El Paso Locomotive FC 0-3 FC Juárez
Southwest University Park; El Paso, Texas
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
El Paso Locomotive FC Head Coach and Technical Director Brian Clarhaut
On his biggest takeaways on the inaugural Derby Paso Del Norte:
“We played [our starting group] for 30 minutes and then we made some changes. Some young players made their debuts with us and we got out healthy. We knew the second half would be more challenging, but overall I think [this match] was good for the community, the Borderplex and everyone involved.”
On match positives:
“It was good to give some guys some minutes that haven’t played in our opening week, so I think that’s positive. I think it was good to put these guys in this type of environment, for these younger players to develop in front of a big crowd and in front of a challenging opponent.”
On the playing the first 30 minutes with a strong starting group:
“I thought the guys brought in some good energy for the first thirty minutes and I thought they showed what they could do. I was pleased with their performances. There a few things in midfield that I think we could’ve tweaked, but the first thirty minutes with that group, I was happy.”
On managing player fitness ahead of the upcoming match against Las Vegas:
“I don’t think people realize how difficult it is to get three games in that opening week and being the only team in the USL to do that, so I can’t stress that enough. I needed to be smart, so [the starting group] got thirty minutes of some football conditioning for us and we were able to see some guys get some more fitness in this start of the season. [The match against Las Vegas] is a good opportunity for us and we need to get a result.”
FC Juárez Head Coach Mauricio Barbieri (Translated)
On the victory against El Paso:
“The victory is important for confidence but what I liked the most was the team’s performance. The manner in which they played and knowing how to go up against Locomotive and keeping their composure, especially in the first half which was very intense. The second half was good for our teams’ confidence because it shows them that they can score goals and win games ahead of our match against Club Puebla on Saturday.”
On their upcoming match against Puebla:
“I’m sure that’s going to be a game with a lot of nerves because we’re both battling to avoid being last place in the table. Circumstances have changed since the original date of the match because of the unfortunate passing of [Diego “Puma” Chavez], but we need to enter with serenity and tranquility, not lose sight of things during the match. A victory at home would be very important and in order to do that, we need our minds to be clear and calm to fight to get that win.”
On what opportunities the Derby Paso Del Norte provided the Bravos:
“I was very happy with what our players did when they were tested in new positions. Players who haven’t had as many opportunities to play came in and played well. I was pleased with everyone who came in, who were all committed to playing hard in the match. Now, we have two days before our next match and we’ll take what we learned today ahead to help us shape our next starting eleven against Puebla.
On the atmosphere of the inaugural Derby Paso Del Norte:
“The environment and the fans was extraordinary. This is the first encounter between two sister clubs and I hope that this can be done many more times in the future. The fans loved it and we did as well.”