John Herdman’s Statements Following Toronto FC’s Fantastic Victory in Texas

John Herdman spoke after Toronto FC’s fantastic victory against Houston Dynamo, highlighting the team’s mental toughness and competitive spirit, which led to the win thanks to a goal from Prince Owusu.

There was joy on the bench as Owusu returned to the scoresheet, with hopes that this goal will help him regain confidence after a difficult stretch of the season. Herdman expressed his satisfaction with the overall performance of the players in this MLS match.

READ MORE: Fantastic Victory in Texas | Houston Dynamo 0-1 Toronto FC

High Praise for Toronto FC's Defense

Herdman acknowledged that this was an important victory, especially given the way Houston Dynamo played. Despite Houston's dominance in possession and chances created, Toronto FC's defense proved to be impenetrable, with a standout performance from the entire backline. Herdman especially praised Kevin Long and Shane O'Neill, who, alongside Sean Johnson, worked tirelessly to keep a clean sheet.

"We have worked on our defending in the last couple weeks. Denying those central areas, getting the wide centre-backs tighter. I thought [Kevin] Long, Sigurd [Rosted] did well, and Shane [O’Neill]. Aimé [Mabika] coming in off the bench was really good. The guys in front have got to put their shift in and they did really well to keep forcing them into those wide areas."

- John Herdman

Herdman also emphasized that it was a tough match, but the team’s resilience and tactical execution allowed Toronto FC to come out on top and secure the win.

"It was just a gritty away performance, which is what we needed, Coming into the second half, our first 15 minutes, we said we’ll go for it. We’ll put more pressure on them and commit a little more. Certainly, it paid off."

- John Herdman

To conclude, Herdman mentioned that there’s little time to celebrate this victory, as Toronto FC must quickly turn their focus to the second leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal. With only a few days to recover, Herdman will have to prepare the team to overcome the challenge and advance to the final of the Canadian Championship.

"We’re really looking forward to Forge at home. It’s a game we want back. We’re excited to get out on the pitch and compete against them. The players are really clear about that game being important for the club. And for our next step, which is to see if we can bring silverware home.”"

- John Herdman