D.C. United head coach Ben Olsen
On today’s match…
"We are obviously thrilled with the result, with the effort and with the nine points in one week. It’s been a very good week for us; I don’t know how long it has been since we have won three in a row. It wasn’t easy today in Toronto, they are a very good team and certainly one of the top teams in the East, even without Giovinco. So for us to get a result here shows a lot about our character; they certainly dominated the game in possession for large stretches but we held together and pounced on our few chances with good finishes."
On Bill Hamid making big saves and weathering the attack coming in waves…
"Bill does what Bill does…making big saves…helping us out when we need him. But everybody took turns in making a play and helping the next guy out. I think our center backs were fantastic and our wide backs were making big plays. It wasn’t always going to be so cohesive from us without the group we normally play but everybody put in a shift and did very well."
On a great run late in the season and sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference…
"We made some changes in the summer that really boosted our attack with Patrick Mullins, Nyarko coming back healthy and the addition of Lloyd Sam…and I think Acosta is starting to figure himself out with us and in the league. This week we have played some really good soccer; Wednesday was good, but we also dug in and found a way [to win]. Tonight was a little ugly but winning on the road and against a team that was a little bit better on us on the ball is great. Being able to win in different ways is important in this league.​"
D.C. United midfielder Lamar Neagle
On thoughts of the game...
"Hard fought game for us. The last time we came here it was a battle and a rough go for us. We are in a different form now. We’re kind of desperate and we are fighting for a playoff spot. Obviously, it was a tough game but we managed to pull it off.
On his two goals...
"Just staying in the box. It was a play that came from Lloyd Sam and it came back out to Steve Birnbaum and I was just staying around the goalie because I knew the shot was going to come eventually. I made a run and Lloyd Sam played a great ball for the second one. I was just trying to get it on target."
On the importance of an Eastern Conference win...
"It’s huge for our momentum. Like I said, this is the first time we are on a three game win streak. To get our last one away at Toronto was huge. They are sitting on top of the East so it’s a big game for us confidence-wise leading into the playoffs."
D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid
On overall thoughts of the game...
"I think it was a fantastic performance. We kind of knew what we were getting into. We knew we were going to have to defend. They were going to come out with energy and we knew they were trying to push for the Supporters' Shield. We are trying to push for the playoffs so we had to contain them and then kill them when we had the chance."
On the team's form after three consecutive wins...
"We are resilient. We fear no one. We worry about our game and then we worry about performing. We defend well and we are disciplined in the back. We communicate well on the field and cover each other extremely well. We got a lot of heart. We just got to continue this form and we are going to be okay."
On Neagle's current form...
"He keeps his head down. He keeps working. A lot of his goals have come off the bench. He’s the second half killer. He’s playing extremely well and he’s in great form. He’s a great finisher and hats off to him. He’s doing extremely well."
Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney
On whether Toronto lacks a killer instinct...
"Yeah, that is fair to say as I said to the group it looks good to dominate, have possession, all that good stuff but ultimately what it comes down to is the two 18 yard boxes at the end of the day. You can’t come out of each of these home games with 15 to 18 shots and only put less than half of them on target. We had more than enough chances to score more than one goal and they had three shots and two goals."
On the locker room mood after losing points in recent matches...
"They are angry, disappointed and definitely not happy. We had more than enough chances to score more goals and we can’t give away just a couple chances and lose a game. To D.C. United’s credit, they did a good job of surviving and their coach would probably agree. They didn’t concede, made plays when they needed to defensively and they got the couple of chances they needed to turn the game for them. They have become a resilient bunch and have done this for the last few games and we have to be able to do the same and play to zero and put away our chances."
On whether they squandered their four-match homestand...
"We definitely left too many points on the table on this stretch. Far more than we had anticipated over the course of it. We have played some pretty good soccer but as I said games are won and lost in these decisive areas of the field and we didn’t make enough plays in these areas to take the points out of them. So, I guess for the Supporters' Shield it was squandered in that way. If you are looking at winning the East we need to be perfect now and probably need some help from other teams."
Toronto FC midfielder Armando Cooper
On his role in Altidore's goal...
"I always look for Jozy when I get the ball. We’ve talked about it in training that when I have the ball for Jozy to make a movement so I can find him."
On losing after scoring first...
"We’ve got to be more aggressive when we have our chances. I’m sad that we lost but we’ll pick up our heads and move forward."
Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley
On whether the team made the most of their opportunities...
"No, not at all. When you play the way we did, ultimately we were on top of the game but it’s a game that’s almost impossible to lose and we did. That leaves an incredibly bad taste in your mouth in terms of the way we weren’t able to make more of the good things we had going forward and the way that we gave up bad goals at bad times. It was a night that at the end of it you’re left pissed off, frustrated, and shaking your head because I think that when you look at the game and the way we prepared for the game tactically what we wanted to do, everything was spot on but if we’re not able to take care of the key moments on both ends of the field it’s hard to win.
On the takeaways for tonight...
"The takeaway is that we have to be better at both ends of the field. When we play at home and teams are waiting for a few moments when they can win a ball and break quickly or wait around for a set piece we have to be able to concentrate and take care of those things and on the other end we have to have more to show for ourselves in terms of the way we play, the way we’re able to get after teams and play the game on our terms. There has to be more to show for ourselves."
