NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 1, HOUSTON DYNAMO 0
HOUSTON DYNAMO HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR
On the game:
"They got one shot on goal, and they scored. We spent the rest of the game in their half of the field trying to find that goal and putting them under pressure. Goals just aren't finding our feet right now.
On Corey Ashe:
"I thought he came on good. His pace got him behind them, and he sent in a few balls. He was dangerous for the time he was on the field tonight."
HOUSTON DYNAMO MIDFIELDER COREY ASHE
On making his MLS debut:
"It was bittersweet. I've been working for this for a very long time - since the age of five. I'm disappointed we lost, but it overall it was a very good experience."
HOUSTON DYNAMO MIDFIELDER RICARDO CLARK
On the game:
"We had a lot of chances, we just couldn't capitalize. There might have been a few times I could've gotten on the end of it. There's nothing much you can say. It's a game where just the result matters so hats off to New England for putting the ball in the net. We just have to come back next week and try to get a win."
On playing a midweek game:
"I think we're OK with playing two games a week, so I don't think it was a problem."
HOUSTON DYNAMO FORWARD BRIAN CHING
On his play:
"It's frustrating. I blame myself. There were a lot of chances this game. I think I'm doing everything right up until putting the ball in the back of the net, and that's my job. I think the worst thing we can do right now is put our heads down, and feel sorry for ourselves. I think we're playing good soccer - all the way up until the end I guess. We have to come back ready to work on Monday."
On field conditions:
"It was OK. The field was a little bit hard. In another couple weeks it will be good."
On the second consecutive 1-0 loss:
"It was disheartening. I think we're playing good football up until putting the ball in the back of the net. We're just not getting the breaks right now. I think we're controlling the pace of the game, and out-shooting our opponents by big margins. I had my chances tonight and didn't score; that's the way things have been going the last couple of games. We can't let this get us down. We're doing everything right except putting the ball in the back of the net."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
On the win:
"It was absolutely a case of winning ugly. I think you saw the other side of our team tonight. We didn't pass the ball, we didn't possess it well at all. But when it gets hard, we'll dig in and fight. We'd certainly love to be able to play great soccer all of the time, but it's not possible. Sometimes it gets rough and tough, and we tough it out."
On getting an early goal:
"It's always good to get ahead."
On his defense's play:
"The back four were fantastic. They defended well, but give credit to everybody else, as well. As much as we didn't do well on the other side of the ball, I think defensively we got bodies in the way and did our work.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER SHALRIE JOSEPH
On scoring the goal:
"It was important that we picked up a goal early, especially tonight. They were all over us, and we didn't play that well as a team. But tonight we got a goal early and defended well."
On getting the win on the road:
"It's very nice to get the win and the three points. It was a hard battle for us tonight. We worked hard and we picked up three points."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION GOALKEEPER MATT REIS
On the game being a rematch of MLS Cup 2006:
"It's not really a rematch. You can't compare winning a league game to losing a final, but it's important for us to play well so we can get back to the final, and that's what we're doing."
On his save of Ricardo Clark's header:
"He got through and he was open. The ball was bouncing, so I thought for sure he was going to try to play it over me. I kind of got a little bit of a jump right before he got it, which allowed me to just touch it, and then as he was coming around, I turned like a cat and caught it in my paws."
oon the importance of winning on the road:
"It's very important. There's only one game this season where we haven't gotten points, and in the end that's going to be huge if we can keep up our home form. Historically, we've done well at home, which this road form is only going to help. It's important for us to start well, because we're going to have a lot of guys leaving over the summer. Notoriously, we kind of drop down in the summer, so it's important for us to start well."
