NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 3, COLORADO RAPIDS 1
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
On the first half:
"In the first half, the interruptions were just relentless with fouls and injuries and the game never really got going at all because of all the incidents. I don't think I've seen so many people getting treatment in the one half of the game so it was hard for both teams to get going."
On Revs forward Jose Manuel Abundis' debut goal:
"I think the goal just tells you exactly what he's all about. He holds the ball well but you know we got him because he scores goals and because of what he does in the box. He showed you exactly what he does in the box tonight: gets in a spot from nowhere, (he's) hard to pick up, puts the ball in the net, and that's exactly what we want. A great goal."
On Revs forward José Manuel Abundis' play:
"He hasn't played a game for a long time - not exactly sure how long - but he trains hard and that shows. He lasted as long as he did tonight because of that and it was good to see him getting a go."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION GOALKEEPER MATT REIS
On the game:
"I'll take any game 3-1 ... we played really well tonight and we finished our chances and it's good to see the new guy (José Manuel Abundis) get a goal. We really put it away and we did what we had to do."
On team absences:
"It's always going to happen in the season and you never know when people are going to go down with injuries. That's why we have so many people here: we need them to fill in when called upon. You know, Jeff's (Larentowicz) done a great job all year, being his second year, to fill in. We've had a lot of injuries and we've had a lot of people have to step in and they've done it. It's a sign of a good team."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION FORWARD MANUEL ABUNDIS
On communicating with his new teammates, many of whom don't speak Spanish:
"Soccer doesn't have any language. Soccer is soccer, it's a game. I know it's about the playoffs now and we are going to try to find the highest possible position and try to be the champions."
On his goal:
"I stepped to the near post and to the back of the defense and I reached the header."
After the goal:
"I felt lot of trust. In the first half, I wasn't really comfortable at all and wasn't playing my game. But in the second half I felt much better and touched the ball better. I felt after the goal, it was a whole different game and I did better and better."
COLORADO RAPIDS HEAD COACH FERNANDO CLAVIJO
On the flow of the game:
"I say it all along that we have to help ourselves and today we didn't do that. It's very difficult when one minute into the game you're already trailing. When we started playing, I thought we played very well in the first half. Second half, again, we got back (in the game) and we had the red card, and it changed the whole momentum of the game again."
On the team's playoff scenarios:
"We play at home in next game and we need to get the points. We need to get the points because right Salt Lake is getting closer and closer. We have to make sure we get the space away from them. We have to show our true colors right now in the next two games."
