Cincinnati 2, Toronto FC 0
Q. Can we start out with your thoughts on how that played out tonight?
LUCA PETRASSO: Obviously it was a tough match. They are a decent team and atmosphere was pretty crazy beginning of the game. Obviously we got a red card in the beginning which was unfortunate.
But I feel the boys competed well, we fought well. Even under the circumstances, we all came together and just tried to fight and compete as a team, and I think that's all that we could do in a situation like that.
Q. What's the mindset, what's the general mood of the guys after a game like that, especially when and you're forced to play whatever it was, 85 minutes down a man and you're missing guys through injury and whatnot, what's the general mood of the guy, of the team, after that one?
LUCA PETRASSO: Obviously the mood is pretty quiet after a game like that. There's obviously a lot of things that are going on after a game like that and the boys are a bit down but I think that the important part is that we fought, we competed.
Obviously for 85 minutes we were playing a man down but as a team we didn't let that faze us, and we tried to keep going as best as we can. And I think the boys gave a great effort for those 85 minutes that we were down.
Q. It's been a tough stretch for you guys the last couple games but I wonder if there's anything that you guys can learn from this bit of adversity here.
LUCA PETRASSO: Yeah, it's been a bit tough the past couple games but that's part of it. That's part of the journey. There's going to be ups and downs. There's going to be more downs than ups, I believe. We just have to keep grinding and keep fighting.
If we just keep working every day, focus on the next game coming up Sunday against Vancouver, that's the most that we can do, and kind of just learn about this result, kind of move past it tomorrow and once we get back to training and focusing on Vancouver and we head out, there we try to come back to three points when we go over there.
Q. Since the start of the season you've featured quite prominently with the starting team. What's it been like stepping into a starring role with some club veterans in the ranks?
LUCA PETRASSO: Like I said before, it's amazing to play for this club, be a part of this club. Obviously the first eight or nine games, I've started and have played a lot of minutes but it's amazing to be on the field with these guys and to compete with these guys, players that I've watched growing up on the TV when I was a kid so obviously it's a big role coming to this team and starting game.
So I just try to do the best I can for the team whatever position I'm playing and try to get back on track to three points and get back to winning.
Q. I asked Bob something very similar, but the last couple games has it felt like every mistake you're making is being punished?
LUCA PETRASSO: I wouldn't say I think every mistake that is being made in the game we're being punished. Obviously there's going to be lots of mistakes in games. It's just how we deal with it and how we can face it and move forward with it. It not just going to be mistakes on our team but the other team we are playing.
If we can capitalize on their mistakes and score goals it's obviously great for us, but we just have to keep moving forward in games like this, and as we keep moving forward, I think things will happen for our team.
Q. Obviously would rather be on a winning note but it's a rare opportunity for a lot of TFC 2 players, guys you shared the field a lot with last season. What's it like sharing the field now with them with the first team, and is there any advice you can instill on some of these guys who are perhaps going to be torn foe FC first team players?
LUCA PETRASSO: Yeah, it's amazing, a lot of them, like me, I came through, this is my first year with the first team and a lot of starting to come through like Kobe and Themi and Yeates coming to the game today, someone I've been close with throughout my life.
Seeing these guys come through the academy and TFC 2 and getting a chance to be part of the first team, it's amazing playing alongside players like them, having a lot of chemistry with them, it's exciting to see them on the field and I know they would do anything to fight for this club so it's really exciting to see them get on the field.
Advice that I would just give them is to go out there and work hard and do the best that you can and showcase yourself. This is a good financial statement for young players to step on the field and play and Bob is giving us that chance. We are just trying to do our best to give back for what he's given us on the field.
DraftScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports