October 12, 2023...'This is playoff football': Pacific Merriman, Reid react to dramatic win vs York United (from canpl.ca)
‘This is playoff football’: Pacific’s Merriman, Reid react to dramatic win vs York United
2023-10-12
by MITCHELL TIERNEY, DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER (@MITCHELLTIERNEY)
Despite a turbulent conclusion to their 2023 regular season, Pacific FC opened the playoffs with a 1-0 victory over
York United at Starlight Stadium on Wednesday night.
Adonijah Reid’s stoppage-time winner was the difference in a tightly contested 4th vs. 5th place match that could
have gone either way. The Tridents now have a quick turnaround as they advance to play the Halifax Wanderers
at the Wanderers Ground on Saturday, October 14, meaning cross-country travel.
After the match, Pacific FC head coach James Merriman spoke to the media, here is what he had to say:
On the match-winning goal
“This is playoff football. It is going to be difficult, the game is tight and we struggled to take care of the ball.
But I thought Kekuta Manneh when he came into the game was excellent, very calm, great delivery. Adonijah Reid, he has
so much quality and when he believes in himself and he makes that movement and he gets onto the end of the cross
and it’s a great goal for him, and for both of them to come into the game and make a difference.”
On Emil Gazdov’s clean sheet in his first CPL playoff match
“He’s just turned 20 years old. He’s worked hard this season to quickly mature and be there for us and I thought
he was composed, he managed a playoff match very, very well for his age, for 20 years old. He didn’t rush, he didn’t
panic on goal kicks and I think we need to appreciate that. People need to appreciate that. He was very good
and I’m happy for him to get the clean sheet.”
On the togetherness of his team
“That was what you saw at the beginning of the season, us being there for each other as a team. Supporting each other,
being ready to come in and make an impact and make a difference. You could feel the energy and the spirit in the group,
the players that are starting, not starting, the players that were going to come in and finish the game, that were
not involved, everybody was there, everybody was collectively as a team. That’s when we play our best football, that’s
when we get results, that has been our best wins this season, when we are all together.”
On the quick turnaround to face Halifax
“We are going to need our depth and we need to accept the challenge. We did it last year with Concacaf matches, we had
some very, very tough trips and tough travel and the players in the locker room understand that. It’s not about that,
we just to get ourselves there, get ourselves mentally prepared, physically recovered the best we can. We are going
to need players to step up for us, we are going to need to lean on that depth. I believe in the group, I believe
in the focus of the group, the leadership group, they are experienced enough that they’ve dealt with these moments,
dealt with these moments last season and we’re going to be there, we’re going to be there in the match.”
Game-winning goalscorer Adonijah Reid also spoke to the press after the match, here is what he had to say about the win
over York and his game-changing moment.
On the match and the impact he was looking to make off the bench
“I think before I came on I felt like the game was a little crazy, a little back-and-forth, nobody was able to keep the ball
and manage the game properly, and I guess when I came on I just noticed that and I knew it would be a back-and-forth game
towards the end as well. Just lucky we got the win at the end, could have went either way I think, to be honest.
On his match-winning goal
“I think I was on the bench at the time but I saw Kekuta, he played the same type of ball, maybe like ten minutes before that,
I saw he was in the same position I was on and I thought maybe I’d have a chance at this and luckily I got the touch to put
the ball in the net, it was a good ball from him so it’s credit to him.”
back to 2023 York United FC menu
.
.