Last Saturday, MetroStars forward John Wolyniec put in a great performance against the San Jose Earthquakes, scoring the first goal in the team's 2-0 win. He recently took time to take part in this week's Q&A session with MetroStars.com.
How did the team bounce back from your last game (6-2 loss at D.C. United) and how did your defense respond against San Jose?
We addressed some of the things that we did wrong in the game and also, I think it was a pride issue. We felt we're better than a team who gives up six goals in a game and we went out there to prove that. The guys in the back played well and Jonny [Walker] kept them organized and kept everything out of the net. It was really important for us to get a shutout.
How did the team deal with Eddie Pope and Eddie Gaven's absences (due to U.S. national team duty) and other players' injuries?
We have confidence in everybody on the team, so even when guys are away or guys are injured, we know our guys are going to step up. We've done it before this year, and we've played some of our best games when we're missing players so I think the pressure of having to step up when guys are missing really makes us play well.
Describe how important getting that first goal (vs. San Jose) was for yourself and the team?
It was really important for me and the team. It's been a while since I've gotten a goal and that first one is going to break the game either way. If they got the first goal, it probably would've been tough for us to come back with the way they played defensively. For us to get on top forced them to open up the game more - it was really important.
What do the MetroStars expect from the Chicago Fire this weekend and what is the team's game plan?
Our plan is to just build on the last game we had - build off the win. Chicago is going to come out and play hard and make it a tough, tight match. They are known for that and they do very well against us so hopefully we can match their intensity and play better soccer against them, get a few more chances and come away with a victory.
