‘Winning anything is a mentality’: York United’s Mora, Babouli speak ahead of Pacific playoff clash

2024-10-22

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History will be made at York Lions Stadium on Wednesday as for the first time in club history, the Nine Stripes will host a home playoff game.

They face Pacific FC in the 4th vs. 5th match, a rematch of their meeting in this same stage last year out in Langford. Ahead of the match, York United head coach Benjamín Mora, and attacker Mo Babouli, spoke with media.

Here are the highlights from what the York coach and captain had to say:

Mora on York United’s first-ever home playoff match

“We are very excited about the context and the environment of course, playing at home gives us a bit of an advantage of what we already know. We know the pitch, we know the dressing room. We know, of course, the people, our people, will be here. So I think we must take advantage of that situation in a way we can. And the players are ready, we are ready.”

Mora on his team getting healthier again in time for playoffs

“I think it has been very few games that I have had this great problem, that I need to choose between very good players that are waiting for an opportunity. Others are in a consistent run. Others are coming back from injuries, so it’s a good problem for the coaches, and especially at this stage, having 95 per cent of the squad ready, it’s an amazing opportunity.”

Babouli on the team’s offensive struggles of late

“I mean, the offence is going to come. I think for us it’s more about keeping the clean sheet, and we know that one goal can win us a game, whether it’s one or four goals, right, as long as we keep the clean sheet. So I think as long as we stick to the tactics of the team and do the things we’re supposed to do, and then if you concede a wondergoal, so be it. We keep moving, but we can’t concede any bad goals, and we’ve done that a bit. But the plan is not to concede, and we’re going to get our chances. We know we can create a lot of chances in the game, and just got to put a few away.”

Babouli on what he can take from winning the CPL playoffs before

“Winning anything is a mentality right? Whether it’s a regular season game, or a playoff game, or the finals, you’ve got to have the mentality that you always want to be hungry, always want to win, always want to score. And that’s something we’ve been talking about throughout the entire season. Obviously, it’s difficult, with certain circumstances, players missing, injuries, whatnot.”

Babouli on how far the team has come since last year’s playoff loss to Pacific

“It’s a great achievement what we’ve done this year and we don’t want it to end. We want to keep going as long as possible. And everyone’s playing for their own reasons, but we have to come together and play for the common goal. We don’t want to have the same feeling as last year. Or maybe some guys that are new here have felt it before somewhere else. So we know we gotta go out there and put everything in because it could be the last game.”

Mora on the excitement of playoff football

“I enjoy it, 100 per cent. It’s my gasoline. It’s what I love to do, so I enjoy it 100 per cent, of course I get nervous. Of course I get excited, of course the heartbeats are at its best, and I love it because that adrenaline tells me that I’m alive.”