Post-Match Interviews: Simon Elliott and Cameron Iwasa

In a rare home match that featured rain (yes, rain fell steadily throughout the match), Sacramento Republic delivered a solid second half performance against the visiting Swope Park Rangers in route to a 3-1 victory. We caught up with Republic FC Manager Simon Elliott and forward Cameron Iwasa after the match. Here is what they had to say on the match.

Simon Elliott on securing three points...

We’re always happy with three points, but we’re not always completely satisfied with the performance, but I thought tonight was pretty good. I thought we improved throughout the game for the most part...probably until the last five or 10 minutes. The second half I thought we were much better [in terms] of picking and choosing our times to go.

Thoughts on Elliott Hord contributing once again...

Similar to what I said Saturday, he’s reaping the rewards of his labor. He can go left, he can go right now, he’s always working on little things after training, and he’s hungry to improve. As you see with the assist tonight, it’s something different. A lot of the time he will go to his right and look to cross and he does that very well. This time, he changed it up.

His defending has improved as well and he’s working really well as part of that back four group, so he should be very pleased with where he’s at.

On the importance of players stepping up as they head into the final stretch...

It’s that time of year. Everybody should be stepping up. I think the team has. It’s interesting...the last time we loss, I think we played L.A., here and they beat us thoroughly and deserved to win. Since then, we’ve become better, tighter and sharper, so it’s interesting that we play L.A. again on Saturday. We’ll see.

Guys have stepped up and we want them to continue to do so between the regular season and playoffs.

Simon on the possibility of playing some other guys Saturday given all the games this week...

I think that’s a possibility. We won’t decide that tonight, but we’ll sit down tomorrow and see how guys are feeling. It’s not easy playing Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, so that’s definitely part of our thinking tomorrow.

Cameron Iwasa on his team-leading sixteenth goal and assist...

It’s a credit to the service and the rest of the guys. If I’m scoring headers, that means there’s great crosses and I’m getting opportunities in that sense. It’s a credit to the team as a whole, not just myself.

I am fortunate that I’ve been the one on the end of them and been able to put them away, but it’s the ball movement and circulation as a whole that we’re creating a lot of chances.

On Elliott Hord’s recent run of play and how big it’s been down the stretch for the club...

It’s been huge for us. First and foremost, getting a guy whose that solid defensively is great. But a guy that can contribute in the attack, and as you said, that’s multiple games he’s had now with an assist...he’s been super dangerous for us.

So having that come out of the back is fantastic.

Iwasa on the adjustment made at halftime....

It’s kind of a high risk, high reward when we press that high. Obviously, the first goal came off of a turnover, so we got that reward. At the same time, it opened up the gaps a little too much and they were able to play through us once they adjusted to that press.

In the second half, we came out slightly more conservative...tightened it up a bit in the middle a little more and they had to try and go over the top direct. If they’re doing that, we should be able to sniff that out all day long.

It’s something we weren’t doing earlier in the year, so making those adjustments shows a lot of maturity for our team.