2005 NISSAN COPA SUDAMERICANA QUOTE SHEET
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH PETER NOWAK
On the game and whether or not he was disappointed with the tie:
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2005 - D.C. UNITED 1, UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA (CHILE) 1
"The result means we can tie 2-2 [in Chile] and still go to the second round. Of course, from the chances we have we are supposed to win this game, but the chances work from both sides. The goal before halftime was very discouraging for everyone. We are supposed to have at this point [in the game] a couple of goals, but we are solid now at the international level - you have to play faster. Catolica did a great job going forward with one, two touches. It's pretty dangerous stuff but we pushed the game to the end and unfortunately Facundo [Erpen] missed his chance in the 93rd minute. It was a pretty good sequence and after that Jamil [Walker] scored the goal, it is still open, there are two games. We will see what happens."
On the first half, injury-time goal scored by Catolica:
"Facundo [Erpen] stepped forward [on the play] and nobody was behind him. We have to do a better job and have better communication with all this stuff. For me, it's just learning from the mistakes, but Catolica didn't give us too much space to play and it was difficult for us. We still created chances in the first half, and of course in the second half, it was pretty dominating play for us."
On the feel of the match:
"That was a pretty exciting match and, as I said, at this level you can't just play a wide-open game. We are losing 1-0 - we have nothing to lose, so that's why we move forward sometimes too many numbers and of course there was a chance for Catolica to go forth with the counterattack. Physically, my guys played very nice for full 93 minutes and this is very good for the future. I mean, physically we have a tough week behind us - a tough game in Dallas and we still held up until the 93rd minute [tonight]. That's pretty positive for me."
On what the match in Mexico vs. Pumas in April taught the team:
"We learned we are going to stick to our way of soccer, but of course we are not going to open up and you know, let the opposition score a goal in the first 50 minutes. This is two games and then the winner is going to go to the next round. So, as I said, we are going to play our way but I am going to keep in mind that one goal can change everything like we saw today."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER/FORWARD SANTINO QUARANTA
On the game:
"I thought they were a good team - a very good team - and we respect them for coming in. We knew they were a good team and you know they had some dangerous guys on top. I thought the two guys on top were good and they caused problems. We had our chances - we both had chances and we both didn't finish them. We'll try to finish our chances down there and we will see."
D.C. UNITED FORWARD JAMIL WALKER
On his 81st-minute goal and the game:
"I tried to get it by the 'keeper and I just got enough of a shot to get it in there. You don't want them to score obviously, but they did and now you have to come back and score two goals [to win], but we only scored one. We've got to go there now and they can score 0-0 and win on away goals and now we've got to score there. It's going to be tougher playing at their home. You always want to score a bunch here and not let them have any."
On what the team learned from the game against Pumas in April:
"We can't come out hesitant. You know we were kind of afraid when we went there against Pumas, because we didn't know what to expect and we got opened up pretty good in the second half and I think we've got to keep our heads, not get any red cards and going over there, get a goal and play good defense."
On the different style of play:
"They have a lot of quick players. You know, number 18 [Eduardo Rubio] on top, I think did really well and you can see some of the skill that you don't see every day, but all in all I don't think they are better than any other team."
On their defensive organization:
"There wasn't anything different. They were organized like any other team and they didn't have anything special like any person that would stand out."
D.C. UNITED DEFENDER BRYAN NAMOFF
On the game:
"There was a lot of pressure on our side [of the field] and I think we did have it on our side and I think especially in the second half we did a really good job attacking, especially with Santino Quaranto running at their defense. It created little opportunities and we got through the middle and got a few shots off that."
On Catolica's play:
"They had an earlier goal, first half - second half their game plan was to pack it in [defensively] so that they were very compact throughout the entire field. So, one of our main goals was to spread the ball out and work it around as quick as possible to find the lanes. Luckily, we did that and at the end of the game we found one of the lanes to Jamil [Walker] and we slipped the ball in like that."
UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA HEAD COACH JORGE PELLICER
On the game:
"It was an emotional game. The football aspect was not the best, but it was a game with many scoring opportunities. We played our type of game, much better in the second half than in the first half. I think it was a just result. The result is very good for us. We leave with a very optimistic feeling."
On whether or not it was a good result for Catolica:
"I don't want to categorize it as a good or bad result. It was the result of the game. It is a normal result considering what was expected of Catolica and D.C. tonight."
On whether or not he will use a more offensive-minded scheme in the second leg:
"Tonight in the second half, it was logical for us to go into a defensive posture, but we will not plan the return match in a defensive oriented manner. We will use our normal 3-5-2 lineup and will try to win the match."
