Minnesota 1, Toronto FC 1
Q. Tough way to drop points like that, conceding late in the game. Maybe just sort of describe what the general feeling is in the locker room after you walk in and what, if anything, does Bob say to you?
AIME MABIKA: Yeah, I mean, apart from what Bob said, just sort of my feelings and what I fell like the general mood is, is yeah, it's disappointing to drop two points there at the end. I think we worked really hard. The team did really, really well. Didn't give too much away and to drop points in the last two minutes or whatever it is, feels similar to maybe the Austin game where at the very end we drop points and even this week, on Wednesday, it feels like we dropped points.
But then again, it's an MLS game on the road, so a point isn't the worst thing ever. I think the fact that we are getting to a point where we feel like we are -- a draw almost feels like a loss on the road is a good sign and a step in the right direction. It's three games unbeaten now. I think for anyone that's watching, you could see sort of a semblance of what looks like a team in my opinion and it's hard to say that after dropping points.
I think that should have been a win and I think earlier in the week the game should have been a win but that's football, we move on and try to take as many positives as we can from this game and just try to keep going on that road that we've sort of been on for the last ten days or so.
Q. Do you feel that this team is much better than its 3-5-9 record shows?
AIME MABIKA: I think so, yeah, I think when you look at our points compared to maybe our performances I think there's a lot of points that we've left on the table when I got here. I think that's sort of the message that I got that games earlier in the season where we got a point should have been three points and I could probably point out two or three games where -- and yeah, that's football. We are not the only team that's happened to. Where maybe we have been fortunate in some games, I think we definitely have been unfortunate in of in some of these games where the performance, for example, on Wednesday, really good performances. That missing touch today on the road in Minnesota, really tough place to play and we lead for 88 minutes of the game, don't give much away and we drop two points at the end.
At the end of the day, we do have to be disappointed in ourselves because I don't think TFC plays for draws but we take it as a positive still. In terms of the performances that we have seen, everyone working hard looks like a real team. If we keep going on this road, it's more sustainable.
Q. What did you see in the last 30 minutes?
AIME MABIKA: After we scored? It sort of happens. Ideally when you go up a goal you want to keep doing everything that you've been doing before, which is continue to play and play in the opposition's half but I think as the game goes on what ends up happening is the other team starts sending numbers forward and they leave some space -- unfortunately we weren't able to capitalize on some of our transition moments when we were maybe 2v2 or 3v3. They started sending a lot of numbers forward, getting corners, a lot of shots but then again they weren't really getting big-time chances. But yeah, I agree with that sentiment that that was a big momentum swing.
But we are on the road in a tough place to play. We knew at some point in this game we are going to have to dig deep. We were two minutes away from getting a really good result, so yeah.
Q. In the second half you caught an innocuous warm from a Minnesota attacker when you were shielding a ball up there. I wanted to know how you're feeling. It looks like you left a bit bloody he'd.
AIME MABIKA: Yeah, it's just a running no bad intent from the other player at all, flailing arms. A little bit of a cut but I'll live. I'm okay.
Q. It's never easy coming to a new club but it seems like you have found yourself a comfortable position here. What's been working for you?
AIME MABIKA: Just listening to the coaching staff. The locker room has been great in terms of welcoming me, I think the biggest thing is I'm trying to be as settled as possible when you look at guys like Matt, Richey, Sean, guys that took me under their wing a little bit being a younger player, I had not played that much this season in Miami and coming here, I came here trying to take it one day at a time.
So far so good in terms of my individual performances. I know that I just have to keep it going. Yeah, super thankful for the club bringing me here and has made it really easy for me, moving to a different country, there's a lot of logistical stuff I've to deal with and I haven't felt out of place at all.
Q. Next week you face off against Nashville. What do you expect?
AIME MABIKA: Yeah, they are on a great run. They have been one of the better teams in the League, really good players. They have the MVP reigning MVP, really good players but so do we. We expect a really good game. We are at home so I think this next couple days will be about getting some guys rested. We have had a lot of games so just rested and yeah, getting ready for that game will be another big game.
Q. That was the ninth draw of the season. I know you haven't been here for all of them but are you guys getting tired of draws or is the thinking that a point is a point?
AIME MABIKA: I wouldn't say tired of draws. I think there is a feeling of disappointment when you draw games that you probably should win and then there's some draws where maybe you are happy with it and it just depends on the game.
Today I think we are disappointed that we weren't able to come up with the draw but again, a draw is better than a loss, especially on the road, so it depend on the game. I wouldn't say we are tired of anything. That's football.
DraftScripts by ASAP Sports
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports