D.C. United head coach Ben Olsen
On the result of the match...
“It was a very satisfying point for the entire group. We’re not happy about starting off the game and the second half by giving up early goals, but I'm pleased with the chances we created, our ability to bounce back in the first half, and then to hold on down the stretch. And it was against a team that’s throwing a bunch of numbers forward; not just numbers, but such dynamic attacking players for this league. For us to hold up and almost steal it, even in the last few moments, made for a satisfying point. I still think there was enough chances on both teams tonight to take all three, but, to get our first road result of the season is important."
On if it's a concern to be giving up first half goals...
"Obviously, it’s not a good thing...it’s something we have to fix and we will. But it's certainly alarming and something we’ll address, but, that’s not necessarily the story today, for me. It's more about a group of guys that gave everything for each other out there to get something out of this game. Kofi [Opare], Sebastien [Le Toux], Lamar [Neagle], Max Tissot, got their first real minutes this year. With that many changes and a new midfield formation...it was an overall pretty good performance."
On what he saw out of Ian Harkes being the primary attacker on the field...
“He’s obviously different than Lucho[Luciano Acosta] and on the road that’s something we can look at, where maybe it’s a touch more defensive in there. But, I thought he had a very good game. He continues to grow and he continues to prove that he belongs, not only in the starting lineup, but in the league. He got a little closer on scoring a goal tonight, it hit the post, so maybe next week one will hit the net."
On the goal scored by Sébastien Le Toux...
“Well, the one thing we knew we were going to have with Sébastien [Le Toux] and Lamar [Neagle] is a threat with the legs and behind. Sebastien timed his run very well and made a very classy play to chip the keeper."
D.C. United Forward Sébastien Le Toux
On how D.C. United performed...
“I think we performed well for maybe eighty minutes, and for the first five minutes of each half, we were kind of dropping, and maybe not as awake as the rest of the game. So I would say it was eighty very good minutes from us and everybody was tuned in, and even if we had a few new guys like me with a first start and some other guys with a first start, I think we showed we have a very good group and very good team spirit and we can get a result away. I think it was a good performance overall.”
On the team scoring two goals in two minutes...
“It’s great character. It’s a good mentally team and now we kind of need to keep doing this in every game and maybe not being down a goal to react right away. It’s a good learning process, but I think we are pretty happy how we reacted after the first goal we got against.”
On if he saw Cody Cropper coming out on his goal...
“Yeah, I saw him come out. Lloyd [Sam] brings the perfect ball and it was great timing so luckily the keeper didn’t come as fast as he could have and I just chipped it. I was lucky and it went in so I’ll take the goal but yeah, saw it coming so that’s why I just chipped it.”
D.C. United Midfielder Jared Jeffrey
On giving up an early goal in the fifth minute...
“It was very disappointing, I think. We talked a lot about reactions this week, especially after last week giving up a goal so early in the second half, but obviously we responded pretty well to get it back in at halftime 2-1 up. That was big for us.”
On giving up an own goal at the start of the second half...
“Another set piece goal. I think you know we gave up a lot of corner kicks and we didn’t deal with that one, but I thought we were good on set pieces throughout the night mostly on everything else. It’s disappointing, I thought we still created some chances in the second half and we just couldn’t get them to fall.”
On getting a point despite missing several players to injuries...
“I think we got a really deep squad and that’s always been a theme around here. I don’t think we read too much into it. Obviously, there’s some different guys, but we expect everyone to come in and do the job and I thought everyone that played tonight did that.”
New England Revolution Head Coach Jay Heaps
On the quick start and what happened to change the momentum...
“Coming in, we thought the two things that would hurt us would be the counter attack and set pieces. Unfortunately, you can prepare for it. You can work on it, but when the games on the line, you got to be prepared to do it. Unfortunately, our set piece defending wasn’t good enough. Don’t get me wrong, we had chances too. We just got to be better there.”
On the changes made at halftime...
“Yeah, a lot of games in this week. We felt like Kelyn [Rowe] would get a lot of the ball there in the first parts of the game and he did, but then we wanted to open it up and bring Chris [Tierney] in and have a little bit of a fresh look out there. It was right there. I thought that that was the goal that was going to come. It was a great ball from Chris in to Kei [Kamara]. Hit the post and then we had the chance with the second ball.”
On if and how the momentum of the match made it difficult for the Revolution to implement their game plan...
“What happened was, I don’t know if it was as open in the first half. But the second half, once we scored, it became open. But the first half, the key is you just can’t let them get the lead and they did. Now we’re trying to get them out a little bit to play and they weren’t coming out very much in the first half after they scored, but the first twenty minutes went exactly to script. Like I said, it came down to a set piece and we didn’t clear it right and they scored the first goal. Then, the second one was a straight counter. Bad set piece by us, one ball down, and [Sebastien] Le Toux gets through. You know, not good enough. We know that. All of us just have to be better.”
New England Revolution Defender Chris Tierney
On what he saw on the cross that Kei Kamara headed off the post in the 80th minute...
“Yeah, I saw Kei [Kamara] head it and I don’t know how it didn’t go in; great run from him and just bad luck. What are you going to say? Sometimes you get the bounces, sometimes you don’t. We didn’t get it.”
On what the team will take away from this week...
“We take two points, which is disappointing, but there’s a lot of good stuff to take. I know that’s probably not what a lot of fans want to hear at this point, but I think if you look at the games, we played some really good stuff. We just gave up a few soft goals and need to button a few things up. Like I said, that probably sounds old to even some of us, but I really think that’s the truth. So, we’re going to stay positive, keep moving forward. We like the group we have, and we feel like if we keep playing the way we are — button a few things up — then we’ll be in good shape.”
On the team's approach heading into this match...
“Yeah, you know, I think, like I’d said earlier, Jay [Heaps] had an idea that he was going to put me on towards the end if we were behind or if it was tie game to try to get the goal. My job is to try to get front service into our players and we had the opportunity there. It’s just bad luck that we couldn’t take it. So, yeah, I think tactically, it was a move that worked out, worked the right way, and unfortunately, like I said, we just couldn’t get the bounce.”
New England Revolution Midfielder Antonio Delamea
On earning a point after the match took a turn...
“Honestly, I think this draw is fair. We both had nice chances. Maybe they had a few better than we did. At the end, I think it’s a fair result. I feel maybe a little disappointed, but that’s soccer. If you’re not a hundred percent in the game, like we were in the first half. They punished our stupid mistakes. Again, we need to be satisfied with the draw.”
