MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER GAME SUMMARY
SATURDAY MAY 15, 2004 - CHICAGO FIRE 1, METROSTARS 1
METROSTARS HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY
On the result against Chicago:
"I'm not happy with the results. We want to win. We want to beat these guys. There were still some good things. We're just at a point where, plain and simple, now we need to step up, get the job done and feel like we're over that hurdle. It's been too many games in a row that we've played close tight games with Chicago and they've won. At a certain point you just need to do it (win) so it stops being tough.
"In a general way, there are things that need to continue to get better. We see that big picture but I think that when you play Chicago there's still a point that we just need to say that they have been good games, we respect them, we've moved up the ladder to where they respect us and now we just have to step up and beat them."
Breaking down his team's game:
"We're a team that's trying to get better, that's trying to grow. Take a game like tonight, there are some structures in the game where I think we played quite well but there are other moments in the game where we lose our way a little bit. All of a sudden either we stop playing the ball or our passing gets a little careless. There are times in those stretches where guys on the ball either don't have a play or end up twisting and spinning and turning with Chicago coming and getting in and overpowering them until we lose it.
"So part of a good team needs to try to get to the point where we're staying in good stretches longer. We didn't have a great start to the second half. I don't know why. Now what we needed to do is to be able to not give a goal away, hang in there, start playing our game again and little by little see if there was a way to get the second goal. These are things that teams as a whole feel and develop."
METROSTARS DEFENDER TIM REGAN
On the status of the team:
"Every game we're fighting. Even in the 3-0 loss to Chicago, they scored on their chances. They have good players and they create scoring chances. I think we'll bounce back. We'll be fine."
On the game:
"One mistake, one goal. That's the nature of soccer. We should've gotten a win."
On the difficulty in facing Chicago:
"I'd say it was a bad tie. After the first half it was 1-0. We didn't give up five goals so that's a good sign. We're playing better. That's a game that I think should've come out as a win."
METROSTARS MIDFIELDER MARK LISI
On his contribution to the game today:
"The balls just never went in. (Fire 'keeper) Henry (Ring) made a good save on the long one. The balls just didn't come my way."
On what it is going to take to beat Chicago:
"I thought we played well. I felt like there were times when they had us on our heels a little bit. We are two good teams."
On the positives from the game:
"I felt like there were good things. We got a point. We just have to stay positive and take the good things from this and move on to the next game."
On whether Chicago has the psychological edge after winning the U.S. Open Cup last year:
"No. Not at all. We don't think that "it's Chicago and they won the Open Cup." We don't think that at all. It's another conference game. We're going to take it the same way we take any other game."
METROSTARS FORWARD FABIAN TAYLOR
On his goal celebration:
"I took off my boot and hung it up on the corner post. It's just a celebration I thought of last night before I went to bed. I might come up with some other ones."
On his goal:
"Amado Guevara gave me the ball on the left foot. I shot it and it just went in."
CHICAGO FIRE HEAD COACH DAVE SARACHAN
On earning another point on the road:
"It's evident that the character of this team is beginning to show itself and to be able to do what we've done in five matches on the road, not losing any, is just a great testament to the character of this team. These aren't easy places to play, and coming back means we have a will to compete and a will to win."
On the Fire's recent success against the MetroStars:
"I just think it's two teams that compete and roll up the sleeves and play hard. In all the games we've played with them the games are close. They've been tight and each team gets chances. We've been fortunate that we've had the better of it."
CHICAGO FIRE FORWARD ANTE RAZOV
On scoring his 75th career goal:
"I had no idea, but it's nice to get things like that. It's always good when the team does well and the individual things come along, so I'm very happy with that."
On the scoring play:
"You give it to Beas' (DaMarcus Beasley) and you just kind of clear out. It's like a basketball thing, you just clear the whole side out and let him do his thing and eventually he'll get by his guy. I just tried to get in the box and I was able to get a good foot on it and tuck it in the corner."
On his success against the MetroStars:
"Sometimes against certain teams you score some goals. I know there are teams in the league I've hardly scored any goals against. Maybe it's because we've played them on so many occasions. I don't think there are any extra incentives. They're an Eastern Conference rival and we've played them tough lately."
CHICAGO FIRE MIDFIELDER ANDY WILLIAMS:
On the play that earned him his 50th career assist:
"It was just a one-two with (DaMarcus) Beasley. I remember the last time we played them (the MetroStars) we did the same thing. He played it in and he suckered his guy in towards me and I hesitated. I knew he was going to take off towards the back. I just pushed it in front of Beasley and he did the rest."
On his hot play against the MetroStars:
"I don't think it matters who I play. My job is to create chances for our guys up front and it just happens that it happens against the MetroStars the most of all. It's not like I go out and say 'Oh, I'm playing the MetroStars.' It's just another game."
On helping the Fire's offense over the past month:
"The team has given me that chance. They're looking for me a lot more. The coaches made a decision after the D.C. game to play me a lot higher up the field and getting me closer to the box. I've been trying to do that and it has been paying off."
CHICAGO FIRE MIDFIELDER CHRIS ARMAS:
On the Fire remaining undefeated through its first five road contests:
"It's good, it shows a lot of character for this team, especially two games in a row coming back from behind. It will go a long way for building our confidence on the road for the rest of the season and for the playoffs."
On the flow of the match:
"We settled into a little bit of a rhythm about midway through the first half, started playing a little simpler and more efficiently. We started pressing them and making it more difficult and getting after them. We made a good push for the goal and we could have had another one."
CHICAGO FIRE MIDFIELDER DAMARCUS BEASLEY
On the equalizing goal:
"I got the ball and was attacking players and I saw Andy (Williams) in the middle. They all collapsed to Andy and he just played a ball to me. I took a touch and I heard Ante (Razov) yell 'far.' I couldn't really tell where he was, so I just tried to play it to the back post and I'm glad he was there for the easy tap-in."
On the Fire's performance on the road this season:
"The first half we didn't come out like we should have, but at the same time we got done what we needed to do, we got a point on the road. It feels good; it's always good to get points. Hopefully we can keep this going."
