NEW YORK RED BULLS 1, CHICAGO FIRE 1
NEW YORK RED BULLS HEAD COACH MO JOHNSTON:
On Amado Guevara's reaction to coming out of the game:
"When you don't stick up for your teammates, you don't sit on the bench, you don't encourage them ... if he wants to go in the locker room then that's his problem. I want people who want to play for this club, and play hard every single day. In training, game day ... and if that's not there, and you don't want to support the team, then things need to be changed. I was disappointed, and so were all the fans behind me. They wanted him out there with his team, sitting on the bench and encouraging people. Last year he was a captain, and we need leaders. We need leaders on the field and today we never got them. He wasn't getting it done, end of story. Honestly, there are better players than Amado Guevara who have been taken off, that's for sure. For me, tonight he wasn't producing.
On the team's performance:
"The second half I felt we defended collectively as a unit better. I felt when Marvell (Wynne) went in he played very well. We could have stole it in the end, but we came up short again with another tie."
On Jon Conway's performance:
"I thought Jon did very well. He had a few good saves. Our goalkeepers have come up big. Tony's been outstanding, and Jon's just come straight in and he's done very well."
On Amado Guevara:
"He was disappointing on the field. That's why I changed him. He came in after the game and I gave him a little bit of a shrug. He didn't like it. Look, my door's open on Tuesday, come and see me."
NEW YORK RED BULLS GOALKEEPER TONY MEOLA
On his injury:
"I was warming up, and I had just said to Mike (Behonick), the third goalie, how good I felt and I came down, twisted and I felt a pop in my left calf. It was the last play out, I was going to kick a couple balls and stretch and I was at least 90 percent done with the warmup."
On how long he'll be out:
"I don't think very long. It's in that big part of the calf, I don't know. I've never had a calf problem before, so I don't really know. I don't think very long. At least it doesn't feel like it's going to be very long."
On Jon Conway's performance:
"Jon was great. For sure, he was the MVP of the game for us. I think we depend a little bit too much on making saves. He came up big for us in the first half, I think the first 20 minutes ... right off the bat there was a break away in the first five, seven minutes of the game. There was one about five minutes later. You know, the save he made on Thiago ... took a shot in the second half to his right. That's kind of Jon's game, it was right in his grill. He got a good look at it and it's a tough spot to be in. If you know him, if you've been around him, he's a professional. He keeps himself prepared and he did what he had to do."
On Amado Guevara going into the stands:
"I think that will be addressed this week, and that's for the staff to take care of."
On the players addressing the Guevara incident:
"It's not a player thing. I think it will come from Mo (Johnston). You don't always have to agree with what your coach does, you just have to respect it though. I didn't really see what went on, so I'm sure something went on and there will be something to deal with during the week. I don't know that he has any issue with any player on the team, at least I don't see it."
NEW YORK RED BULLS MIDFIELDER MARK LISI
On the team's energy level during the game:
"I think there was a little bit more running, a little bit more movement in the midfield and defensively, pushing up on opponents and clogging up passing lanes. Danny (O'Rourke) did well tonight in the midfield and I was able to work with him a little bit."
Defender Steve Jolley
On what the team will need to do for a win:
"I think we need a little bit more pressure up top and a little more bite in the midfield. Defensively, we were ok. We're such a young team on the defensive line but I think we helped create a lot of opportunities. There were a few mistakes where guys got through the midfield and we just didn't stay with a player, but those things happen.
We had some injuries too. It would have been nice to bring in a guy like Mike Magee or even Edson (Buddle). Right now the injuries will cost us a little bit in terms of what we can bring on in the end of the game."
NEW YORK RED BULLS GOALKEEPER JON CONWAY
On his own performance:
"I thought I had a good performance. I prepare the same way every week so it doesn't really matter when I find out that I'm starting. I got in, got that first save in, and took it from there."
On finding out he would be starting:
"Tony (Meola) was about 15 minutes into his own warmup when he strained a calf muscle and said he didn't think he would be able to go tonight. I was already warmed up and ready to go, just needed a little more confidence and little more focus.
I've been around enough to know what I need to do to prepare for these circumstances. I was ready, same thing every week."
On defending the penalty kick:
"It was unfortunate. I tried to get a little bit of a read on it, but I read the wrong way. It happens. t was also a pretty decent penalty shot. It would have been able to get a hand on the ball even if I had read it the way he shot it."
CHICAGO FIRE HEAD COACH DAVE SARACHAN
On his overall impressions of the game:
"I thought we played pretty well early in the game, aside from giving up the goal and going down 1-0. I was hoping we'd convert on a few of the chances we created. I never thought we were in real danger but then at halftime we were still down a goal. I thought the guys responded well and were patient coming out in the second half.
"It's very important when you make changes that the guys come in and make an impact and they did, especially down in the box when Diego converted. It got a little hectic in the end, which it should when you're on the road and guys want to win and are pushing hard."
CHICAGO FIRE MIDFIELDER DIEGO GUTIERREZ
On his team's play:
"I think we have a solid roster even though we're missing a couple of experienced guys. We have guys that are capable of coming in and helping us. I feel like this team is going in the right direction, and wins will come eventually."
