D.C. United 3, Toronto FC 2
Q. What do you take away from a game like that, there was plenty of good in the comeback but also a fair bit of bad.
MARK-ANTHONY KAYE: Yeah, I think it's as simple as you just said it. The good moments, we were able to play out of pressure, create opportunities going forward, get our attacks guys running into the box, Tyler had to make some saves and we were close on a couple chances, so we'll take that away as a positive. Defensive, obviously, I think they posed a different challenge today, playing long balls, trying to pick up the second ball, and if we want to be a really good team, we have to know when to adapt on the fly and just deal with whatever a team is trying to throw at us.
So I think it was definitely a challenge today. We were sloppy in certain areas. I was sloppy in certain areas. We need to go back to the training ground and understand how important it is to be clean every day and understand that when we go out here, it's going to be tough. It's not going to be easy. Teams are -- in this league are getting better. The competition level is getting better and it's just a fight every day.
I'm happy that we got our first game together in this intensity, you know, out of the way. I think now we have a better understanding of what it's going to take to stay in games and to create more opportunities. But yeah, today was a weird one.
Q. Was there an emotional letdown after you scored?
MARK-ANTHONY KAYE: An emotional letdown?
Q. An emotional letdown after you scored and the team went ahead or was fatigue involved.
MARK-ANTHONY KAYE: No, I don't think there was an emotional letdown. I think we understood that the game wasn't over. There was still time to play. There's maybe eight minutes left, and then plus extra time. So we just wanted to keep doing the same thing in terms of dealing with how they are trying to attack us and make sure we can create opportunities.
The game wasn't done when I scored, so I think there was emotional letdown and I don't think fatigue played a factor. They were just clinical in moments and we weren't because if you look at the last, I don't know, 10 to 15 minutes, we have good chances, they have good chances, and they just capitalized on more of theirs than we did, and that's how the score ended at 3-2.
Q. You took your goal really well. It didn't look like it was an easy finish. Can you just sort of describe the play? Did you anticipate it coming off the post like it did?
MARK-ANTHONY KAYE: Yeah, you know, obviously I'm hoping that Fede just scores right off the bat from the free kick but I just wanted to be in the box in the right spot, just in case there was a safe or rebound. Fede does have a really hard strike, so if the goalie does get a finger to it, it usually is going to be paired somewhere in front of the goal.
So I wanted to put myself in the best chance to score. I just believed the chance would, and it did, and I just made sure to hit the back of the net. So yeah, very -- obviously it's bittersweet losing and scoring a goal but it's a long season and hopefully I can add more to my tally and help the team win more games.
Q. I know it's always difficult to talk about a personal moment after a defeat but I think that was your first goal for TFC. Seemed like you relished it. Can you walk us through what was going through your mind?
MARK-ANTHONY KAYE: I cramped, honestly, as soon as I scored. It went from joy to oh, no. But I was tine after getting stretched by Ayo. Honestly I didn't even realize it was my first goal for TFC, but now that you guys are saying it, it's a good feeling. I had my wife and all her mom's side of the family here, like 20 people, so I'm glad that they were able to see that.
But it's one notch on the belt and I just want to keep getting more. I'm happy that I can contribute in different ways.
Q. One of the things Bob talked about when we spoke with him last week was about the team -- wanting to see if the team finds that mentality to pick themselves up when things don't go your way. Did we see some inkling of that tonight, the last few minutes aside?
MARK-ANTHONY KAYE: I think so. I think so. I think to go in the half down, understanding that you're going to have to lift the tempo of the game and really go after it, not in the greatest conditions, cold, the field, whatever you want to say, right, I was really proud of how we showed up in the second half. Really changed the game, I believe.
So you go and you score two goals, you go up, the next part of our learning is just continuing to dig deep and not let a team like that back into the game. So it was unfortunate the way it ended but the way the second half started, I'm glad that we were able to push through and really be resilient.
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