. How did the play sort of play out in front of you? Did you anticipate him making that sort of pass back?
Honestly, from the beginning of Shaff’s run, I know that he’s just going to go straight to the byline. He did incredible to get past a couple of guys. As I saw it started building up in him past the first guy, the second guy, I knew I had to get on my horse and get into the box.
Once I saw him take it to the byline, I know it’s going to be cut back, so it was just sitting there. Poz (Pozuelo) was in the same position and I screamed to him leave it, and I just made a good connection with the ball.
Q. Obviously tonight you don’t have history with Real Salt Lake, but no doubt you know how difficult a place it is to get points, but on a performance like tonight, it’s still early days, but I just wonder if you can talk a little bit about how high you think the sky can be for this team. What’s the limit? It seems like there’s a lot of positives.
For sure, the sky is the limit. There is no limit with this team. Everyone comes in 100 percent every day to play the football that we want to play, and everyone’s 100 percent dedicated to it. Every day guys are chatting and talking, trying to figure things out and trying to further their game.
So I really do think that this squad has a really bright future.
Q. Kosi, is there some kind of internal competition amongst you academy grads that you can only score bangers? Is it a little bit special to share this night with Jayden?
Oh, yeah. I mean, going through the ranks with Jayden and just being able to share the night with him, scoring two incredible goals, I mean, it’s amazing. It’s an incredible feeling.
In the changing room, I came up to him and said congrats, and there was nothing but big smiles between us.
Q. Maybe on a bit more of a serious note, to go down twice in Salt Lake, it’s a tough place to play. What does it say about this group that you were able to find a way back in the game after both those goals?
The dedication and the hard work, the passion that we have to know that we trust in ourselves to know that we can come back from down twice, it just shows what the group’s capable of.
There’s a lot more that we could have shown out tonight, but it is what it is, and that’s what happened tonight. But everyone saw how strong we are and how we can come back from 1-0 down, 2-1 down. So it’s a group effort, and we all just believed. We all just believed.
Q. Kosi, congratulations on the goal. What does it mean to you and the other young guys on the team, the fact that so many of you sort of young guys have stepped up at various times this year and sort of escalated your development? Is there some kind of vibe going on in the locker room?
Yes. In a way, yes. I would say that this year has just been a year where the young guys have been looked down upon in terms of being able to show what they can do, and all of us know that. All of the young guys know that. So everyone kind of needs to carry a bit of a swagger, and that’s what young guys are doing. We need to continue to do what we know to do and continue to learn and just keep playing the football that we want to play.
JAYDEN NELSON – FORWARD, TORONTO FC
Q. Jayden, congrats on the goal. I know for you, man, it’s been a long time coming. How sweet was it to finally get your first goal tonight? Can you just break down the goal overall?
Yeah, like you said, it’s been a long time coming. I’ve been working towards it. It’s great that I could come out and help the team to equalize the game.
I just seen the keeper throw out the ball, and I knew that I could press the player and take it off from him. I seen the goalie get off his line, so I tried to hit it as hard as I can for him not to tip it or anything. That was my thought process going into scoring my first goal.
Q. When it went up for review and then when the referee reviewed it on pitch side, what did you think? Did you think it would get overturned, or were you pretty confident that you’d won the ball clean?
I had a flashback of U-17 World Cup when I scored against New Zealand. I’d kind of been through it already, so I was just praying that it didn’t get overruled. I had a feeling that it could have been a foul but thank God it wasn’t.
Q. Jayden, congratulations on a beautiful goal. There were two, of course, beautiful goals by your club tonight. I wonder if you were an independent observer, which was the nicest?
I’d have to give it to Kosi.
Q. You’re an attacking player, a goalscorer, and you’ve had quite a few chances with TFC over your short career. Have you sort of been leaning on anybody on the team or even the coach in terms of like not getting too frustrated about not scoring yet, or have you just sort of kept in your own space knowing that eventually it was going to come?
Yeah, I just knew eventually it will come, like playing game after game getting more experience. It’s something that I’ve been working towards and something that needed to happen as well.
So just learning how to create those final attacks and making them more efficient is what I’m working on, and it paid off today.
Q. Jayden, 19 years of age, you accomplished so much. You worked up the ranks of Toronto FC, you’ve played for the Canadian Men’s National Team, you even scored for the Canadian Men’s National Team, and now you have your first goal for Toronto FC. Where does this rank in the highlights of your career so far?
It’s definitely up there scoring for my hometown club. It’s definitely something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life, and I’ll remember. I’d say this is like one of the better goals I’ve scored, so I’m happy about it.
Q. When you pick your head up there, is that when the net looks huge, or does it look tiny when you’re staring at it?
It’s one of those that you don’t really think, you just do. I couldn’t tell you if the net looked big or small. I just looked up, and I seen an opportunity and I just hit it.
Q. It doesn’t matter as long as the ball goes in. Maybe just a bit on the reaction from your coach and your teammates. What was it like after the goal and maybe in the dressing room after the game?
Obviously we were down 2-1, then we had to equalize the game. It was good we got a good away result, and everyone is pretty stoked about it. The goal is just to top it off. We’re all pretty happy with the result.
Q. You’ve got into the final third, but you haven’t been able to come up with the end product. Bob’s saying a goal like this could potentially help that cause moving forward and maybe instill some confidence in you. Do you feel the same way? Is the monkey off your back?
Yeah, I feel like it gives me more confidence to do things in the final third, and it’s something that, like I said multiple times, I’ve been working on. So just getting this off my back — like all the young guys scored already, so it’s finally that it’s my time now.
It’s just something I’ve been working towards, and hopefully it gives me confidence moving forward.
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