REAL SALT LAKE 1, HOUSTON DYNAMO 1
REAL SALT LAKE HEAD COACH JOHN ELLINGER
On following the scoreboard for Colorado-New York results:
"I kind of knew what was going on. Different updates were given to me at times throughout the game. Really for us, we were down a goal, so it really didn't matter about the updates if we didn't come back and get at least one point. Then New York tied and we knew we had one more shot at it."
On Mehdi Ballouchy's entry into the game:
"He gave us a great spark. He scored a great goal. I've been trying to encourage him to shoot because when you put it on frame good things happen. I'm happy for him to get his second goal of the season, and I hope he gets a few more."
On the playoff berth coming down to the last game:
"There are some points that we've left on the table for sure, but we have also taken some points that we're proud of. Could we have gotten more points at home? Yeah, we could have. I guess the schedule-makers knew what they were doing. When it came out last February, we kind of thought that the last Sunday of the season would be crucial. Well, now it is, and so is Colorado's game at Houston on Saturday night."
REAL SALT LAKE MIDFIELDER MEHDI BALLOUCHY
On his contribution tonight:
"If I'm playing 30 minutes, I try to come in and lift the team. I just try to do my hardest defensively and offensively. I feel good about the goal; Houston is a hard team to play, just because they are so tactically organized. They are a hard team to come back on, and we show great explosiveness to even the game at 1-1."
REAL SALT LAKE DEFENDER EDDIE POPE
On tonight's game, and what it meant for the organization:
"We've obviously come a long way for ourselves. I think we certainly earned the right to be in this position. Last year we kind of petered out towards the end of the season and didn't have a shot. And now going into the last game, having a shot really means a lot for RSL. We've worked hard and it's almost like we turned over a new leaf. You saw the 22,000-plus out there, they believe in us, we believe in ourselves. We are coming together at the right time, and I hope we are able to reward these guys with a playoff game in two weeks."
On tonight's RSL performance:
"I think they came at us pretty hard. I don't think we did a great job at responding; then we got it together, got some opportunities and some chances, had better possession, and came out the second half and dominated, got our goal, and we're unlucky not to go ahead by the one that Jeff (Cunningham) barely missed off his toe, following the Kreis free kick."
HOUSTON DYNAMO HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR
On tonight's game:
"We had a great first half. I thought it was one of nicer games we played in the first half, especially on the road. I thought we created some good chances The second half I told the guys we are going to come out with a huge push, we have to, so be prepared for it, be able to play and be able to defend. I thought the fouls early in the second half put us into a defensive posture."
HOUSTON DYNAMO CAPTAIN WADE BARRETT
On battling RSL for 90 minutes:
"I think we came out with a great attitude. The first half was great. For whatever reason in the second half, we didn't play as well. I still thought the guys fought really hard. I was really pleased with the effort tonight. They just had a little something extra to get that goal in the second half, credit to them for that. Good job by our guys battling hard for the full 90."
HOUSTON DYNAMO FORWARD PAUL DALGLISH
On scoring his first MLS goal:
"I'm delighted with the goal. It could have been nice if we could have got the win. I think all in all it's a good point for the team. Every game is a big game at this stage in the season. We need to keep our form and keep playing well. Everyone is playing for a place in the playoffs now. So every game is going to be a big game from now to the end of the season."
