NEW YORK RED BULLS 1, COLUMBUS CREW 0
NEW YORK RED BULLS HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On winning the game:
"It was a good win, at this point that's all we're concerned about, is getting three points.
"What can you say? At this point we just needed the three points. I'm not going to critique this a whole lot, we're going to put the three points down in the win column and move on and try and get ready for the next team. At this point, we're one point behind fourth place with a game in hand, so you can't complain."
On Jozy Altidore's goal:
"It was quite a goal, with his potential it will be interesting to see how he makes progress over the next couple of years."
On Altidore's potential:
"He doesn't look like he's 16 years old, we may need to do a bone scan on this kid. He's a big strong forward, and you see in training, his feet still aren't as good as you need to be but he's getting a decent spot to hold the ball up little bit. But he does a pretty good job in finishing, that's a big part of being a striker. We'll see as he gets his feet under him a little more down the road, hopefully he has some potential to be a real good player."
"We'll continue to move him along. The way our team goes, with all the injuries and suspensions, he's going to get on the field a little bit more. He's 16, he's got a way to go, and we'll just see."
On the substitution for Altidore:
"We weren't going to spend five minutes on stitching him (Wolyniec) up or getting him right in a game where there weren't going to be too many chances and we have to take advantage of the extra player."
On the officiating:
"All the calls tonight were a mystery to me, I can't even follow it anymore, but I think some of the cards were pretty harsh against the Columbus side. I think the one with Wolyniec was just a foul. I think with the World Cup and games like tonight it seems to be where referees get on the field and they're given a message on how to referee. I thought it was unfair, but having said that, we are going to take it. We missed a penalty kick, the goalkeeper moved, but fair enough."
On Youri Djorkaeff:
"Youri had a real good game. I think Youri played well. I thought our back line the entire night was pretty solid, I was pleased with them. Youri looked like he wanted to win tonight, he asserted himself and took on a leadership role.
"Like I said at halftime against Italy, you know the referees are going to look to even things up. Don't give them a play that will invite a red card. I should shut up.
On selecting Carlos Mendes as the captain:
"I just think he's been a steady performer since I've been here. He shows up every day in training, he's well respected by his teammates, he's been in the trenches all year, he's been in basically every game, he's been a real warrior for the team this year. I think he's worthy of wearing a captains armband."
On reconfiguring the lineup with Mendes out against New England:
"I have no clue, I'm sure we'll have about six injuries between now and then. It just goes on and on, I can't keep track of it anymore, it just never stops."
NEW YORK RED BULLS FORWARD JOZY ALTIDORE
On seeing the substitution as an opportunity:
"Definitely, because I saw on the bench that we had two forwards, Mike [Magee] had already gone in. Unfortunately he had already had received a red card, so, I knew that my name was going to be called as soon as they got a second red."
On scoring his first goal:
"You know it's funny. My cousin came to see me and I told him that I didn't want him to come and see me until I started fully getting in the starting 11, maybe next year. He came and it was like a good luck charm, he came and I got a goal. It was nice."
On the thrill of the goal:
I was like, did that just go in? I thought I was daydreaming for a second, I heard the crowd [cheer] with the goal and I was like 'Oh shoot' that was me."
On the significance of the goal:
"I'm starting to [realize it] now because if you take a look at the standings, we are only one point behind Kansas City, they've got [one] game ahead of us. So I started to learn that it was an important goal, but we just have to keep going so we can make the playoffs.
"I don't even know how to explain it, you sit on the bench, you pray for that one chance to get in, but you never think that you would score a game-winning goal in a game like this."
On his conversation with Red Bulls head coach Bruce Arena about the goal:
"Before I went in, he said we need a goal. After the game, he smiled at me and said 'I told you we needed a goal.'"
On adjusting to MLS life:
"Earlier, it was tough because I was at the academy [in Florida] and I had to go to the academy which is a great place to train, but you play with kids 15, 16, 17 years old, whereas I would come here every other week, and train with guys like this. The pace is a lot quicker, it was hard to adapt at first."
NEW YORK RED BULLS GOALKEEPER JON CONWAY
On the match's physical nature:
"It's what it's going to be on the way out because we have so many games in our conference that we need to be physical and we have to get wins, so everybody is going to be a little bit chippy and you're going to have those sorts of games."
On Jozy Altidore's game-winning goal:
"Obviously, he hit a good ball. You have to give hats off to their Bill Gaudette in goal for them for saving penalty. That obviously gives them a little bit of momentum. Fortunately, that moment was swayed when they had another guy thrown out. Jozy hits a good ball, beats the goalie and we get a W. It's what we needed to do tonight and now we got away with it."
NEW YORK RED BULLS DEFENDER CARLOS MENDES
On forward Jozy Altidore:
"He's got the confidence. He's young, but he definitely has enough confidence to be out there. He's a big boy and he doesn't look his age, so [he] gets an opportunity and he makes it happen. He's got a real bright future.
"Great goal, an important one. Good for him and good is confidence and obviously, it's a huge goal for this club so hopefully now, he has a couple of more coming."
On being captain for the first time in his career:
"[Head coach] Bruce [Arena] just came up to me and said, 'How do you feel about [being the captain]?' I was excited about it obviously, a bit surprised, but it's a huge compliment. ... More important, the three points and we're looking forward to Wednesday night [against New England]."
On the game's physical nature:
"It wasn't the prettiest game for sure. We kind of hung around and then obviously after missing the penalty kick ... we reacted to it, we didn't get too anxious. We stayed calm, we played and we were able to get the goal we needed to and that was enough."
NEW YORK RED BULLS MIDFIELDER DEMA KOVALENKO
On the game:
"It was an ugly game and an ugly way we won, but tomorrow you open the paper, and it's three points. We're one point away from [fourth-place] Kansas City and that's the most important thing. It shows our team is coming together and we have good group, tight group and we pulled together because we went through adversity. We still fought to the end and we got that goal and it's still feels great."
On Jozy Altidore's goal:
"Unbelievable, unbelievable. It's weird how it happens. John [Wolyniec] had his eye cut open, he went out, the kid comes in and had an unbelievable shot and a winning goal. It's great for us, great for him and like I said, three points, that's the most important thing."
COLUMBUS CREW MIDFIELDER DUNCAN OUGHTON
On the loss:
"Obviously hard to swallow. I think there were some unjust calls both ways. It didn't help the game especially from a viewing standpoint or any standpoint. It is disappointing because the guys battled hard and that is the heart we needed. It is a shame we haven't had that since day one."
On the team's effort:
"We put ourselves in a tough position with the red cards. The guys battled well and we did have a few chances. I don't know what to say, I am pretty angry right now."
On the chances of making the playoffs:
"We knew it was an uphill battle before today even started. We just want to come out and give the same effort every week. Especially going home for these next two games, we want to show our fans that we really care. You can see by looking around the locker room after the game today that there are a lot of guys that really, really care here and are upset at losses like that. That is how it should be. We are going to go back and give the same effort next week and the week after and get results to finish the season on a high note. We want to set a positive tone if we squeak into the playoffs, set a positive tone for that, or for next year."
