MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET
SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2005 - SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 2, NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 2
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH DOMINIC KINNEAR
On the game:
"It was really a tale of two halves. We came out great and I thought that we deserved to be up 2-0 at halftime. We wanted to keep going forward in the second half, but I think that we got too stretched out and they took advantage of that. We are disappointed because we could have had three points."
On the team's attack:
"I thought that we looked very good going forward tonight. We moved the ball well. In the first half, Ronald [Cerritos] and Brian [Ching] were excellent and [the Revs] could not handle them. They gave us great energy."
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD RONALD CERRITOS
On his first game back with Quakes:
"I am very happy to play again in front of the great fans at Spartan Stadium, where my career really began. However, I am disappointed that we couldn't get the three points tonight. We made some errors in the second half that we will need to correct in the future."
On the team's play:
"I thought that we combined very well, especially in the first half and created opportunities. That is great for our confidence. I think that we will get better and better each game."
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES FORWARD BRIAN CHING
On his goal:
"Brad got the ball wide and I made a run into the box. I know Brad always sends in dangerous crosses. I just put myself in position and he found me with a good ball and I was able to finish."
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES MIDFIELDER DANNY O'ROURKE
On his first game:
"It always feels good to get the first touch and first tackle in a game and that's what I was focused on in the first minute. After that I settled down and just played my game. I think that we came out real strong. Unfortunately, we went down a man and that changed our style a bit."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
On the game:
"The feeling I have in my stomach is disappointment, in how bad we played in the first half, but obviously I am pleased with the way we played in the second half."
On the Revs' start to season:
"I think in the scheme of things, playing away from home, a tie is usually a decent result. We'll take it. If you had offered me 2-2 at halftime, I would have bitten your hand off. After the chances we had, it is slightly disappointing."
On the play of Michael Parkhurst:
"He handled it very well, he will only gain more experience and get better, but I thought he was sound and made good decisions. He had a good day."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION FORWARD TAYLOR TWELLMAN
On the Revs' start to game:
"I think it was the first game jitters. First game jitters, we had more of a purpose and obviously our final pass and final shot was on the mark this time. I thought being a man up with 20 minutes left, we should have got another one."
On his play in the second half:
"I think I was making better runs in the second half. The credit is due to my teammates getting me the ball in the right spot. I just need to finish stop hitting the crossbar."
On his goal:
"In the second half we were just trying to make dangerous runs and fortunately my touch put me in and I scored a goal."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION FORWARD PAT NOONAN
On the difference in the Revs' play in second half:
"I think we had a little more composure and we settled down in the first half. I think it started with Taylor [Twellman] and myself. Our runs weren't great, and we weren't finding the ball enough and giving the backs opportunities to get it in to us. It was a combination of that and not getting possession, I think our midfield was getting beat to balls all over the field. Then in the second half, we started getting to balls and moving the ball. I thought Taylor and I made better runs and found the gaps and started getting behind them. We created so many more chances and were able to get the wide players in, and obviously we got the goals."
On his goal:
"It was a great through ball. I thought Taylor was making a similar run, and I wasn't sure if he was off or not, so I continued my run just in case they put the flag up. When the goalkeeper went down I tried to do a little chip and I was able to sneak it through."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER CLINT DEMPSEY
On the game:
"This is a game that you can take good things from and you can also take bad things from it. We learn from our mistakes. We came out flat in the first 15 minutes, and we got ourselves in a bind. At halftime, coach talked to us and tried to motivate us for the second half to play with more heart and try to win the second balls. We came out in the second half with a different attitude. We created chances and put balls in the back of the net. Hopefully we can do a better job of coming out sharper."
On playing with the Revs after being with U.S. national team:
"It is a little different, you are used to playing with these guys last season, but this season I haven't had much time to play with them. I think it took a little bit of time to get used to. In the second half we definitely felt more comfortable and did a better job of keeping possession in the midfield and stringing passes. In the first half we were really just knocking balls forward and losing it."
