Conference Finalists!
The Switchbacks defeated Sacramento Republic FC last weekend in dramatic fashion and with a go ahead goal in extra time earned a spot in the Western Conference Finals! Here from Coach and some of the players after the match last weekend:
Brendan Burke:
Overall thoughts:
“It was a grind, we knew it would be though, they are a [U.S. Open] Cup tested team. I mean, they were the first USL team to go to a cup final in fifteen years so we knew this was a tall order even at home. But I thought we controlled most of the first half, and enough of the second half to have the better chances. Guys stood up and defended like loins all night in the moments where we had to. I can’t ask anymore, its been an unbelievable season.”
On Echevarria earning the start, and his performance:
“That was the one big tactical shift we made this game, was to drop Stevie in for this legs and kind of sit him in Roro’s (Rodrigo Lopez) neighborhood. Even though Roro still got his goal, I thought Stevie kept him out of the game and kept him really quiet otherwise. And in terms of players that make a team tic, Roro’s right at the top for me. Stevie has grown up this season and tonight it all came together for him.”
On building momentum off tonight’s win:
“Next week will be even worse. It’s a really tough test from a physical and mental standpoint. They just kick the ball off the moon, and they have a lot of big bodies that run hard. They’re really effective at it, I’m just saying stylistically, it’s about as far away from what we do as you can get.”
On Michee Ngalina coming on at the right time:
“He’s just special. That’s the only word. There’s a reason the whole locker room calls him Michee Burke, because I don’t know what I’m going to do without that kid.”
Zach Zandi:
On the team’s resilience, and finding Michee for the goal:
“I think it was a total team effort tonight. I thought even in the first half when Sacramento scored we had a great reaction as a team. We just continued to do what we were doing well and it worked out well. I was in the right spot to be able to feed Michee. Elvis [Amoh] made a great run to take the defenders away and Michee did the rest – he’s fantastic. But overall, it’s a big milestone for us. We’re here to win a championship.”
On momentum and confidence for next week:
“They’re a really good team, [Sacramento], but San Antonio was the best team in the league. We haven’t had a whole lot of luck down there, going down there and beating them. So to do that, it’s going to take everyone on the team to step up and get results. But we’re looking forward to it.”
On the defense in the last two matches:
“I think the whole team has been sound defensively. We’ve been really focused on that and, I mean, Stevie had a really good assist to Michee, so he’s doing it on both ends, so credit to him. It’s good stuff all around.”
Steven Echevarria:
On getting the start and it’s impact on your performance:
“It’s arguably the biggest game in [our] playoff history because we haven’t had a second round playoff game in our history I don’t think ever, and to have it at home was special. The whole week I was thinking about tonight and tried to prepare the best I could to help the team win, and I’m glad we did.”
On the build up to get his assist:
“With Michee, you can put the ball almost anywhere on the field. He’s so fast, just put it into space and let him chase it.”
On getting assists in back to back games:
“I mean, I’ve been working on certain things in training all year with the staff. Each player individually has a program that we go through. My personal program was to work on those kinds of things, playing balls behind, and stretching teams out. It’s just a habit I’ve improved on over time.”
On how to use this momentum against San Antonio:
“It’s contagious. Each win, we are high fiving more, we’re smiling more, we’re a little more happy every day in training, and we don’t like those guys. So we want to go beat them.”
Jeff Caldwell:
Overall thoughts on the defense:
“Unbelievable. I mean the first half was probably our best defensive showing of the year. I think we’re going to have to review the goal and see what happened there. I think there’s some confusion about whether or not he was off, either way we could probably be a little tidier. We responded remarkably well defensively, we showed no fragility. The second half we had to weather a lot more but that’s what you have to do to win playoff games. At this point there are only good teams, no, only great teams remaining so we showed an immense level of grit to just do what we needed to do and take the punches and give something back without falling down.”
On momentum going into San Antonio:
“There’s only great teams left, and this [Sacramento Republic FC] is the most seasoned of a team you will find in the second round of the playoffs. They’ve already made a cup run, they’ve gone on the road and already beat two MLS teams I believe. This is every bit the challenge you will face to win a title. Now the plan is to replicate. San Antonio has a great team, you only have to look at what they accomplished in the regular season to see that they’re a great team. We’re a great team so it’s going to be two great teams, and when you get two great teams you get great games with trophies on the line.”
On coming up with the big saves in the late minutes, in front of a home crowd:
“I think in the playoffs and especially in extra time, you really have to root down to the simple things and I felt like I didn’t do anything that was special, the boys did it. We had some huge blocks and we just all did our jobs and that’s the good bit about deep playoff runs, you root down to what’s the most simple and the most fundamental, and if you do that you’re going to be successful.”
On the last game at Weidner Field for 2022:
“There was a moment tonight where I looked around and I had the thought, ‘Wow, this is the loudest this building has ever been. I mean, louder than I’ve ever heard this building.’ That, in these moments, in these circumstances, against a great team, you need that. We fought all season to play playoff games in this building, there’s a reason for that. This building helps us push on, and now it’s our turn to go spoil the party in San Antonio.”
Conference Semifinalists!
The Switchbacks have had a fantastic season this year in the USL Championship, starting the season 12-5, and earned a playoff clinch nearly a full month before the end of the regular season. They dominated in their first playoff match against Rio Grande Valley, defeating them 3-0 last Saturday night.
The first half was a tight match, with both teams fighting hard for dominance. The teams were almost perfectly matched, with Switchbacks holding 46& of the possession but with an 85% passing accuracy. The second half would prove to be much different though, with COS taking the clear lead.
The Switchbacks came out hungry for a goal, and with 7 shots to RGV’s 1, it was clear that they weren’t playing around. It paid off for the first time in the 84th minute, as #14 Jairo Henriquez as #55 Triston Hodge had a huge midfield cross to Henriquez, who slipped it to the left of the goalie past a screened play to hit the bottom left corner of the net.
The second goal of the night came from #21 Aaron Wheeler, as #11 Michee Ngalina smartly chooses to cross the ball rather than attempt the shot, leaving Wheeler wide open to go right through the goalkeeper in the 90′. An unbelievable second goal from the vet came only three minutes later, as he tucks it in effortlessly to the center of the goal from right outside the 18 yard box.
The win guaranteed the Switchbacks a match for the Western Conference Semifinals, and after the results of the San Diego Loyal/Oakland Roots match, that semifinal faceoff will take place here in a historical FIRST EVER 2nd round home match!
If the Switchbacks can defeat Sacramento Republic FC this weekend, they will make their way to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in their team’s seven year history. If Oakland Roots can lead another upset against San Antonio FC, the Switchbacks have a chance to held yet an even more amazing third round match for the Western Conference Finals!
It’s an amazing time to be a Switchbacks fan as the team goes farther than they ever have before, but the journey isn’t over yet, and the road to victory is paved with obstacles. We need YOU to help us get there – so make sure you have your tickets to this weekend’s semifinals match, and if you don’t have them yet – what are you waiting for?!?!
