D.C. UNITED 1, LOS ANGELES GALAXY 0
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On the game:
"It was a difficult situation, there was a lot of hype built around this one. As much as we tried to avoid the distractions for the guys there was a still a lot going on that normally doesn't happen. It's a game where you try to keep them focused on what the real goal is which is to get three points. And at the end of the day I think we did a good job of holding down the fort and making it difficult for them. We were pretty opportunistic. The goal Luciano scored was a big reason we brought him here; to do things like he did today."
On staying focused:
"I think once the game starts, the crowd itself goes away. That's how it was when I was a player. You just get absorbed by the game. It's the stuff leading up to it that's a distraction, but I thought the guys handled it pretty well."
On what he changed for Beckham:
"For his sake, it was a difficult situation to come into, being down a man. We were looking to kill it off and move the ball around and limit his touches. I give him credit, every time he gets it his first look is forward. And he put some dangerous shots. They were difficult circumstances for him to come in on a rainy night, with all the buildup and down a man."
On what the team gained:
"We continue to look for streaks of games where we compete hard and we make it difficult for teams to play against us. Being a defender and having pride. That's a victory for us."
On the fans:
"I would have loved to see Jaime celebrate breaking the goal record. I know he tried real hard and (Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon) tried real hard to stop him, but that would have made it even more special for the fans where someone with Jaime's experience could come out with a goal that important."
On Fred's performance:
"We gave Fred a few days off. He came from Australia and he's had a busy schedule so he hasn't had many touches in the last five days. It's difficult for him to come in being away from the game a little bit. But we need to give him the time to get focused mentally because it's a long season; he's gotten quite used to playing on the outside and I thought actually when we moved him to the outside he was doing a little bit better. We're still going to continue to push him into that spot once in a while when we need him and I know he'll do a good job there. "
On the playoffs with Beckham here:
"Of course we want the win. I told them earlier that once we all get on a soccer field we're all the soccer players. I'm happy for him; it was a good debut. Unfortunately the circumstances were hard because we were up a man which makes it difficult for him to get touches -- I kind of liked that part."
On playing L.A. in SuperLiga:
"We're going to concentrate on the things we do well. There are still pieces to their game that are vitally important to take away and that doesn't change whether you are home or away. We had a good moral victory on the road against New England. We showed the type of effort needed to win games on the road. We will continue to do that."
D.C. UNITED FORWARD LUCIANO EMILIO
On the goal:
"The coaching staff told us that we needed to shoot from anywhere on the field because we need to score more. I had an opportunity to do so on that play and that's what I did."
On the performance:
"We are obviously happy because we won but I think we could have done better."
On playing against Beckham:
"It was a honor for me to play against him tonight and I am happy that we won the game."
On being the league's leading scorer:
"It would be a great honor but it's more the team effort and less the individual effort. There were great expectations from the day I arrived but I am more focused on that the team is successful than being the leading scorer."
On the focus on Beckham:
"We have been in situations like this before. It didn't affect me or some of the more experienced players. It could have affected some of the younger players but it didn't bother me."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER JOSH GROS
On the game:
"There was space on the outside and I think we tried to take advantage of that a little. We got in and I don't think we scored as many as we should have. I think we had some good opportunities that we missed, but I think we exposed the right side which was open."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BEN OLSEN
On winning in the atmosphere:
"What a great atmosphere. What a great show tonight for D.C. and the D.C. soccer community. It was a great crowd and I think we put on a pretty good show. We proved that we put the distractions aside and went out a put a pretty professional performance on."
On blocking out distractions:
"Sometimes that stuff can help. You know it's going to be a big crowd, a big spectacle so that I think that focused a lot of the guys. We did fairly well for most of the game. There are times when we can be better, keep that ball and finish the game and not make it so dodgey toward the end especially when they have a man down but that's something we can work on and every game that we win is a step forward."
On the crowd reaction when Beckham game in the game:
"You mean they don't give me that reaction when I go to away games? It's great people came to see him and I give him a lot of credit for playing because I know he's not 100 percent by any strech of the imagination."
D.C. UNITED FORWARD JAIME MORENO
On the win:
"We got the three points. That means we keep on a winning streak so we just now need to rest and the next game is another important game for us."
