LOS ANGELES FOOTBALL CLUB MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 16, 2021

Danny Musovski

Press Conference

LAFC 3, San Jose 1

Q. How important was it to get off on the right foot by scoring an early goal?

DANNY MUSOVSKI: Yeah, I think that's exactly how you want to start a game. You want to get up early, and we knew San Jose was going to come out with a lot of energy, you know, because these games are so important.

So yeah, I think that just puts us in a good position early in the game to go up, and I think throughout the game, I think we did a good job of managing it.

So yeah, I think overall it's a good effort from the guys and I think everybody came out with good energy, and yeah, we got the result.

Q. Looking forward, can you tell us what the outlook is for the next two games on the road and how you're going to approach that?

DANNY MUSOVSKI: I think the energy from the guys is we don't want to get too high right now, because we know that we have two really hard road games coming up.

We are happy that we get the win, and it puts us in a good position right now, but we go to Dallas on Wednesday and Minnesota I think on Saturday. Those are going to be two really tough road games, and we are just trying to stay focused and obviously get the results in those games.

Q. Can you tell us about the play, what did you see, the assist from Chicho, and just being able to get between the defenders and finish that?

DANNY MUSOVSKI: Yes, I saw Cifu play Chicho wide, and I say Chicho's touch got a little bit away from him. I was just thinking the only place where he could put the ball is what he did, where he back-heeled it. So I was anticipating it and then he did it. Then I just took a touch and I was right there, right on goal, so I was just thinking to put it on target, there's a very good chance it will go in, and luckily it went in.

Q. You talk about the way you guys managed the game. What are the things that you think the team did today that are going to be very important where were you able to secure the result at home, and especially with the games that are coming up and just the moment that the team is at right now?

DANNY MUSOVSKI: I just think we were smart today defensively. You know, we knew it was going to be a hot day, so we didn't want to obviously press really hard the whole game because we were going to gas ourselves out. We kind of had the plan from the beginning was to sit a little bit, pick and choose our times to press, force San Jose to play through us when we held a really tight block and from that standpoint, I think that's why we managed it so well.

Now we are going to go into these next road games, and those are going to be tough games. But Bob and the coaches will prepare us for that, and we will get the run down for what we need to do to prepare tactically and prepare really hard for those games.

Q. We've talked about it before, but can you mention how it is playing alongside Chicho? He had another really big game, and what has he brought to the team since his arrival?

DANNY MUSOVSKI: Yeah, I think he's just been doing really well. The goals and the assists speaks for itself. He gets along with everyone on the team, and he had another great game today.

He's done well from the penalty spot. I think we need to acknowledge that as well. It's not easy to make -- I don't know how many penalties he's made, four or five penalties. That's a lot of pressure with everyone in the stadium. For him to stay cool in those moments and put those away, that's big for the team, and then yeah, all the other stuff he does has been really well, so he's done good.

Q. Along those same lines with Chicho, scoring is huge, but seems like since he's been here, the energy has shifted in the locker room. What is it that's been so beneficial for the team so far?

DANNY MUSOVSKI: Yeah, I just think he trains the way he plays. So I mean, what you guys see on the field, him having an impact, doing well, he trains as a high level, as well. So I think us, we see that and we gain chemistry from that.

Yeah, I think he's just help -- he's a leader. We helps us and we help him, and I just think he's done really well. He's meshed really well since he's came into the team very quickly which is not an easy thing to do.