Toronto FC 1, Charlotte 0
Q. Congratulations on the win and the shutout.
LUKA GAVRAN: Thank you.
Q. When did you find out you were playing and the games you played at the end of last year, I imagine that was a help going into today.
LUKA GAVRAN: John was feeling something the last couple days, so he wanted to see how he's feeling today. Obviously I was getting prepared, and today when we found out, I was already completely prepared for it. The games last year definitely helped me with the nerves I would have on my debut. So those three or four games that I had, four games, definitely helped with managing the game and playing already with players that were on the field. So that definitely helped.
Q. When you go through the start of the game and you don't get called into action -- making the saves -- how difficult is that to stay engaged?
LUKA GAVRAN: Honestly that's the biggest thing for keepers. In some games where your team is really carrying the moment and you don't really have nothing to do, you don't see the ball as much, that one chance you need, whether it's come in the 30th minute or the 90th, you have to be ready for it. That's a big thing we've been training on, and me and in the 1v1s, trusting myself to stay set, don't guess and it paid off every time I stayed up and really read him. In the end, I could have held it but just to be safe -- but I'm happy that I kept my team in the game and we went from there.
Q. Last season, obviously you weren't in goal for much of it but this team gave up a lot of goals. Has not given up any this season. What differences are you seeing from your position then to now that's causing the turnaround?
LUKA GAVRAN: I think tactically we are just way more clear and there's way more clarity of what everyone's job is and how we are going to play off the ball. We really emphasize that in every training session, every video session, every time we can, we emphasize that that everybody has to be on the same page. That's just wanting to do it, and you know, not making excuses and finding other ways or blame other people. But everyone, just do your job. We have a system that we follow. Everything's clear. If you have any questions, you ask and everybody knows what to do. I feel like us going into games now is completely different. We go into games now knowing we are going to score and knowing we are going to keep a clean sheet and knowing we are going to win, instead of the opposite which we kind of did last year. Last year we struggled with adversity, giving up goals, getting down on ourselves right away but not this year.
Q. Is that related to the coach?
LUKA GAVRAN: For sure. John has definitely instilled a mentality that is completely different and he knows how to get people to trust him and really win over players which I feel like is very important for a coach and everyone will play for him and fight for him, and you can see it these past three games.
Q. As a goalkeeper, can you give your thoughts on Lorenzo's goal?
LUKA GAVRAN: That was actually just telling the players now, when you watch a goal like that from behind, you get to see everything. Honestly every time he gets the ball inside, I know he's looking for a cross. I know he's looking to make -- and he does it a million times in training. I'm not surprised he did it today. But what a goal, yeah.
Q. Can you give us a sense of the atmosphere around the team, can you bring us inside a little bit, what's it like, home opener --
LUKA GAVRAN: Coming into today was marked on our calendars for months now. The buildup of the past two games are two good performances away from home. A win and a tie away from home is not easy and we built that momentum into tonight --everyone was ready. People, you know, coming off a turf game which is tough. People had heavy legs and everyone is dealing with, throughout the week, soreness and all that, but everyone sucked it up. Knew what was needed tonight, today, and the mentality is completely different. Everyone is ready to hopefully change BMO.
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