COLUMBUS CREW 0, CHICAGO FIRE 2
COLUMBUS CREW HEAD COACH GREG ANDRULIS
On Robin Fraser's miscue that led to Chicago's second goal:
"It's unfortunate that we get exposed like that and he'll have better days. It's just one of those things. Robin will do 99 percent good things. It's just one of those things that happen."
On inserting Cornell Glen at halftime:
"We felt we needed to get some pace up there and try to get something going offensively. I thought it was a little stagnant again and we weren't getting the ball forward quick enough. And putting a guy like Cornell (Glen) with that kind of pace out there in a wide position, we thought it was a good matchup against Logan Pause. However, we didn't get enough of the ball there. It just wasn't enough of an attacking flow to the game."
"I think what we have been working on real hard is to try to be a bit more aggressive on both sides of the ball. On the first goal that clearly didn't happen. You allow a guy like Justin Mapp to turn and run at you, you're just asking for trouble. He's just too good, and he's good enough to finish those chances off."
COLUMBUS CREW MIDFIELDER DANNY SZETELA
On the game:
"We're getting better. Sometimes we come out with the wrong attitude on the field. We just have to come out with an attitude where we have to win. I thought we didn't pressure enough. I thought, slowly, as the game went on we were playing but not good enough. Hopefully we get a good week of training this week and go to D.C. and get three points there. We're just missing that spark. We needed a goal to get them out of their game and we couldn't find that goal. Hopefully next week we can find that goal against D.C and get D.C. out of their game. We have to put this game behind us and look to the next game. We have to come out with heart and give it all we've got every minute of the game."
COLUMBUS CREW MIDFIELDER CHRIS WINGERT
On the game:
"We need to get the ball to our attacking players -- Ante (Razov), Edson (Buddle), Kyle (Martino) -- those are three of the more dangerous guys in the league. We need to get the ball forward quicker. Obviously that needs some improvement. We talked about that throughout this week but we need to continue to get better that and keep a positive attitude and keep moving forward. Even though it is disappointing it is still early in the season. The quicker we improve on that the better, but we have some time."
On the Crew's play:
"We need to establish a little bit of urgency and just have a mindset of doing what we talk about and getting the ball forward to our attacking players. Right now it's (the team's attitude) not where it could be in a sense of enjoyment, but in a way it's good that guys aren't satisfied and the guys are a little bit frustrated. If we were satisfied with a losing record that wouldn't be good. You need to keep your lows high and your highs low. When we're down we need to stay positive. We did that last year. We're obviously off to a better start than we were last after the first five games and we ended up doing well and putting it together. We have great leadership on this team between our captains and the other veterans and I think they did a good job of establishing that mind set and I am sure they will continue to that for us this year."
CHICAGO FIRE HEAD COACH DAVE SARACHAN
On tonight's match:
"This isn't an easy place to come in and get three points. I was very pleased with the team, especially after Wednesday, and the response they had coming into today. I thought from start to finish it was a great team effort from our entire group."
On the play of Justin Mapp:
"He showed us the qualities that we've known about Justin that just didn't quite come out. But tonight was a little bit of a coming out party for him because the things you saw are what he's capable of. I thought he had an excellent game tonight, not only with the ball, but he gave us the extra effort without the ball, which is never easy for attacking guys."
On the differences between tonight's game and Wednesday's loss:
"It was another game. We really were not happy after Wednesday night. The best thing about a game like Wednesday is that you don't have a week to stew about it. You've got another game coming up where you can get the wrong things right. We have a group that is extremely competitive and proud. We wanted to come in here and play the way we felt we were capable of playing, and tonight was a pretty good example of that."
CHICAGO FIRE FORWARD JUSTIN MAPP
On his game-winning goal:
"I just tried to get a little more space at the top of the box to get the shot off. The 'keeper was a little bit blinded; he had a couple of players in front of him. I hit the ball and I don't think he saw it too well and it happened to go in."
On the difference between tonight's and Wednesday's matches:
"I just think we got off to a good start. Wednesday we were down two goals in the first half and today we were up 1-0 at halftime. The first half and the start of the game set the tone for us."
CHICAGO FIRE FORWARD CHRIS ROLFE
On his team-leading second goal of the season:
"Jimmy [Curtin] and C.J. [Brown] were up the field and pressured the ball. Jim just put [Robin Fraser] under pressure and somehow when he went in for the tackle the ball squirted out to me. I was in a good spot and it was just there, so I hit it."
On playing in front of his friends and family:
"I didn't think I did too well, but the goal was nice, that topped it off well. It was great to get that goal."
CHICAGO FIRE DEFENDER CHRIS ARMAS
On the difference between tonight's win and Wednesday's loss:
"We were a totally different team tonight as far as just playing simple and getting back to what we've been doing earlier this year. Wednesday we got away from that a little bit, playing a lot of balls in the air, not moving for each other. It was just a lazy, lethargic night and we gave up bad goals. Tonight we made it hard for their key guys and on the flip side we finished our chances. We were moving the ball a lot crisper tonight and played with a lot more energy."
On squaring off against former teammate Ante Razov:
"It doesn't feel right. It's awkward, but he's on that side and we're on this side and respect each other that way and know that's just the nature of the business. It's a little weird, but that's part of it. We've moved on from that. We've spent our whole career together, so it's a little more meaningful. I'm sure he wanted to score tonight and we wanted to stop him tonight, so it's good competition."
On the Fire's road success this season:
"It's been crucial. The way our year went last year, we're looking to get any points we can. We've got experienced players that bring a different mentality this year. Mentally we're better, so we can go on the road and have nights like this."
