Real Salt Lake 0-Colorado Rapids 1
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Postgame Quotes
Jason Kreis, Real Salt Lake head coach
On what the team needs to do to move on:
You just do what you can. You talk to the players. You can see that a few guys needed a rest. We’ve just got to be mindful of that as we go through the last part of the season. We’ve had some experience before where we’ve worn our guys out so to speak and then we get to the playoffs and we don’t have enough energy to do what it takes.
On Colorado getting the win:
I think they just wanted it so bad. We’ve been there in difficult patches where you just haven’t had the result that you’ve wanted for a long time and you’re just doing everything you can to get your body in front of things and make tackles and plays in the defensive third of the field. That’s what [the Rapids] did tonight. There's no doubt about it. It's my strong belief that in this league, unless every single time, the team that wants it more typically get the result. I think the teams that are evenly matched up, the difference in quality right now, San Jose, and I'm not sure who the last place team in our league is, is very small.
On the rivalry with Colorado:
It's good for the league. I'm glad to be a part of such a rivalry... What a great crowd Colorado had tonight and we're pleased our fans were there as well. I think it makes for a more emotional game, and tonight was one of those.
Tony Beltran, Real Salt Lake defender
On the loss:
Obviously we’re all disappointed. We had the opportunity to take over first place and we didn’t take it. But still, it’s just a big letdown. I think we could have done better tonight. I think at times the soccer was good but it wasn’t a complete performance in any way.
On whether the trip to Costa Rica affected their play tonight?
I don’t think it should. We’re all professionals. We’re doing a good job of taking care of our bodies so maybe something to it, but still it shouldn’t affect us out there.
On what happened on the goal:
I think it came off of a throw in, it went towards the back post and [Jaime Castrillón] got over me, he hit the crossbar and deflected out and [Joseph Nane] took a good shot. We were kind of leaving Nick [Rimando] stranded there so I should have won that ball on the back post.
Justin Braun, Real Salt Lake forward
On the match overall:
Obviously it didn’t go the way we wanted it to. I thought the team played well though. In the first half we created some things and unfortunately we didn’t get a goal but we pushed for it in the second half and weren’t able to get it. We’ve just got to get it behind us. We’ve got another game coming up next week. Hopefully we can go up to Vancouver and get three points there.
On making his debut with Real Salt Lake:
It was a dream come true. It’s something I’ve been kind of dreaming about since five years ago up in the stands. I’ve been watching them play. SO to be able to put on that jersey was an honor and I’m looking forward to being able to do that more often.
On his performance:
It was okay. There was a lot that could have been better out there. Obviously it’s a new team and it’s my first time playing with the group. So I’m still learning kind of the way that some of the guys play and their tendencies and trying to play off them. But overall I think I’m okay with it. I’m not happy but I’m just going to keep moving forward.
Oscar Pareja, Colorado Rapids Head Coach
On the Rapids getting their first win in six matches:
I thought it was a very good game. The boys were very happy with the result, with the three points to get out of that hole. We spoke during the week to the boys. We said we still have time and we're going to keep fighting. They have been pushing, they have been trying, they have been fighting. Today they got the result they deserved, and many of our games, they deserved it but they don't get anything. Today I was truly proud of them.
On if that was the Rapids most complete defensive game of the season:
Today was very solid from the backs to the forwards. It is a great day for them because they know that they can do it. As I say, sometimes the game is cruel and doesn't give you what you deserve. Today they get a great three points.
On what he hopes the Rapids get out of this win:
They worked this week with a lot of joy despite all of the hard moments that we've had. Obviously losing against Seattle last weekend after a good performance, it was another game where we came out with disappointment and they worked this week with a lot of joy and energy. Last week, that game helped, and today they showed it. They showed a lot of character, personality, and hard work.
On Joseph Nane's role in the offense:
Jo has brought us a lot of balance. I think he's doing a great job with Jeff [Larentowicz] in the middle. Because he's very technical, he had some good chances in the first half and contributed a great goal.
Drew Moor, Colorado Rapids defender
General thoughts on the game:
It was just a total team effort tonight. That's what we expect form ourselves and that's what we have to expect from ourselves from here on out.
On whether beating Real Salt Lake means much more because they are higher in the standings:
It really shouldn't mean that much more. It's another three points that we need to continue to get as the season goes on. Salt Lake is a very good team. Any time you get three points off them whether it's at home or away, it's big. That's what we need to continue to believe. This is how we can perform, this is how we can play. We can score goals, we can continue to create. We probably should have gotten a couple more tonight, and we can get shutouts. That's how things have been in the past. Three or four months ago, this would have been a normal win for us. We need to continue to build on this momentum.
On this being a strong defensive performance:
We stayed concentrated. We didn't give up any silly mistakes, letting them get behind us too much. At times, we defended desperately. Sometimes you have to do that against good teams because it creates chances. Pickens, it was a milestone night for him. He came up with a very, very good save. If that goes in, it might be a different story, but that was really the only chance we gave. If we can limit other teams' chances and defend as well as we did, then we're going to be just fine.
On Pickens' influence this season:
Pickens has been huge this season. I think he's probably had one of the best seasons of his career for sure which is almost unfair to say because defensively, we haven't been as good in front of him the past two or three years. That's on the guys that play the back four and the defensive mid-fielders, but he's been fantastic this year so far. In the locker room, the influence that he's leaving on this team has been unbelievable. He's really stepped up vocally. I know he was so happy to sign a new contract a couple weeks ago, so happy to be here. That tells me, Jeff [Larentowicz], Brian [Mullan], Omar [Cummings], and other guys that have just signed contracts here that this is going to be our core group. If he's our goalkeeper and part of our core group, then I can't think of a better guy to have in our locker room. He's been unbelievable.
Matt Pickens, Colorado Rapids goalkeeper
On earning his 40th career win:
It’s good. It’s a team thing and it goes out to the guys that have been here since I’ve been here, and the guys that used to be here as well. For me, it’s not an individual thing, it’s a team think just like the shutout record earlier this year. It’s a great night to get it against Salt Lake and turn the streak around.
On winning against Real Salt Lake:
I think it was the way that we won. We held a lead. We held a lead at home. And we held a lead for a half and then another half. So for us that’s good. We’ve gone up in the past and then given up two goals and then we end up losing so it’s good a good confidence builder for us defensively. We know that we can do this and all we need is one goal to win and come out with three points.
On the doing the little things that made a difference:
I think we defended our set pieces pretty well and that’s what we wanted to do. We knew it was going to come down to that. We knew that [Javier] Morales was going to dance around in our final third and then he would get tripped up and they’d look for that. I thought we were tuned in tonight and it showed here on the board.
Joseph Nane, Colorado Rapids midfielder
On hitting the crossbar before scoring:
About the crossbar: it was a one-touch finish I was trying to do, but unfortunately it hit the crossbar. The second one, I just decided to settle it down, put it on my best foot – my left one – and hit the target. That’s all it was. Nick Rimando deflected the ball, but it was always going in.
On scoring the first goal of his career:
I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I was wondering [if] it was ever going to come, but it’s nice that it’s finally there.
On helping the team to a much-needed win:
We’ve got to start somewhere, whether it’s with me or somebody else. It’s a relief, you can actually see it in the locker room, everybody is happy. That’s what we wanted.
