NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 1, NEW YORK RED BULLS 0
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
On the game:
"Considering the wind and the conditions, I thought the first half we played some great stuff. We made some opportunities, we got the ball wide, we got the ball in the box and behind them, and we just couldn't finish anything off. I think we played a lot of good football in the first half. Second half was scrappy. I don't think we played the way we did the first half, but we got the goal, which is what we didn't do in the first half. We're not complaining. We'll take any one in the playoffs."
On the New York Red Bulls decision to substitute forward Pablo Angel:
"Obviously when you've got a player like (Juan Pablo) Angel you want him on the field. They were debating about it, just from a safety point of view because he had been concussed and he was out in a short amount of time. It was a tough decision for them to make."
On Revolution midfielder Wells Thompson's performance:
"The kid has really got some good tools. He's got pace, he has a good touch, he likes going at people and he's really beginning to get confidence in himself. I think his biggest problem early on in the season was he really didn't understand the tools that he had and how big a threat, and how big a deal, he could be to the opposition. But, he's beginning to realize he is a threat and he's confident and he's growing all the time. He did a great job for us tonight."
On the team's experience going into the playoffs:
"Last week and this week I think our experience showed. We played well the first half and we didn't panic second half when things weren't going well. We didn't get frustrated, we just kept battling away and I think that's due to the experience we have. We know that we've come a long way and we don't just take chances and lose games. We're more solid at least. This week, Taylor (Twellman) played no different than last week or the week before. Again, hopefully we can take that experience into next week."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION DEFENDER MICHAEL PARKHURST
On the team's performance:
"Overall, we are extremely pleased with how the defense has been playing, or how the whole team has been playing defensively rather. We were struggling there at the end of the season giving up goals -- giving up late goals -- and it seems like we're back on track right now. It's a perfect time to be."
On the team's defensive consistency:
"I just think it's the veteran leadership. We've all been in this situation, pretty much, and a couple rookies that are playing. We know what it takes come playoff time. We've always been a good team in the playoffs, and it's just a different mentality once you get into the playoffs and we all know that. Nothing's really changed, we are just grinding it out and working hard for each other because we don't want this season to end."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION GOALKEEPER MATT REIS
On advancing in the MLS Cup Playoffs:
"As a team and as an organization we feel that that's where we want to be. We have one more step after the Eastern Conference final that we feel that we deserve and want to get to, and that's to the MLS Cup. Chicago's going to be a tough opponent, but I think with our home field advantage that's going to give us a huge lift."
On the team's playoff experiences:
"We did really well defensively, they didn't really have too many quality opportunities. We did what we needed to do. We played a good series, a really strong defensive series, we got our goal and we got our chances. We've played in a lot of finals; unfortunately, we haven't won them. But we've always been there, and we definitely deserve to be talked about in the same breath as those other teams."
On the Eastern Conference Championship against Chicago:
"They're a changed team since (Cuauhtemoc) Blanco got here. Their new coach has them playing really well, and they're on a bit of a run. It's going to be important for us to play good defensively like we've been doing, and when we get our chances we've got to finish them. It's going to be a great game Thursday night, and I'm really looking forward to it."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION FORWARD TAYLOR TWELLMAN
On the game:
"It was just a battle, with the wind and rain, playing on turf. It was kind of an ugly game, and it was just one of those games where we've got to fight through it, and when you do get the chance, hopefully it crosses the line. ... The weather didn't make for the game to be terribly exciting, but it was definitely hard-fought. They had a couple chances, that was it, and I think we had two, as well. Two, maybe three. It was just that kind of game, and it was that kind of goal that was going to win that game."
On his game-winning goal:
"It was kind of weird. I just wanted to stay onside, and Rally (Steve Ralston) played it. He played a great ball but the wind kind of took it a little bit farther ahead so it kind of threw my angle off, but it went in and that's all that matters. A goal's a goal. I really wanted to bury it, but it kind of jumped on me, and I just was like 'you know what, I have to hit it on frame' if anything, and I just did. Shalrie (Joseph) played a great ball, Stevie (Ralston) made a great run, and it caught them off guard. That was his first run where he went a little deep and peeled off and Shalrie played a great ball. Stevie and I made eye contact and he waited to make sure I was onside, and fortunately it went in."
NEW YORK RED BULLS HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On Juan Pablo Angel's injury:
"The welfare of the player comes first. Juan wanted to go back in the game. After talking to the doctor, I told Juan, 'You're more important than the game.' Meanwhile, you turn around and the goal gets scored. Those things happen."
On deciding whether to let Angel back in the game:
"That's the hesitancy in stuff like that. You're never sure. Juan wanted to stay in the game. I let him clear his head a little bit, talk to him a little bit, but I called back the doctor and the doctor said he was out for 30 seconds. Whenever that happens, as a rule of thumb, you have to consider the welfare of the player. ... The right thing to do is take him out of the game. It's not the perfect time, it was awkward and all of that, it might have distracted our team a bit, it might have resulted in the difference in the game. The player is more important than the game."
NEW YORK RED BULLS GOALKEEPER JON CONWAY
On the deciding goal:
"Stevie Ralston played the ball across to(Taylor) Twellman. I tried to get myself back in. Twellman gave me a shot at getting my hand to it. I got a good piece of it, but the thing just spun like crazy. If it wasn't on turf, it would've spun a little bit less. I got a chunk of it. All I could do was just kind of throw my hand out and cause it to spin a bit, and it came back towards the goal. When they scored, we were playing with 10 men, so it's unfortunate. I thought we were playing well, but they picked up a loose ball in the middle and they were able to thread one through and we were out of bounds."
NEW YORK RED BULLS MIDFIELDER CLINT MATHIS
On losing Juan Pablo Angel to injury:
"It's tough, but at the end of the day we still have enough guys out there to not give up that goal. With Jozy (Altidore) being our only striker, we might not create a lot, but we just got caught a little bit, a little disorganized and they were able to get through."
On the disappointing result:
"I've never met anybody in this business to be excited about losing. So of course I'm disappointed. Being if we win this, our next game would've been at home, we set up ourselves as best we could to go to the finals, and of course it's disappointing."
On his chance near the end of the game:
"Matt (Reis) made a really good save. I was able to hit a half volley and Matt made the save. We've got to finish chances in order to win games."
RED BULLS DEFENDER SETH STAMMLER
On losing and going home:
"We felt like we played pretty well. The first 30 minutes of last game and throughout the game today we definitely had some pretty good chances. It was unfortunate not to put them away and that's obviously the way soccer goes. You can't look back and kick yourselves too much, but if we put one away, obviously that changes the whole outcome."
On losing Juan Pablo Angel to injury:
"Obviously, Juan (Pablo Angel) is a great player, and we're better with him out there. Also, we've played them before so it's kind of just go in there and get back to business. It was unfortunate that they scored I think when we were just playing with 10. In hindsight, maybe we could've done some things differently. It's up to us to put some goals away too."
