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HOUSTON DYNAMO MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 21, 2017

Wilmer Cabrera

Houston, Texas

Seattle - 2, Houston - 0

WILMER CABRERA: Yes, the game, we started off well, we created quick options right away, set pieces with Alberth, but then we conceded the first goal in set pieces, to, 1-0. Anyway, we spoke about if something goes wrong we just need to keep playing, trying to do our job, and do not make silly mistakes where we have to play with 10 men. But it happened. And that's difficult. When you're losing 1-0 against a team like the Seattle Sounders and even though Joe did very well in the PK, then we, we conceded the second goal too soon and we went to, when we went to halftime, I told the guys that we needed to do a different type of job. We needed to defend a little bit better, and we have to take the risk to leave two forwards up front. So Alberth and Mauro went up front just to take a risk and to try to see if we could have got the ball right there and tried to counter attack and try to go at them. I think we have a few options and that, but we have to put that in. And we didn't punish them and it's -- the game is over and now we have to think that we need, we have to prepare ourself for Seattle. In Seattle, can we win? Yes. We're going to go with the mentality that we can win that game. Because we have a good team and we -- we can be dangerous, we can defend better, we have to defend better. But it's going to be a tough game, but we have to have a good mentality, and we're going to take risks over there. We're going to take risks, because that's the one option. So it's another 90 minutes at their home and we need to prepare ourself for those 90 minutes or it's going to be the last 90 minutes for us or it's going to be some kind of miracle and I believe in that.

Q. How significant is it that you guys didn't concede a third goal?
WILMER CABRERA: Important. It's always important. I told the guys, let's do -- let's just be the team, less defend with seven guys, and let's leave the two, Alberth and Mauro up front, but let's try to defend better, let's try to be aggressive to defend. And they were, 2-0, they felt comfortable, only at the last minute, that counterattack at the last minute, that was very dangerous. But 2-0, it's not impossible. Nothing is impossible in soccer and we are going to take risk, we don't have anything to lose. So we're going to go over there to try to win the game.

Q. To follow up, Joe Willis probably player of the game, despite the loss. Again, saving that penalty really gives us a bigger chance going to Seattle. I mean, and, you know, hey in Houston we believe in miracles, too, so.
WILMER CABRERA: Yes, no, definitely. They're a very good team and they were winning 1-0 in the first set pieces. They took 1-0, so they were comfortable in that moment. And then with the PK, I thought that we could have done better after that. I told them, do not concede any goal. Let's defend. But it was, I think it was a goal where we were a little bit, we were asleep a little bit in that cross and then that was difficult. But at halftime we reorganized ourself, we put a plan. And the plan was good, the plan was, that's fine, because when you are with 10 men, we created those options that we had and possibilities. I think it showed that we could score one anyway. It didn't happen so now we have to go over there with good mentality and we're going to enjoy ourself. We're going to be dangerous, for sure.

Q. You were talking about how you felt like you got off to a good start and didn't get a goal there. Did you think maybe that was from the boost from the crowd, the enthusiasm? And then did y'all kind of fall off a little bit and kind of lag a little bit there in the next 10 minutes or so? 15- to 25-minute mark, seemed like that y'all were a little flat at that point.
WILMER CABRERA: I think one of the things that you learn in playoff, in games like this, set pieces are very, very important. So we have the chance and we missed. And then they had one chance and they put that in, and they have another one that they could have scored, but set pieces are really important because it's not easy to break defenses. Nobody's going to give you one inch. And then when we concede that, I think it was something that we kind of didn't expect. I think the players didn't expect that. But, anyway, we went after them, we have some good momentum, but then we lost the ball right there in the middle on when we were attacking and they were going to counter attack and then came the PK, which, you know, it's a soft PK, but we're going to -- nothing, they didn't score with that, but we lost a man. And right there is when, when we put ourself in difficulties. I would rather to receive a goal with 11 men and not stop the PK with 10 men.

Q. Technically, was there anything Seattle did to stop the Dynamo attack and is there anything you saw from this game that you can take towards like to in Seattle?
WILMER CABRERA: Well, I didn't, what I didn't want it was a 1 versus 1 situation, Alberth with the left back, because we don't need to create that, we didn't, we didn't need to create that. So I said to Alberth, Alberth, play more free and it's not like challenging with him, because that's what they want, they want you isolated over there. So that's why I tried to bring Alberth a little bit more free in the middle to going at the central backs because the central backs are very good, but they're slow. And we needed to go out there and in the second in the second half they were more central, they were more free, they have more freedom and we created some good momentum, some options, they were talking and yelling at each other because we were, you know, we were dangerous when we had the ball.

Q. Two quick questions, if Leo was healthy, why choose Jalil over him, and then two, you started Alex or Tomas wide a couple times. Why them over Vicente or Romell who might be better suited for those wide spots?
WILMER CABRERA: Well, that's your opinion, now you're, now you're doing the lineup of the Houston Dynamo, which that's, that's your opinion. Jalil has been playing as a right back, so now you want to see Leo as a right back, which never happened and never, he hasn't played as a right back ever. Leo, Leo is a central back, so and Jalil was playing well. The last series against Portland no one complained about Jalil playing as a right back, so now, you know, when you lose, you know, everyone knows how to, you know, do things different and we can say a lot of things different, but this game today with the 11 starters, they were the best team for us to play, but then we have to make some changes and then we have some injuries and we're going to reorganize the team, we're going to try to work and we will see who is going to be available to play against Seattle.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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