MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET
SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2005 - D.C. UNITED 2, NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 0
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH PETER NOWAK
On the team's performance:
"We started with great intensity. You can see that the ball was moving very well. We created a lot of chances and could have been up 3- or 4-0 going into halftime."
On playing three games in six days:
"The second half wasn't pretty, but all you can say is just that the guys played their third game in six days and you could start to see that their brains didn't work the way they wanted. But the heart was there and the effort was great and Nick [Rimando] in the goal was outstanding and he kept us in the game. I'm a little worried about Alecko [Eskandarian, who suffered a concussion late in the game], but there was great effort from these guys all week starting with New York and then to the game on Wednesday and win tonight. But like I said, I'm always proud of this team, their heart is there and the effort was very good and tonight for the first 45 minutes the soccer part was excellent."
On the play of Jaime Moreno:
"Jaime is a captain of our team and he knows he's responsible for motivating himself. The goals he has so far are from PK's and he needed to score a goal like the one tonight. I told him at the half that a player of his caliber needs to finish the chances that he gets."
On Christian Gomez:
"[Gomez] had a slight knee sprain yesterday in practice but we checked him out today before the game. Christian did a great job in the first half today and played great soccer, but we can see that the fitness part is something we still need to work on. But as I said, we have a couple of guys that cover for him and we took him out because of the injury and the fitness part."
On Santino Quaranta:
"Santino is very mobile and always seems to find a good spot on the field. He can play as a withdrawn forward or play as a striker up front. We gave him a chance and today he earned it with a goal. He is doing what it takes right now to stay in the starting lineup, but like I said, with everyone its work and work and work. We gave him a chance and he took his opportunity and played very well. I think he fits in very well right now and a lot of the other guys want to help him."
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BEN OLSEN
On the team's overall performance:
"It's a good performance. We got early goals and we were smart, we played a smart game the rest of the time. We defended well in numbers, it was not the prettiest second half but [look at] the end result against a pretty good team."
D.C. UNITED GOALKEEPER NICK RIMANDO
On the performance of the defense:
"They had their chances tonight. Especially after a three-goal performance on Wednesday, we came back and showed a lot of heart and showed the fans of D.C. United what the defense is supposed to be play like."
On the team's mindset after playing Wednesday night
"We know what we can do on the field when we really put our mind to it. We just got our legs. Peter was really good with us and let us relax. Wednesday night took a toll on our bodies and we just relaxed and really focused on this game."
On the team's second-half performance:
"We did not just want to play defense, we wanted to go at them and had a couple of chances in the second half. Sure enough, they had a couple of chances and we ended up dropping the line back a little too far and that is where they got their chances."
D.C. UNITED FORWARD SANTINO QUARANTA
On the team's offensive explosion:
"Its just our confidence - just knowing you are going to score every game. I cannot explain it."
On his development over the last few seasons with United:
"I feel more mature and smarter than my first year. [Early in my career, there] were tough times; everybody goes through tough times. I overcame it and in the end it always works out."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
On the second half:
"We ever turned up for the first half. We were dreaming. Had we been four-nil down at halftime, we really couldn't have complained."
On what he told his team at the half:
"Unless you win the battle to start with, you [haven't] won the right to play. We were second-best in everything for [the first] 45 minutes."
On a possible comeback:
"I thought that if we had got one [goal], we might have gotten another one. Rimando made some good saves, but you can't give a team like D.C. United an easy night like that."
On the end result:
"It was a good lesson. It was one game. We lost a game."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION GOALKEEPER MATT REIS
On the game:
"They were flying from the opening minute to the last minute. We didn't match their intensity. We lost the first two goals and we couldn't come back after that. You grow after every game - win, lose or draw. You can't show up to someone else's town and just expect to win the game. We definitely did not play well tonight; we need to regroup. We felt confident coming into the game, but once we stepped on the field we didn't match their intensity or their effort."
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER STEVE RALSTON
On the game:
"That's the worst we've played in a long time. They are a good team, but we made them look really good. It was an awful first half, the second half was better. The second half we were more competitive and challenged them, winning our battles."
On the physical play of the game:
"Our guys were getting mugged and we just weren't getting the calls. They are a physical team and they have some big guys in the back."
