MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET
SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2004 - D.C. UNITED 6, METROSTARS 2
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH PETER NOWAK:
On the game:
"Six (goals) is a nice number, but I think that it was pretty much a good effort from all of us. The players showed a lot of heart after coming from behind. They played, they scored the goals, they fought and this is, right now, the best team in the Eastern Conference. We aren't going to give up first place so easy right now."
On how this affects the team's pursuit of a high profile striker:
"Well, I mean, the point is that we still want to make this team better and we'll see what we can do about it. 'Esky' played very well, played hard, scored two goals. Jaime is great. If we bring somebody, it's going to be hard for them to make the first team. There's still going to be call-ups and injuries and we have to be sure that we have the best and most competitive roster."
D.C. UNITED FORWARD ALECKO ESKANDARIAN:
On his two-goal game:
"I don't think I played the greatest game, but I was trying to make good runs for Dema, Jaime and Bobby. It just worked out well for us. Maybe it was my concentration, but I mean I really don't think we did anything differently. We just plugged away, and this team has a lot of character and we just help each other out. It was a great atmosphere, we created for each other and we just capitalized on our chances."
D.C. UNITED DEFENDER EZRA HENDRICKSON:
On recently joining D.C. United:
"This is a great team with some great guys. I'm glad to be here. D.C. as always been a great team, had some troubles the past few years, but it's a great place to be."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BEN OLSEN:
On his last-minute goal:
"I think some people were angry that I took it. I don't get to take too many. We were up 5-2 and I wasn't surprised that it went in."
METROSTARS HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY:
On his thoughts at the half:
"When the level of the game got raised in the first half, we didn't have a strong enough response. Now it is three, you know, and so now you are going to fight and try to find your way back in."
On D.C. United's second goal:
"Jonny has made so many big plays for us, made so many saves, and now he got caught."
METROSTARS MIDFIELDER AMADO GUEVARA:
What happened after going up 1-0:
"I think that we got a little bit overconfident and D.C. United raised their level of play and we just couldn't fight back."
On the third defeat in the last three games:
"We are in a very difficult situation, so we just have to get a win and try to play better."
METROSTARS GOALIE JONNY WALKER:
On the game:
"A very tough defeat to swallow. We lost to our main rival that is D.C., and I take the blame for it, but that's the way soccer is."
On allowing 11 goals in the last three games:
"A very spectacular average, what else can you say."