His reaction to Beckham:
"I think everybody was very excited to see Beckham play. The crowd went crazy when he came on so it was a nice to see him play again. I know that he is not fit, not 100 percent healthy, so hopefully he'll get healthy that way he can get a full match."
On winning two in a row:
"That is what we want. We work for this and we got to keep working to keep that winning streak and it's not going to be easy but that is what we work towards so hopefully we keep the same way."
D.C. UNITED DEFENDER DEVON McTAVISH
On the atmosphere:
"I tried to soak it in but at the same time I had to keep playing the game."
On the atmosphere at RFK:
"I went to a lot of games as a kid. MLS Cup '97, I think it was. It was packed. That was the only thing that's been closest to this; but it was an incredible atmosphere, the flashbulbs that were going off when he was coming in. Everyone was into the game. It was unbelievable."
On Marc Burch:
"He creates a lot of opportunities out of the left side for us, serving deep crosses or getting down the line and beating players. I think he was a forward at Maryland so he's got the attacking mentality and defensively he's solid. He makes quick decisions, so he's been a big help."
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH FRANK YALLOP
On the game:
"We performed well. We made strides to go forward from our Toronto game and I thought we did a lot better this match. The thing is that when people miss things in games it will cost you. I think the officiating missed the penalty kick on Landon and in a game like this it really makes a difference. That cannot be missed and it cost us the match. That was disappointing but I am proud of my team."
LA GALAXY MIDFIELDER DAVID BECKHAM
On the game:
"I think it's sad that we lost, but we did a lot better than we did in Toronto. That's what we are trying to achieve -- to get good performances in. e may have lost the game tonight but we can take something from it because we performed a lot better than we did against Toronto. We had enough to chances to probably win the game, but that's football. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose."
On hesitation to test the injury:
"There was definitely some hesitation on my part. I haven't played for eight weeks. It was a big forward step for me tonight. I felt I played a good 20 minutes. Unfortunately there were a couple of opportunities that we had and there were a couple opportunities that the referees missed. That's soccer and that happens all around the world. You need a certain amount of luck."
On the crowd's reception:
"That was some of the frustration that I have had for the last eight weeks. In the time I have been in with the Galaxy, I have not been able to train with the players, stepping out there and seeing the action. It's a great reaction for me. It's very honoring and I love to get out on the pitch. Congratulations to the fans. It's a great atmosphere. This is what the sport needs."
On the rainy conditions:
"We did have concerns. Those were the biggest rain drops I have ever seen. It made it all fun. The fans got all wet. It made it enjoyable. I like it when the ground is wet anyway."
On American soccer:
"Twenty minutes is not really enough to compare it to European soccer. The standard is slightly lower compared to other parts of the world. It's a learning process though and we are trying to make this sport bigger and better in this country and I think we are on the right track.
"Hopefully I will get half a game on Sunday, a little more in the next one and then maybe a full one in New York. I need the action."
On marketing himself:
"There is a certain amount of pressure because I have come to the MLS and not played yet. I don't feel pressure in that sense, I feel pressure in the need to get fit and playing again. That's the only pressure I feel. Its great to be out there. I don't like disappointing people. They have paid a lot of money to be here."
LA GALAXY FORWARD ALAN GORDON
On the game:
"Tough night for us. They scored a good goal, hats off to them. I thought we were in the game before that happened. I thought we were on our way to get back in the game, unfortunately we got a red card and weren't able to do that."
On changing style of play when falling behind:
"We were more attacking-minded after going down a goal. I think we started to push a little bit. Especially in the second half, we had a couple of chances. Like I said, the red card kind of deflated us and gave them enough space and time to take control of the game."
LA GALAXY DEFENDER TY HARDEN
On the game:
"Obviously we're disappointed. I felt that a couple of calls maybe didn't go our way, a couple of the breaks didn't go our way. But we could have done a little bit more also. We're obviously disappointed to not get at least a point out of the game."
On the crowd:
"It definitely energizes me. It's a lot more fun to play in front a packed stadium than an empty one, so it definitely energizes everyone regardless of who they're rooting for. I think, especially towards the end when Beckham came in, they were rooting for us a little bit."
