Toronto FC Media Conference

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Ayo Akinola

Media Conference


Toronto FC 4, Montreal 0

Q. What are your thoughts on the match?

AYO AKINOLA: It was an excellent performance by us. Happy to get the result and happy to get a clean sheet. I think that was our first clean sheet of the whole season and so happy to start off on that end.

I think we came out on the front foot, attacked them, pressed them. We didn't want to give them a chance to breathe and we could capitalize on chances, we buried them.

Q. What is it about scoring goals against Montréal?

AYO AKINOLA: I don't know. I don't know, brings out the best in me, to be honest. I can't give you an answer to that but I guess I'm in the right place at the right time against them I guess.

Q. Do you have a true sense of what it means between these two sides?

AYO AKINOLA: Yeah, it is a true rivalry between Toronto and Montréal. Because just how whenever we want to play them, we always want to kick their ass, sorry. But same thing, same thing for them. You know, whenever they want to play us, always there is always going to be tension, there's always going to be a battle. Not everything is going to be pretty when it comes to these two teams. Just whoever is more ready and whoever is more prepared for it will eventually prevail.

Q. On the second goal, Camacho got a leg on, do you think the chance had gone?

AYO AKINOLA: No, no. I didn't -- because there was no defenders on the opposite side, so between me and Jayden, and I thought for me, I already saw -- already going down, so I think it was just the right time just to shoot up high, knowing that he just -- picking a spot knowing where he can get it. I even told him, sorry, I had to. I was right on goal, I was right dead center.

Q. Seem to be becoming a better player, how is the combination?

AYO AKINOLA: With Nelson? The combination? It's I think just more rhythm and fluidity between the both of us knowing that we can run, dribble. Knowing when to pick our moments going into goal. And just like the play -- sometimes him coming underneath me and leg it back to him or if he's down the line, you know, trying to make runs to the box.

I think there's something, we start to get an understanding between both of us and what we like what we don't like, the runs -- I like to make the runs he likes to make. Obviously just like my very first month coming in to play so I'm still trying to acclimate myself but I think there's a good understanding between him and I.

Q. I know you talked about -- for you personally, been through so much, injuries, how important is this sort of performance in terms of gaining confidence?

AYO AKINOLA: For me personally, the goals were amazing. I thought the goals gave me confidence boost, but if I'm being realistic, overall, how the game went, my involvement into the game, I thought I didn't do a good job for me personally if I'm being like really honest. I just give balls -- gave too many balls away, didn't connect, get involved into the play too much. So that's on my part but you know, when I was in the right place at the right time, when I had my chances, I buried them but for me personally -- into my game was not good.

Q. Four straight home games, what does a statement like this do to the team's morale?

AYO AKINOLA: It boosts us. Knowing that there's another final again this year that we get to play again next month. But I think it's just a statement of character from all of us but definitely boosts us going into Saturday against Atlanta.

Q. Any coincidence that statement win like this, one of the team's best performance of the week comes the same week that Lorenzo arrives?

AYO AKINOLA: He arrived? I didn't know that to be honest. I guess it's a coincidence. I mean, if he was watching. I mean, it is a coincidence because I did the not know but I think for me, now that he is coming later this week, I think, you know, just coming off on a good note, on a good foot can help us, can help him knowing that we are going into -- the next game into a winning mentality trying to get three points against Atlanta.

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121982-2-1003 2022-06-23 13:09:00 GMT

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