Colorado 2, Toronto FC 0
Q. Shane, kudos on the goal line clearance. Very acrobatic.
SHANE O'NEILL: Thank you.
Q. You weathered the storm in the first half. Did you think there were some chances to be taken in the second half maybe to get away with a point or a better result?
SHANE O'NEILL: Yeah, definitely, I think it was disappointing. We definitely pinpointed the issue. Their No. 10 was a big problem in the first half and unfortunately we didn't execute in stopping him and stopping him from making a play on the first goal. So that was obviously super frustrating because it happened so quickly after halftime that it felt like it changed the rhythm of the game.
But I felt like the last 20, 25 minutes we sort of got a foothold and just weren't able to create that big opportunity unfortunately. Yeah, it's tough. It's tough with the games dwindling down to accept a result like this. But yeah, we've just got to move on.
Q. Given the huge turnover, there were eight lineup changes compared to the game against Columbus, how do you think the team's performance was given that, and Colorado, a pretty decent opponent and playing at altitude as well?
SHANE O'NEILL: Yeah, I think the first half, maybe we wanted to get into halftime with a clean sheet and we did that. We fought and scrapped for it and we were able to get in at halftime with certainly a chance in the game. I thought guys certainly stepped up. Guys made big plays and guys who maybe haven't been getting as many minutes really contributed tonight.
So I don't think it was down to personnel, certainly. I think it's just obviously we kind of -- we knew where they were going to hurt us and unfortunately, yeah, they were able to sort of execute that early on in the second half, which certainly, it's not easy to chase the game at altitude and I thought that guys put in a hell of an effort. We just couldn't create that opportunity.
Q. John mentioned the same thing, just that the side was missing that moment of quality and that moment of connection. Is that the difference between getting results and not?
SHANE O'NEILL: I think it certainly changes momentum in games for sure. You know, and even just psychologically creating that big opportunity, big moments, it definitely I think can kind of give you more of a foothold in the game. I feel like we were close to being able to do that but unfortunately we just couldn't quite, yeah, find that missing link, that missing pass.
So yeah, it's disappointing because I thought in the second half, especially, there was opportunity. But it's just on to Wednesday now. You know, you've just got to forget it because it's such a quick turnaround and such an important game.
Q. You started your career in Colorado. Is it nice to come back here and remember those days?
SHANE O'NEILL: Yeah, it's nice. Nice for my family. It gets super rare as you get older. Everyone has their own lives and playing in front of family, yeah, you cherish those moments. It's definitely very nice.
Q. Big match on Wednesday and attention turns to the final. How are you and the guys feeling heading into that one?
SHANE O'NEILL: Yeah, in the locker room, yeah, this match is done with unfortunately we didn't get the result but I think we know what we need to do. Obviously we lost that final a couple years ago, and still a bad taste in the mouth and we want to get that trophy back.
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