Katie Johnson, ACFC Forward
On positive takeaways from the match:
“We definitely showed the grit our team has, and that we will fight to the end. We never gave up. That's a really important characteristic and value to have for a team that we can build off of.”
On playing in her hometown:
“Having my family and friends here makes my off-field experience a lot more enjoyable. It makes me happier and more excited to be on the field. It definitely feels like a full circle moment for me having grown up in this area. When I was younger, I would always wish there was a professional team here, so it feels really special for me to be here. Everything happens for a reason, and I believe that I was meant to be here.”
On the updated Challenge Cup format:
“It's definitely going to be different. It’s in the middle of the season, and the games will have a different look and feel. At the beginning of the season, you're still trying to form bonds and relationships with players. Now that it's going to be mixed in. Depth will be important for us, too.”
Savannah McCaskill, ACFC Midfielder
On first half:
“You never want to give up a penalty kick that early. We wanted to keep the ball and stay compact, but that's not what we did in the first half. Instead, we came out on our back foot, and weren't really prepared for what they were going to throw at us. Going into the second half, we knew we had to be better.”
On upcoming games this week:
“We get to play at home for the next two games, which is huge. Whenever you have a three-game week like this, it's really important that you get to sleep in your own bed. That seems silly and simple, but not having to travel, getting to do your daily routine, and not having to worry about all the external factors is huge. After the game, we spoke about making sure that we recover properly and do whatever we need to do in order to show up again on Wednesday. The mindset is three points.”
On energy throughout the match:
“We just didn't show up like we needed to in the first half. From an individual and a collective standpoint, the energy wasn't there, and we didn't do what we needed to do, both on and off the ball. Everyone saw in the second half, fatigue wasn't an issue. We had the energy, we had everything that we needed to go and get two goals back. That's just something that we have to focus on as a group going forward, that it's not a fatigue issue.”
Freya Coombe, ACFC Head Coach
On the differences between the halves:
“We didn't get started with any energy. Savannah [McCaskill] just said that we were completely on the back foot. Fair play to Louisville, they had all the energy, won the tackles, looked like the brighter team, and punished us. They punished us for being second best, but in the second half we dominated all the categories.
“We were able to win balls and had better shape behind the ball to be able to stop those transitional moments. We were a little bit more patient rather than sending balls into an empty box. We were able to possess the ball a little more and look for those moments to attack, and that was key.”
On McCaskill’s performance:
“Savannah led the categories in terms of statistics, which included shots on target, crosses attempted, completed passes in the final third, completed passes, successful dribbles and second in chances created, as well as a goal. That’s one hell of a performance.”
On Thompson’s performance:
“She did well, obviously she had a mini-adventure previously in the lead up to this which was fantastic for her, we’re very supportive of that. It was important for us to manage her minutes coming back in because she had a journey and played the 90+ minutes for the US Women’s National Team. She’s always looking dangerous when she comes in.”
“Again, her ability to get front up, get forward facing and be able to advance the ball is brilliant, and she had a couple of opportunities to put shots on target. You always have to change how you defend her. You can see the double coverage on her and it's the same as when people defend Bukayo Saka from Arsenal. You have to commit an extra number and that opens up an opportunity somewhere else, so she often plays unselfishly in that regard.”
