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U.S. OPEN CUP: HOUSTON DYNAMO vs PHILADELPHIA UNION

September 26, 2018

Wilmer Cabrera

Houston, Texas

Houston Dynamo - 3, Philadelphia Union - 0

WILMER CABRERA: It was a very good final. Very good championship game against a great opponent, great team, the coach, Jim Curtin, and all his players. They were excellent, very professional. And it's always, in order for you to be a champion, you have to have a great opponent and we had a great opponent tonight.

Q. I guess it's only been an hour, but can you talk about what's the best part of this so far, whether it be from a personal perspective, a historic perspective?
WILMER CABRERA: All the sacrifice, the pain, and the difficulties that our players are going through, but it's a reward for them. It's a reward and it's something that they needed because the team, since the year and a half that we have been together, most of the team, the staff and coaches, we've been able to work for something important. Last year we were able to accomplish the playoffs, but not only the playoff, but we went all the way to the Western Conference championship. And this year, despite all the difficulties, we played the two tournaments, the U.S. Open Cup and trying to do the MLS Cup and the season with the MLS. And now we have the possibility to accomplish a title that the club hasn't reached until today and the players can be rewarded for the sacrifice. It hasn't been easy. It hasn't been easy. But now we can say that we know how to win, how to win a title for the city, for our fans, that they were thirsty about it. They were waiting a long time, so it's important for us to bring that. And also for the ownership group that believed in us, believed in our staff, believed in the players that we brought, so we can continue with the project and we can move forward.

Q. Following up on that question, with the win you guys now play in the CONCACAF Champion's league next season. What are your thoughts about the club playing once again in the CONCACAF championship and what are you looking forward to in playing in the CONCACAF champions?
WILMER CABRERA: Well, it's an international tournament and every time you play an international tournament, it's going to be important, but challenging and more difficult. So if we have been having some difficulties in terms with the MLS season and with the injuries, we need to prepare ourselves much better and we need to be sure that we extend the roster for a competition like that. Because when you have international competition and when you have the MLS competition, you're going to go for it, you have to go. So it's a very good lesson for us. We have been having a lot of good experiences, so we're going to try to prepare the team the best way possible.

Q. So I was speaking to some fans earlier, some kids, they were very excited about the prospect of winning a U.S. Open cup and now you have. What does it feel like to see the fans reactions and to win the cup for the first time?
WILMER CABRERA: It's just, for me, as a coach, it's the possibility to rest and -- to rest because it's a lot of work. Yesterday we had the Cup right here, but we couldn't touch it. We couldn't touch it because we didn't deserve it yet. And now we can touch it and we can say we are champions and that changes our life, changes our mentality, but also gives us the possibility to say that we know how to win. And it's important for you as a professional in any sport to say that you know how to win and you have won something.

Q. When you guys have had the season that you've had, up and down, what can a win like this do for the MLS season, the rest of it?
WILMER CABRERA: Well, we have a game Saturday here at home and the guys are running and jumping and throwing champagne all over. So we're going to enjoy it tonight, but tomorrow we have to prepare ourselves for the game Saturday. And we are very professional and we want to win Saturday. So it's going to be tough, yes, but this is what the sport is and this is the challenges that we like and we're going to take serious and we're going to go for it. So we still have possibilities with the -- to qualify, it's tough, it's going to be tougher, but we can do it. And now we have something to grasp to say we can do it.

Q. Seems like I'm always asking you your thoughts on your player Mauro Manotas. This game two goals, how have you seen him this season, he just keeps getting better and better. In each game it just seems like he's doing something different to make an impact on this team. What can you say about Mauro Manotas?
WILMER CABRERA: I can say that he's a fantastic professional, he's a fantastic top scorer, and we're lucky to have him. Because every day he's growing in all aspects, not only as a player but as a person, he's more mature and he's only 22, 23 years old. And having that performance, having him on the field with that mentality is showing that we have good mentality in our locker room. We have a good mentality, winning mentality, and it's every game is a challenge for us and every game we try to do the best. And with him, he's been professional on and off the field, so it's -- and being that young. So it's very good and we're happy for him. But he's hungry, I know he wants to play Saturday, so this is going to be challenging but important for all of us.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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