LOS ANGELES GALAXY 1, CHICAGO FIRE 1
LOS ANGELES GALAXY HEAD COACH STEVE SAMPSON
On the game:
"There were a lot more positives than negatives tonight. Certainly Todd Dunivant came back on the field and played 90 minutes and Paulo Nagamura got back on the field and played 90 minutes tonight. Seeing Cornell Glen, who is a player I think can help us, and Chris Albright getting on the scoreboard, those were a lot of positive things for us. We brought more energy to the game tonight than we did against New England, so that was positive. Of course we are disappointed because once again we are taking a goal in a dead ball situation."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY DEFENDER CHRIS ALBRIGHT
On his goal:
"We switched up our corner kicks. We had Landon (Donovan) and Josh (Gardner) take out-swingers this week because that is what we preferred to head on goal. I think it is a little easier, especially when you have a guy like Zach [Thornton] in there. It was a great ball by Josh for me to run onto and we were able to convert on that one."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY MIDFIELDER JOSH GARDNER
On his first career MLS assist:
"We have been practicing in-swingers (on corner kicks) the past couple weeks and today coach said that he wanted to focus on out-swingers. I think that (Tyrone Marshall) and (Chris) Albright want to have something they can actually come on to. I was just trying to put good balls in, and on the second one I tried to hit a good ball and (Chris) put it away. It was a great goal."
On his play early in the season:
"It feels great. I thought last week was kind of a downer and I had to bounce back. I played pretty well tonight and I think the guys still have a lot of confidence in me. It was a big jump for me from last week to the second week of playing."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY FORWARD HERCULEZ GOMEZ
On the game:
"It was déjà vu, right? I don't know what to tell you. Coach has got to look at some stuff on film and make some decisions. We've got players that are capable of handling their responsibilities, we just need to figure out which players go where and who does what and collectively do our part. Each one of us needs to do our job on the field and worry about ourselves, and if we do that than we should do well."
On the Galaxy's style of play:
"When we are playing at home, in front of our fans at our house, a game like this shouldn't happen. We should take it to them. Every chance we get, we should be pressing and that is something that I think we have been lacking. We haven't been doing it."
LOS ANGELES GALAXY GOALKEEPER KEVIN HARTMAN
On the game:
"It is disappointing to pick up a goal on another free kick. Maybe it would have been good for us to hold another guy back and keep play in front of us, and unfortunately we took a foul in a similar area like we did last game and then somebody else lost their man. It is just difficult. Maybe we are just not good enough yet. I think defensively our shape has been pretty organized; we have given up a goal a game. I don't think we are a team that is going to give up many goals."
On the Galaxy:
"We got a point, and I think we are heading in the right direction. We've got guys that believe in one another and work hard for one another. I think that we can right the ship and I don't think by any means are we down and out."
CHICAGO FIRE HEAD COACH DAVE SARACHAN
On the game:
"We did it the hard way, giving up a goal late like that, but I do believe we deserved points tonight. I thought we managed the game very well and were very disciplined. We didn't take our chances as well as we maybe could have, but to come back after giving up that goal and equalizing and coming away with a point is an important step for us as we go through this road stretch."
On earning the first point of the season:
"It is critical. I felt that in these first few games that we have to build on our confidence. When we come away with no points like last weekend, it does affect you a little bit. I think with the effort we put in tonight and coming away with a point, it will go a long way as we get into the following weeks."
CHICAGO FIRE GOALKEEPER ZACH THORNTON
On Chicago's defense:
"I thought we did well tonight with four guys in the back. I thought we adjusted well and hopefully we will stick with it. The guys in front of me did a great job tonight; they had a great game. They all worked well as a defensive unit tonight to deny service and when it was served in we were able to clear them."
CHICAGO FIRE DEFENDER JIM CURTIN
On his game-tying goal:
"There was a lot of traffic in front of me and Thiago, to his credit, clipped a ball in. We kind of made eye contact actually before he played it and I ran backwards toward the penalty spot and just was able to get a glancing kind of header on it. It went in for me which was good because I think we deserved a point tonight. We worked real hard, had a lot of chances and stuck with it and got the goal at the end, which was huge."
