Inter Miami 3, Toronto 1
Q. Hi, Derrick. Obviously a nice goal by you to finish off the game, but probably not the result you wanted. Well, definitely not the result you wanted. What did you make of the team's performance aside from the result?
DERRICK ETIENNE: Yeah, after hearing some of the stats that were told to us after the game, and just the flow of the game, I think we did a good job at times creating some good chances, and, you know, we got to do better to put them away.
Then just some lack of focus on the goals that we gave up really cost us. When you're playing a top team like Miami you can't give up breakaways and easy chances like that, and that's what they did and they hurt us.
So credit to them for capitalizing on their chances, but we have to do better in both boxes.
Q. How much of a disappointment was that first goal that came at the end of the first half? Seemed like you guys had things under control and were on the front foot.
DERRICK ETIENNE: Yeah, I mean, very disappointing just giving up a goal almost a little bit against the run of play, and then just how close it was to halftime. Yeah, we have to do a better job.
I have to look back and see exactly what happened, but the guy getting in behind and getting a breakaway, you know, that's just little things we have to be better at as a team.
It's very disappointing to give up a goal like that because of how well we kept them at bay to be honest and for them to get at that goal is very disappointing.
Something we have to build on and look forward to this weekend.
Q. After the Philadelphia win, obviously there was great joy within the organization after ending the losing streak. The hope from John speaking to him this week was that you guys could build on this. How much of a setback is this result after what was a pretty positive night against Philadelphia the other day?
DERRICK ETIENNE: I don't really think it was -- I don't think we'll take a lot of bad from this. Playing one of the best teams in the league and they capitalized on our mistakes. That's what happens against good teams.
We know that if we take away our mistakes, I think we kept them at bay and we finish our chances. I mean, Fede had a great chance with Callender off the post, another save in the second half. DK's chance, Lorenzo's chance. I think we had some good chances. Just as well as they did.
Difference is they finished theirs. There are definitely some negatives, but I think there are also positives when you look at the game and how it went. Obviously we're disappointed with the result and disappointed with the goals we gave up. If you look at some of plays we had and just how the match flowed, I think there are some positives to take away from it.
I wouldn't say it's a downer. Obviously we don't like losing. We don't want to lose. We are disappointed about that. But we can take away the good from the game. I think definitely a lot more good than there was bad.
Q. Two quick ones. Derrick, how much is the work of the next few weeks to build some consistency in the side and to define some roles? It strikes me that you probably played with a different 11 every match.
DERRICK ETIENNE: I think it's going to be very good to be able to get the -- my brain is fried. The continuity. That's it. And get the chemistry going between the guys.
So I think it's going to be very important for guys to get 75, 90 minutes together and being able to solidify a group that's ready to go.
I think when we get that, I think you'll see that the quality is there and once guys get familiar with playing with each other, I mean, I don't think the back line that played today played with each other. I don't think the front two that played together. I don't think the midfield played together.
So to be able to put some of the performance in today on the fly was good. Once you get guys playing three, four, five games together I think you'll see the true quality of the group.
Q. Big game against Montreal on the weekend. Are you looking forward to the Derby?
DERRICK ETIENNE: 100%. I think it's -- it comes at the right time I think. We want to get back to winning ways, and I don't think there is any better way than getting a win in the derby. We beat them at home and came with the right mentality. I'm sure they're going to want to rectify that. We have to match that intensity and be able to put this loss behind us and be able to regroup, recover, and get ready for the game this weekend.
I think it's a very, very important game not just for standings but to the fans, and we understand how much it means to them. I think that if we get this win it can definitely jump start a good League Cup and we'll see where it goes from there.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports