New York City 3, Toronto 2
Q. John, what happened at the final whistle and why did that game get out of control?
JOHN HERDMAN: I think firstly, our lads, they were in good spirit. I think they worked hard tonight. Was really proud of, one, how they started the game. The second half I thought they were excellent.
I think that was on the ball one of our best performances against a very good NYFC team. there were things that had happened in the previous game at the tunnel that I think have just spilled over into this game, and I just think like I say, some of the game management, and we felt there was probably less time added on to the clock.
We were right there. I think we were right there. Couple more minutes and we would have got at least one more opportunity with Lorenzo on the pitch.
I think it's a passion in our team. We've talked about creating our family bond together. Yeah, I mean, you don't want to see those scenes in football, but it's a passionate group and there was definitely some bad blood that spilled over from that first game that involved the head coach.
Q. Jonathan, you were right in the middle of it trying to be a peacemaker. What did you see going down?
JONATHAN OSORIO: Yeah, I think there was a lot of animosity from the last game from what happened at halftime. Their coach starts to talk and say things to certain players that I think is maybe crossing the line a little bit.
But then when we hear that they corner -- the coach and three of the players corner a 19 year old of ours by himself, that's when there is a problem. I think that kind of carried over to this game -- probably from their side as well -- from everything that happened over there in New York.
Yeah, so we are just letting them know we didn't forget about that.
And then I think one of their players crossed the line and head butted Sean Johnson.
Q. No. 12?
JONATHAN OSORIO: Yeah. To be honest, I don't remember the number, but I saw him. He head butted Sean. And Sean, as any person you're going to react, and that's how it starts.
So I understand maybe we were -- you know, we were -- our emotions got the best of us a little bit and we were talking, but we weren't being physical or nothing.
This is the second time they've gotten physical now with our players. That's how it starts and that's how it gets out of control. That's basically all where it stems from.
Q. John, was there any action taken from the incident at halftime in Yankee Stadium? Did anything come out of that?
JOHN HERDMAN: No. The cameras weren't working in certain areas of the stadium.
Q. One of your players was...
JOHN HERDMAN: A 19 year old being punched by the coach in that stadium.
Q. John, what was your message to the team after (indiscernible.)
JOHN HERDMAN: I think a couple of things. Firstly, I was proud of way they started the game. I thought they really controlled it. We dropped our standards for about 15 minutes where we just weren't making first contact. We were second to the ball. Thought we dropped our physical aggression.
But then we raised it before halftime. I thought we could have been back level before halftime. There were some real good opportunities in that game. Probably some of our highest moments in a football game at home this season.
I thought we were right there for 20 minutes and right there for 10 minutes at the half, and we had a 15-minute lapse. I don't think we responded well to the penalty. That was something that sort of the rocked us a bit and we didn't respond as well as we could have.
We addressed that at halftime. There was an element of a tactical piece, but it was more just emotional to get the lads back winning the first tackles and bringing the intensity and aggression the fans know us for, which is part of our identity.
So yeah, I mean, definitely a spirit that's second off, that's for sure. I think we deserve something out of the game. Maybe not win it because they took their three goals well, but we deserve something there tonight.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
JOHN HERDMAN: Yeah, I mean, it was a great moment. The fans were excited. We were all excited for him to get back in. You can just see he has the ability to speed up the game or slow it down. You put people like Osorio, (indiscernible), even like Longstaff you could raised his level. It was really cool to see.
I mean, he was devastated in the dressing room with the opportunity he had. He's been out for six weeks. Just a little bit rusty. But I thought he had the quality. I just think every man came in with a passion in the second half and showed the fans how much we care.
Q. Does it feel like a bit of a wasted opportunity (indiscernible.)
JOHN HERDMAN: Oh, my God, yeah. Oh, my God, yeah. I mean, they were devastated. Devastated. Like it's not -- I don't know. Like I've been in those matches where you feel like you should have won, you've all bonded together.
But no one's feeling that. Yeah, we got into it guys. We're a team. You know, we're frustrated. We were pushing to be Top 2 tonight. That's where it could have ended.
Q. Excuse me if I go back to bad blood. Want to make sure I get this right. You're saying that Nick Cushing punched one of your players in the tunnel in the first game?
JOHN HERDMAN: That was the off record report that came into the dressing rooming at halftime from a young 19 year old that said he got cornered and punched in the face.
Q. It's just hard to believe that nothing came out of that.
JOHN HERDMAN: No cameras.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports