KC Reporter

Sporting Kansas City interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin reflected on his team’s 5-2 loss, noting the challenge of facing a confident opponent. “I think to start the game off, we absorbed a lot of pressure. They were rewarded in the 11th minute. They're playing with a lot of confidence right now. It's a good team, even though they didn't have their maybe preferred best XI out there. It's still a strong and confident team. We absorbed a lot in the beginning of the game. I think the balls we gave away, particularly on the second goal right before halftime, were unfortunate in terms of timing and how we lost the ball in a poor area of the field. We did a good job to get back in the game. In the 36th minute, we get a goal to equalize and we think we're going in even at halftime. We actually started the half, I would say, on the front foot, only to be penalized again with another, another cross right after the half. Obviously, the set piece corner kick was an issue and I think we were just too easy defending tonight. We gave up too many chances that were just clear-cut chances for them. We didn't give up and that's a consolation in things, but at the end of the day I think we just came up against a better team,” Zavagnin said.

Discussing momentum during matches this season, Zavagnin pointed to defensive issues as an ongoing problem: “I think we play such on the edge and part of that is with the idea that we do want to go for it. We understand that we're flawed in certain areas in the game and we've shown the inability to defend the goal in key moments throughout the course of this entire season. I think tonight was no different. And with that, I think we try to outscore and we try to stay on the front foot, even when we're away. Sometimes when you go for it, you're penalized and certainly tonight we were on the losing end of that. I think the group competed. I think there were moments in the game that we were good, but at the end of the night, the performance was flawed in so many ways.”

On Sporting’s tactical approach using two strikers recently—including Mason Toye—Zavagnin said: “We've shown in previous games that with a two-striker system, especially with Mason (Toye) extending the game and (Santi) Munoz underneath, that we've shown ability to create chances. Even tonight, we created opportunities... The intention of tonight was to compact middle field... There were some things and positives to take from night but as I said it was such flawed performance many other ways particularly giving up goals at key moments.”

Looking ahead at remaining fixtures this season he stated: “We need evaluate players coming back into group... A formation at end day is just four numbers put together... That's something we've been battling over course season... Our focus still is no different from any other week... You try get better starting Tuesday ready next opponent.”

Mason Toye scored one of Sporting Kansas City’s goals during Saturday’s match and described his play: “It was great play—all guys attacking side ball involved… Tim (Leibold) got few chances cross ball… Dejan (Joveljic) got ball laid off Zorhan (Bassong)... Tim played cross—I just had put away… As striker obviously anytime can get tap opportunity you’re going take all day… It was great ball from Tim had great game… A lot us did… But there little things didn’t go our way maybe lost some concentration punished for it tonight.”

Toye emphasized importance upcoming home matches saying: “Like we've been saying for pretty much every game every game super important… It starts next Saturday… This one hurts… We've got think about how regroup get after again… We'll head back Kansas City regroup focus Saturday.”