COLUMBUS CREW 1, COLORADO RAPIDS 1
COLUMBUS HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
Commenting on today's game:
"It is obviously disappointing when you give up a goal late like that, that we did. We were absorbing a lot of pressure which wasn't the right thing for us to do at that point in the game, either. We weren't relieving ourselves of that. They ended up getting a point. There was one (opportunity) when you have the lead, you have to take it all the way and finish it off."
Commenting on today's game:
"I thought that we got in behind them, which was what we were trying to do. We got those situations sorted away, so we had some real, clear-cut chances. The things we did well, I think there were times when they had the ball out by the edge of the box. I think we did a good job of getting out and closing people off and blocking shots. I thought a number of our players did that well."
Commenting on Rusty Pierce defending Conor Casey:
"It was a pretty intense battle. I thought Conor (Casey) played well. I thought also Rusty (Pierce) played well. I thought that they didn't give each other too much. At the end of the day, Conor picks up a goal. I thought from a stand point of the battle throughout the game, it was pretty good, it was pretty even. I thought Rusty did well with that."
COLUMBUS GOALKEEPER WILL HESMER
Commenting on today's game:
"It is hard for us to absorb that much pressure at the end of the game. That is two games in a row now. It was the same way in Dallas. It was the same way in Houston. Even in Dallas we were up a man. Against Houston, it is understandable when we are down a man. We have to find a way to keep the ball. We can't absorb that much pressure down the stretch. Good teams are going to find a way to punish you for it. "
Commenting on the team's defense:
"I think that Ezra (Hendrickson) and Rusty (Pierce) did a phenomenal job the whole game. Conor Casey is a handful. He is a big guy. He is really good at holding the ball. I think he is one of the better guys we have seen this whole year at holding the ball up. For the most part we gave him nothing. I think he had one time where he was through. He came in a got behind us a couple of times. For the most part our guys were really good at getting out there blocking shots and making sure that nothing too dangerous got though."
COLUMBUS DEFENDER RUSTY PIERCE
Commenting on the team's defense:
"I thought we were really well organized today. I think that goes a long way in any game. Especially today, I thought the tempo was good for the most part, especially in the first half. There is a chance there of getting stretched and getting caught. Like I said, I think as a back six we were really organized. I thought we kept every thing in front of us. I think that that was the main thing today, we didn't allow on ball to beat us. We covered for each other very well. If somebody got isolated, our center midfielders were quick to double if we needed to. The forwards checked back and we pushed them back into them. They were very quick."
COLUMBUS FORWARD EDDIE GAVEN
Commenting on Stefani Miglioranzi's goal:
"He (Stefani Miglioranzi) just put a perfect ball right in my stride as I was going towards the goalie. I had the easy part of just kicking the ball in the net. It was all in the ball he played. It was a perfect ball."
Commenting on the team recent performances:
"We definitely should have had three points out of this game. This isn't the first time this year we have given up late goals and it cost us points. This time of year, it is definitely tough when you are giving up points late like that and giving up goals late, and dropping points because the games really matter so much more at this time of year. It is definitely something we are going to work on this week in training and make sure that it doesn't happen any more this year."
COLORADO HEAD COACH FERNANDO CLAVIJO
Commenting on today's game:
"Sometimes you are lucky. We haven't been able to get lucky throughout the year. We create, we kept putting pressure. We never get desperate. And finally we were able to find a way to finish. I thought that it was a well deserving point. I thought both teams worked extremely hard. I thought both teams created quality control of the game. We were able to score when we needed to, and they did too."
Commenting on today's game:
"It is easy from the outside to evaluate things from 90 minutes. I think that both teams, they could not score a better goal at better times. You go back to the second half, thinking about what you need to do. Not just what you need to do to score, but what you have to do to get the momentum back. I thought in the end we managed the time well. We created chances, and so did they. I thought that the game was good. Every time you get a point on the road, it is good. We came here to win, but unfortunately we were unable to. You can't be unhappy with a getting a point out of it."
COLORADO'S FORWARD CONOR CASEY
Commenting on today's game:
"It seems like there were a lot of fouls called against us, so I am not quit sure. I guess that that is the way that they decided to call it today. "
Commenting on today's game:
"I don't know if there was an increase in the level, in think terms of the work rate, it was pretty high. I think it was an intense game. We both had our chances. We had a few in the first half that we didn't put away. They had a few. I think in the end, a tie is what everyone deserves."
COLORADO'S MIDFIELDER HERCULEZ GOMEZ
Commenting on today's game:
"It was a great result for us. Any time you can get a point on the road, it is always good. I think this game was more do-or-die for Columbus. We are still in charge of our own destiny. I think we came out with the right mentality, we never gave up. We kept fighting and getting the right things. We put the work in and it showed."
Commenting on today's game:
"It is how it is. It is that time of year right now. Both teams are trying to make that final stride to get into the playoffs, and it is an important game for both teams. It is a game that we had to get a good result out of it and I think Columbus is going to walk away very disappointed, especially being a goal up. I felt that before they score the goal, I thought that we had the better play, and I thought that after they scored the goal, I thought that we had the better play. So, I think its justice that we got that goal."
