FIRST LEG
OCTOBER 22, 2006 -- CHICAGO FIRE 1, NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 0
CHICAGO FIRE HEAD COACH DAVE SARACHAN
Overall thoughts on the match:
"It's a good day from our standpoint, coming away with a 1-0 advantage at this point. We know it is a two-game series and, as a home team, you want to come away with a good feeling. This is a series with no surprises. It's going to be very tight. I knew it wouldn't be a 4-3 shootout today."
On getting the lead and trying to add to it:
"Justin [Mapp] hit a great free kick. Obviously as a team we wanted the second goal and to get a little greedy, but in a series like this you have to be cautious, so you don't compromise the game and give them the opportunity to get the goal back. To keep a zero at home with Matt [Pickens] in goal and our defending group, I thought they did an outstanding job today. So far we feel good about it, but we know there's more to come next weekend."
On going into New England up 1-0:
"It's better than a 1-0 loss. It's a two-game series and right now we're at halftime. We're winning 1-0 at halftime, and the game's not over. The series isn't over. I'm sure New England is thinking they get back at home and all they need is one goal. It's important looking ahead if we get the first goal, things might change. We're still very pleased to have a 1-0 lead going into New England."
On his strategy going into New England:
"I think the strategy will evolve over the course of the week. We'll go into New England with a similar mindset as we've done all year when we're on the road. It doesn't mean we sit back and think we're going to win this 1-0. If you do, you're crazy. You have to go in with the mindset that it's 0-0 and take it from there."
CHICAGO FIRE MIDFIELDER JUSTIN MAPP
On his play:
"I thought it was a pretty complete game. I tried to contribute and make it hard for Shalrie Joseph and Jeff Larentowicz."
On his goal:
"It was just a normal free kick. They had a good wall set. I'm not sure if it snuck through or if it went over, but we'll take it."
CHICAGO FIRE MIDFIELDER CHRIS ARMAS
On Justin Mapp's goal:
"I told him we're against the wind, to really take a crack at it, to hit it hard because if you hit it hard you're going to score. I told him think about scoring this one. He really hit a good shot. I don't think Matt Reis moved because he put it right over the wall."
On the physicality of the game:
"I think you can expect that in any playoff series. It's going to be hard-fought with a lot of fouls. We didn't like to look at it more than that going into the game. Sometimes the media pumps it up to be this big heavyweight bout, but it's two teams that want to win it and know each other very well. We always meet in these big games. There's a lot on the line and it was a good playoff game today."
On going into New England up one goal:
"We did not want to go to New England even or behind. We accomplished our goal and kept a clean sheet. We have managed to get results in Gillette Stadium this year, I think two wins. We know what it feels like to go over there and win, so hopefully we go over there and win or tie."
CHICAGO FIRE GOALKEEPER MATT PICKENS
On the Fire's performance:
"I thought we did well. I think we limited their services and when they got services into the box, we did well to dig up the second ball. That was really the game plan for us defensively and I thought that when we got that goal in, we didn't sit in. Which is good - we don't want to sit in with those guys because they will pump in balls all day."
On his approach to his first playoff game:
"I've played in some big games so far, at least I feel like I have. So nothing is different in the way I approached it."
On the importance of a one goal lead heading into the next game:
"I think any lead is good. Now they're chasing the game. We pretty much have to match anything they throw at us. It's going to be tough. We're going to have a battle going into next week because they're down a goal."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
Overall thoughts on the match:
"Disappointed that we've lost again. We certainly feel as though we could have won the game. We're frustrated that we haven't gotten anything out of the game."
On the Revs' close chances:
"[Jay] Heaps, he unfortunately headed a ball into Clint's [Dempsey] back. We had three good chances, so we need just to make a better job finishing things off."
On experiencing the same result as last year's playoff against Chicago Fire:
"The first thing is we have to be patient and make sure we go about it the right way. It's not a cavalry charge. And obviously knowing that we've done it previously can only give us confidence we can do it again."
On the mindset of the next match:
"We know we can create chances against them, we just have to take them. So as long as we're patient and we have the sense to go about it the right way, I'm sure we'll create more chances and this time we have no choice, we have to take them."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER STEVE RALSTON
On being in the same position as last year:
"Yes, we were just talking about that. We've been here before. It's go home and win. We feel confident that we can do that. Obviously, we're disappointed. We feel like we could have at least gotten a point out of tonight - we had some stretches where we played pretty good soccer. But I guess it's supposed to be home-field advantage and now we get to go back and do it."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER SHALRIE JOSEPH
On his return:
"I felt great. Disappointing game today. Disappointing result. The good thing about it is I'm back and I think I'm playing well and the team is playing well and I look forward to next week."
On his fitness:
"I felt good, but the last 10 minutes I was struggling. But that will come. It's my first game back and I have another week until our next game. I just look forward to next week."
On what the Revolution take away from the match:
"I think we played well as a team. We had a lot of chances in the first 10 minutes; we could have been up 2-0. They got a free kick, [Justin] Mapp did well to put it away. In the second half we were all over them but we just didn't finish the chances we created."
