CHICAGO FIRE 2, SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 1
CHICAGO FIRE HEAD COACH DAVE SARACHAN
On the match:
"I couldn't be more proud of my team. We battled every adversity we could have faced -- in terms of the red card, a questionable penalty -- but it was a terrific team effort and our guys deserved to win."
On stopping the Fire's nine-game winless streak in league play:
"I've said it all along, regardless of the streak, we have a group that competes and battles, and I thought we were the better team tonight. We had to battle a team in white, a team in yellow ... we're not going to get a break. But we stuck to a good game plan, our shape and our movement and our energy was good and we were rewarded with a very valuable three points playing with a man down."
On the foul that resulted in San Jose's penalty kick:
"Sometimes they're penalties, sometimes they're not, but it happened. The way our team responded was a clear indication of where I think we're headed. The heads didn't drop, the shoulders didn't slump. Our guys continued to plug and getting the second goal was a great reward for a team that didn't stop competing."
On the play of midfielder Andy Williams:
"Andy's a good player, and when the ball's at his feet he can make things happen. He struck a great ball on that first goal and when he puts that kind of work in, along with his technical skill, he's a valuable player to us."
CHICAGO FIRE FORWARD DAMANI RALPH
On his team-high third game-winning goal of the season:
"I was quite fortunate. I don't think Andy (Williams) saw me, but he played the ball in and [San Jose goalkeeper Pat] Onstad had to push it and I was right there to pounce on it. We needed that one."
On breaking the Fire's nine-game MLS winless streak:
"That's one win, and we'll take it one game at a time. Now we'll see if we can continue. Hopefully this will give us that momentum. With 11 games left in the season, we'll try to make a run at it."
On playing without fellow striker Ante Razov:
"He's been out for at least two months now, so it's nothing new. We've just got to keep working with what we have here and hopefully we'll get the job done."
CHICAGO FIRE MIDFIELDER ANDY WILLIAMS
On the Fire's first goal of the night:
"It just sat up and I called [Fire forward] Nate [Jaqua] off of it. I wanted to get it on target and I was hoping it would go in the net."
CHICAGO FIRE MIDFIELDER JESSE MARSCH
On his first appearance in 2004 for the Fire:
"It felt good. I've been waiting long enough, that's for sure, so I was just trying to get out there and was happy to be called on, happy to help out a little bit."
On the Fire's play in the match:
"We set the tone early in the first half just by playing good soccer, getting after them and getting good chances and not giving them anything. It was unlucky that [Fire midfielder] Logan [Pause] got a red card, but the guys hung in there. We're trying to make steps and put some good performances together so we can start to gain momentum for the playoffs."
On whether this game will be a turning point for the Fire:
"Let's hope so. I'll try to be a part of that as well. Hopefully we'll start to get on the right track and we can keep that going with our next home game and start getting three points."
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR
On the game:
"I'm disappointed. We had a good opportunity to gain some ground, and we let it get away. We fought hard and did a good job to come back, and then we just turn around and lose any kind of ground that we were able to make up."
On the team's play:
"I am just upset at the way we played, especially when we had chances and opportunities to take control. I just am really disappointed tonight. It seems like every time we have a chance to get back on track in the Western Conference, we let that get away."
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER BRIAN MULLAN
On the game:
"We played well. We controlled the game in the second half, but we aren't scoring ... so something must be wrong. I don't know exactly what it is. If it is bad luck, then we need to create our own luck. If it is lack of heart then we need to regroup and get it together and make sure we win these kinds of games."
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER RICHARD MULROONEY
On Chicago's late goal:
"We just missed a great opportunity. This was like getting a fastball right down the middle of the plate and fouling it off. Unfortunately, that is soccer. We just need to make sure we are ready that the next time we get this opportunity, we hit it out of the park. There isn't a lot of time left, but we still have enough games to turn things around and make the most out of this season."
