D.C. UNITED 3, FC DALLAS 3
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On the game:
"I told the guys that the next goal coming out of the locker room was important and you know, to their credit, they came and got it but then we took the foot off the gas. Basically, we played a wide open game instead of being disciplined and protecting the lead and making it hard for them to come through. We were attacking with five and six [players] and scrambling and they countered on us plenty of times."
On what went wrong:
"We're an experienced team; we shouldn't play like that. We played like young kids. We put ourselves in too many situations where we were setting ourselves up to fail instead of getting organized and compacting. A few guys didn't have good performances."
On the team's organization:
"We let in three goals -- there's work to do. I think their performances weren't good enough in some respect, but organizationally we weren't good enough. We strung ourselves out and turned it into a race -- you attack, we'll attack, you attack, and when you have a three-goal lead you've got to be smarter than that. We're about a team that's disciplined and organized and try to stay compact and we didn't do any of that so we're going to watch a lot of video this week."
On the separation between the attack and defense:
"You can only do so much in a lot of situations like that and you need to sort it out on the field. We always talk about keeping our shape in the attack and it looked like we had too many numbers going forward. When you always look at all the players and you have four of five guys who aren't playing up to par, you're setting yourself up for trouble and that's exactly what happened."
On the number of chances the team created:
"We had a lot of chances, and I'm disappointed in the fact that we turned it into a track meet instead of being smart and disciplined. Because they had to chase the game and they were going to take chances and it was going to give us opportunities -- we didn't manage the game well and I think that's what I'm most disappointed about. We gave them way too much space and you don't even need a fast guy to exploit that much space and counter it."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BRIAN CARROLL
On the team's inability to maintain possession:
"After giving away a ball after one and two passes it drained our energy and gave them more opportunities to get chances and they put them away."
On the danger of turning the game into a track meet:
"I think early on we took advantage of that and were able to get chances and were able to finish them. And then the more we tried to do that and the less we kept possession the more tired we got and the more possession they got and the easier it was for them. They have some guys that with some open space they can be dangerous and we just let that happen too much in the second half."
On how the team rebounds from the game:
"It's very disappointing, obviously and when we have so many games on the road recently and coming up in the future we need to take advantage of being at home. A tie is not the end of the world but it's certainly disappointing being at home and going up and then giving it up. It's going be a tough pill to swallow and we're going to have to wash out the taste and figure out exactly what went wrong besides the lack of possession - and just letting it be too easy for some of their guys going forward."
D.C. UNITED DEFENDER GREG VANNEY
On the game:
"It seemed like every ball that dropped to feet they were first to it. They had a little bit too much time, and we were scrambling a little bit in the back and it was just a couple of occasions where communication between Troy [Perkins] coming out for balls and clearing balls wasn't good and somehow they got in between us and were able to finish goals. As soon as you give a team one or two goals and they believe they can come back they're going to send everyone up. We didn't get back on the breaks when they got forward, too. Next thing you know they're pushing numbers and we're in a bad situation. We let them back in the game and gave them hope and they capitalized on it."
D.C. UNITED DEFENDER DEVON McTAVISH
On the game:
"They had opportunities in the first half that they didn't take advantage of. I mean three goals -- you can't let that slip away. We got three goals, and I don't want to say it was against the run of play but we weren't keeping possession well, but it was three good goals. They just found a rhythm there after we scored and we couldn't break their rhythm and we couldn't get out of it."
On the pace of the game:
"It was just back and forth, back and forth -- we couldn't keep the ball long enough and they were doing a good job of pressuring us. So we've got to work on that and learn how to keep a three-goal lead and get the shutout."
On the team's organization in the back:
"The first half was all right and obviously the second half wasn't. And I don't really know what went wrong, we'll have to look at it, but it just wasn't good enough."
D.C. UNITED GOALKEEPER TROY PERKINS
On the three-goal lead:
"You're never comfortable with any kind of lead. We could have been up 6-0 and still not kept it. The way the game was going, we couldn't keep the ball very well and with two mistakes on my end, it happens. I'll take the blame for this one."
On the last goal:
"I heard them both coming, I just didn't get enough on the ball, if anything just to get the slightest punch."
D.C. UNITED DEFENDER JOSH GROS
On the game:
"As soon as we got the two-goal lead we got a little comfortable and then they started coming at us and we had we had some extra chances to put it away and we didn't."
On the last goal:
"He [Perkins] called for the ball and when the goalie calls for the ball you back off - mistakes happen."
D.C. UNITED FORWARD JAIME MORENO
On what went wrong?
"We just got comfortable I think with 3-0, and we've got to give them credit they never stopped working and never stopped believing. They came at us and we just totally lacked concentration and that can happen."
On whether or not he's disappointed:
"Very, you can tell everyone is disappointed and we should be. I think that this even happens in a scrimmage in your neighborhood so that's how it is in reality. You have to learn the hard way I guess, but hopefully it won't happen again."
On coming off in the 55th minute:
"It (stinks) when you're not playing, but fortunately we have 11 guys who do their job, and unfortunately we couldn't take care of the 3-1 lead so that's how it is."
FC DALLAS HEAD COACH STEVE MORROW
On his mindset after going down three goals:
"I thought we were magnificent from start to finish tonight. We really took the game to them. We were really dangerous during the first half and didn't deserve to be down 2-0 at halftime. We were very, very disappointed when we came in here at halftime. We thought we played very well. We felt like we could get back in the game if we continued to play well defensively. Even going 3-0 down, I didn't lose hope because of the way we were playing. We showed character the whole game and a lot of credit to the players tonight. They fought very, very hard for the whole game. I though we deserved even more than one point."
On his players appearing to be dismayed by the refereeing decisions:
"We had a couple of dubious calls -- very, very close calls. It's hard for the referees and until I can see a replay, I can't really comment. I thought the second goal in particular looked very close to being offside. I think that was part of the reason we came in very frustrated at halftime because both goals were slightly dubious."
FC DALLAS DEFENDER CLARENCE GOODSON
On being frustrated after United's second goal:
"Yes, we were very frustrated. Anytime you give up a goal right before halftime it's frustrating -- especially under those circumstances, with such a questionable play. I think that we dealt with it. We didn't give up. We kept playing our game and it paid off in the long run."
On the play of teammate Juan Toja:
"He has an unbelievable work rate -- the guy runs all game. He doesn't seem to get tired. He has a great touch on the ball and he works his brains out. He is one of the best additions to this team in a long time."
FC DALLAS MIDFIELDER BOBBY RHINE
On the game:
"We were disappointed at halftime being down 2-0. We thought we deserved better -- we gave up a goal immediately. In the first five minutes we are down 3-0, so it's going to be a tough road back. We felt at that point that we could still create enough chances and come back and get a result. We did exactly that and showed great, great character. That's the thing I will remember the most, but the 200th [career] game makes it extra special."
