D.C. United's 5-0 defeat at the hands of two-time defending Primera Division champion Pumas was not only due to defensive errors, but also in the attack.
"We didn't know how to take advantage of the chances we had. The Pumas triumph was very well deserved and that's why I congratulate them, but it's a very difficult defeat for us because of what it means," said United forward Jaime Moreno.
United midfielder Christian Gomez said he expected a different game.
"We came with another idea, but it was a bad night and we have to accept that," he said.
Still, Gomez didn't feel the final result truly reflected the match.
"We didn't know how to play the ball and that's what cost us the defeat," Gomez said.
Although Pumas haven't done well in the Torneo Clausura, midfielder Jaime Lozano said the side is in good form at the moment and they showed that against United.
"Pumas played a great game and that shows the team is in a great run. An objective was fulfilled and this was a great step, although the difference was very clear between their football and ours, because they intended to come out ahead of us and they couldn't," Lozano said.
Pumas captain Joaquin Beltran said unlike in recent matches, Pumas showed discipline and order in defending and creativity in attack, and that the team had accepted that their supporters had not been pleased with the team's play.
"We owed this result to the fans, and we also needed it so we can have more confidence," Beltran said.
Maria del Mar Salinas is a columnist for espnaol.MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
