FC DALLAS 1, COLORADO RAPIDS 0
FC DALLAS HEAD COACH COLIN CLARKE
On the win:
"It was a good result, clean sheet. It was tough conditions and I was a little disappointed that we didn't get a second goal to kill them off in the first half or at the start of the second."
On his team's play on the wings:
"I thought that Ronnie (O'Brien) was very, very good tonight, especially in the first half when he caused them all sorts of problems and played some great balls into the box that we didn't get enough bodies in there to get on the end of. We felt that when they defend they squeeze very tight to one side of the field so we knew that if we could switch the play quickly we could get open, and that's the way it worked out, particularly in the first half."
On the end of Carlos Ruiz's goalscoring streak:
"Carlos had a good game. I thought the first half as a team we moved the ball well and caused them lots of problems. And that was everybody. The front six were active and the fullbacks joined in; everyone played it and played it simple and the movement off the ball was good. We put a lot into the first half. I think we got a little tired the second half. Carlos did well and you'd have loved to seen him get another goal and keep the streak going but it wasn't to be. He'll have to start another one now."
FC DALLAS GOALKEEPER DARIO SALA
On the clean sheet:
"It's spectacular. It's important, when we are playing in our home stadium, to keep a clean sheet. Tonight was very important for us because Colorado is a great team, and they're right there in third place so it was important to keep our distance from them and Houston."
On Colorado's pressure late in the game:
"In the first half I only had to make one hard save, but they caught us a bit late, especially in the last minute. Luckily for me (on the shot by Fabrice Noel) I guessed where the ball was going to go and I dove to the right and was able to save it and keep the clean sheet."
FC DALLAS DEFENDER CHRIS GBANDI
On the win:
"It was good. It was a tough game and we could have played better, but with some games you're just tying to get out with three points and we were able to do that. They had some chances late and we were lucky that they weren't able to finish, but that's soccer. They're a good team so we're very happy with this result."
On the attacking play of the FC Dallas outside backs:
"We picked our spots but I think that we did a good job. For me, I know that 'Cookie' (Terry Cooke) is very good going forward so the coaches wanted me to push up a bit and make him play more defense than he'd like and I think that it worked out in our favor."
FC DALLAS FORWARD KENNY COOPER
On his goal:
"It's always nice to get goals, but its even more important to get a win. It's two in a row now and we just want to continue this great start to the season. We have a lot of games coming up in the next couple of weeks so its important to grab all of the points that we can and stay in front of Houston."
On getting the win after the bye weekend:
"This was good for us. We had two great weeks of training, everyone has been extremely professional and working hard and I think that it showed out there tonight."
COLORADO RAPIDS HEAD COACH FERNANDO CLAVIJO
On his team's performance:
"I didn't think we created enough chances in the first half. We had a couple chances in the second half. FC Dallas is a very good team; they gave us a run for the money. There's a reason why they are in first place. They had a couple chances and they finished one of them."
On containing Ruiz:
"We have some great players. We have a lot to tools that we can take advantage of. I think we did a great job on Ruiz. But, sometimes someone else gets free and it happened again today."
On not scoring goals recently:
"All in all, we created some chances up front. We just didn't finish any of them. That also happened in the last match versus Chivas USA. It's something that we will definitely work on."
On the team's spirit:
"Absolutely, we never quit, no matter what it is. We come here to win games. Sometimes, it just doesn't go our way. But, we are not going to quit. We are going to keep going as long as the referee allows us to, in order to get the goal back. Today, we tried, but it wasn't our day today. Again, you have to give credit to FC Dallas."
COLORADO RAPIDS DEFENDER HUNTER FREEMAN
On playing at Pizza Hut Park:
"It felt good coming home and playing in front of friends and family. But, at the end of the day, you want to win and it definitely puts a sour taste in your mouth when you lose."
On what the team needs to do during its bye week:
"Our performance in the second half was good. We are getting chances. We just need to put them away. It's not that we aren't creating chances. We create good chances, it's just that we are not putting them away. FC Dallas puts their chances away and we don't and that's the game. Personally, I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing. I've got to work on my passing, that's the area I really need to work on. Otherwise, I feel really good."
COLORADO RAPIDS GOALKEEPER JOE CANNON
On letting in a goal:
"Yeah, unfortunately, one went by. I let one get by me. There was a breakdown in the back. Kenny Cooper hit it hard. I'd like to have that one back. Anytime a player scored on an angle, I would have liked to be more aggressive on the play, but give him some credit, Cooper was able to finish."
