QUOTES: FC KANSAS CITY WINS BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPIONSHIPS

Opening comments…

Andonovski: “First I have to say I’m very happy, obviously about the championship. I’m very happy winning this game. But most of all I’m very happy as a team we were able to win for Cheney [Lauren Holiday] because if there was a player on the team we wanted to do it for it was definitely her.”

On her emotions at the end of the game…

Holiday: “I think Amy [Rodriguez] loves me, she scored that goal. I’m just so proud of this team. There’s not a better team in the league, in my opinion to play on. Our coaching staff is unbelievable. Our organization has just been so supportive of all of us and the players are just unbelievable. So when that clock was ticking dfwn I was thinking, ‘just hold on, we can hold on for a couple more minutes.’ To win for club and country is absolutely the best feeling the world.”

On her goal…

Rodriguez: “I think I am so lucky to have the players on this team that I do. They’ve set me up numerous times and made me look like such a better than I rate myself. I’m so thankful to this one here [points to Lauren Holiday] and also to my coach that has given us any amazing opportunity, a platform, friendship and it was a pleasure to play out there today. I think we had fun. That’s a big part of why we won.”

On the type of legacy Holiday leaves…

Rodriguez: “I think her legacy lives far beyond the soccer field. We all know she’s an excellent soccer player, she’s proven that so many years in a row. She’s been a starter on the U.S. Women’s National Team, she’s won numerous championships, gold medals, assists and goals, and the list goes on. For me, my relationship with her is much deeper than soccer. With the world, I think they can see a sparkle in her that reaches beyond the soccer field as well. I’ve just been so fortunate to get to know her and have her in my life and I plan to keep her in my life for quite a while.”

On if he thought the game might come down to a mistake or a moment…

Andonovski: “One thing we talked about is that we may not especially with A-Rod or even Cheney we may not have our opportunities for 80 minutes or 85 minutes, but all it takes is just one little moment. When these ladies get a moment like that they know how to punish teams.”

On the team’s defensive performance…

Andonovski: “First off we played extremely disciplined defensively from A-Rod as the first line of defense all the way down to [Nicole] Barnhart. We were very organized. Everybody was very disciplined and everybody was willing to make the extra run for their teammates and I think that was one of the crucial things of course. One player that was around Kim Little, who is probably their most dangerous player, was Jen Buczkowski. I think she did an incredible job in neutralizing her and our back four did a great job.”

On the ability of the team to persevere through the ups and downs of the season…

Andonovski: “I think there are two things. One, there’s the belief, we never stopped believing. And second thing, the family environment that we have. Everything we did, we did together. I knew that sooner or later, we were going to click, we were going to gel together, we were going to make it happen. Like you said we did start a little bit slow, we were 3-5-2, right in the middle of the season with 11 points and we got criticized, we got questioned from the media. One thing I can say right now is, ‘don’t count us out.”

On the role of Nicole Barnhart…

Andonovski: “Nicole Barnhart has been a crucial piece of the puzzle. She’s been in goal for us for three years and every year she leads the league in shutouts. She has more shutouts that anybody else. To come into this championship game and play against Seattle who has scored more goals than any other team in the league. To make a couple of crucial saves that speaks a lot to who she is and how important she is for our team.”

On the role Heather O’Reilly played in the team…

Andonovski: “First, I don’t know if you guys know that Heather O’Reilly has been in eight championship matches and has won seven of them. So we actually got her so she can help us out, she’s got a pretty good percentage [laughs]. An instrumental player for our team this season. She’s done tremendous with her mentality and her attitude. She fits in on the team very well and at the end of the championship game a crucial cross for A-Rod’s goal to make a difference. So glad we made the decision we did before the season started.”