Toronto FC defender Marco Velez feels he has now adjusted to playing in Major League Soccer. Velez signed for Toronto in March after playing for five years in the United Soccer League. He admits it is a big jump in standard.
"It is great to be playing at this level," said the Puerto Rico international. "It's very good to have good players around. If you are playing with better players it makes your job easier. When you are up against good players you have to be more aware and more responsible about things. I'm getting used to it, and I will keep learning, but I feel good out there. My teammates are helping me a lot so it's good."
Velez scored his first goal for TFC in the 1-1 draw with New York at BMO Field on Thursday night, heading in from a Laurent Robert free kick. "Laurent sent me a great ball and I didn't have to do much, just head it in. We knew that they always try to push up so I think one of their guys stayed back to keep me onside. I saw Laurent look at me and I knew he was going to look for me with his cross and I was wide open."
Velez isn't a prolific goalscorer so when it came to a goal celebration, he admits emotion took over. "I just ran around yelling. I just wanted to get everyone involved in the celebration because when I score I feel like everyone scores. So I like everyone to be involved and everybody celebrate at the same time," he said. "It was my first goal in MLS and for this team so I was pretty excited. I just love being out there with all the fans. They are the best fans in the league, and when I scored I just felt the passion, it just felt amazing and I'm happy that it happened to me. I always get one or two goals a year so hopefully I can get a couple more this season."
After conceding six goals in the opening two games of the season, TFC are now unbeaten in four games, and have let in just one goal in three home games. Velez thought it was another solid defensive performance against New York. "I didn't think they had too many chances as a team and I think we dominated the game and played well. We did what we had to do, we just couldn't get the ball in the net to win the game. We're not happy about the result but we're going to keep working hard and hopefully keep doing well."
"It was a tough start this season but we have made some adjustments to the team and since then we have been solid. We have worked hard as a team and are pretty happy with our results. I just want the team to win. As long as we win it doesn't matter how we do it. The guys in front of me make our job easier when they work hard. We work as a team and that is the way to get results."
