10/4/08
| Postgame Quotes: Revolution 2, RSL 2 |
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Postgame quotes after the New England Revolution and Real Salt Lake played to a 2-2 draw at Gillette Stadium on October 4, 2008.
REVOLUTION HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
Two-nil, it was absolutely a point gained. The goals we gave away were horrendous. We can’t give goals away like that. We tried to pass it and we tried to do the right things, but we were just off. We tried to do the right things, but the pass was just a half-yard short, or a yard too far in front or behind. We just weren’t at it. You see the character of the team, though. Two-nil down at home, 20 minutes to go, and they don’t give up. We end up with a point and nearly steal it. We can’t be too disappointed being two-nil down.
They kind of out-worked us in the first half. They put a lot into it. They defended well. They got people back in numbers, tried to get long balls and get in behind us. Our passing wasn’t on – we were either a half a yard ahead or a half a yard behind, which made us stutter. And we give bad goals away – and they had a couple of other chances, but that’s only because we were chasing the game. We have people taking gambles and chances, and we almost scored at the end, but we probably didn’t deserve to win the game.
On the team coming back from a two-goal deficit …
That’s down to individual ability. It’s always good when you have people who are capable of doing that. The character, though – there’s no question about the character of the players. But we have to tighten up. We have to do the small things better … It’s huge that we’re two-nil down at home and come away with a point and almost steal it. It just tells you that we’re never down. It’s another reminder to the players as a group that they’re never done, and never count them out.
REVOLUTION MIDFIELDER STEVE RALSTON
Going down 2-0 in the 75th minute is a big hill to climb, but its not undoable. We would have liked to have gotten three points - and it would have been nice to clinch a playoff spot tonight - but we needed to come out with more pressure to start the game.
The midfield was tight in the first half. They do a good job with two of their outside guys pinched in a bit and they closed the open space down. Playing a few more balls over the top would have kept them more honest but we didn’t try to force it.
On his goal …
Khano (Smith) crossed it and the bounce just set up right to me. It was pretty fortunate because they had a lot of guys in the box, but it just snuck through there, maybe on a deflection.
REAL SALT LAKE HEAD COACH JASON KREIS
We told the players already, that, for me, if someone offered me a point before we even played the first minute tonight, that I’d taken it with no question about it. That said, the way that we got that point is not a bit disappointing, but it’s still a point. It’s two road games and it’s the most critical stage of the season and our guys came away with four points. So I think we have to feel very positive about that.
On Nat Borchers’ goal line clearance on Taylor Twellman’s shot in stoppage time …
It’s big. If that goal had gone in, it would have been a different message completely. You wouldn’t have seen even a half of a smile around here. It was a big play on his part.
On out-playing New England in the first half …
That’s mostly to do with how they came out. They played a lot better soccer and figured things out in the second half and were able to put things back into our court a little bit. I thought in the first half they looked a little bit flat and confused, and we looked very sharp. So in the second half, they came out with more vigor and played better soccer and put us on our back. Then we take the goal against the run of play, which oftentimes is what happens, and obviously from that point on, we’d have liked to see better stuff. But, again, at this point in the season, I just don’t think that there is any time to hang our heads, and feel sorry for ourselves and beat ourselves up about it. We have a game in five days and it’s a pretty massive one.
On Javier Morales …
He is a special player, and he showed it not only in his goal, but he showed it in his assist and he showed in a lot of the possessions he had tonight.
REAL SALT LAKE MIDFIELDER KYLE BECKERMAN
We’re trying as best as we can right now, but we know we lost two points. What we’ve been saying is if we were able to take a point in the game without playing the game, we would have taken it for sure. In that, we’re happy but, you know, whatever. Even after the game was tied up, we still had chances to win the game. But we’re alright. We’ve got to get on with it … we’ve got a quick turn around so we’ve got to be ready.
On the Revs’ two goals in three minutes…
It was kind of like a three-minute lapse, some weird things, just some weird plays and it fell right to them. Taylor (Twellman) got a little space and they finished. It was just a lapse for three minutes.
On the second half ...
In the second half we were up a goal, so we’re thinking, “Let’s counter attack.” I think the first half we did a really good job, I think when you’re beating a team up like that you’re using a lot of energy. So second half we didn’t come out very good the first part of it. They sort of got it together and scored a really good second goal. We actually had a really nice chance to make it three, but (Matt) Reis came up with a big save. It was just a three-minute little brain fart.
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