Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake Head Coach Jeff Cassar
On his first thought coming out of the game:
“We got three goals from the run of play in one game. It feels good.”
On FW Olmes Garcia’s performance:
“He was fantastic – threatening and quality. The two goals were world-class. The final ball to him was fantastic. It’s what we want from him. He gave a fantastic performance, and he also worked very hard on the defensive end. Just a great night from him.”
On the decision to pull bring on FW Olmes Garcia in the 59th minute:
“I think Robbie [Findley]’s hamstring got a little tight on him 35 minutes in. He was calling it a cramp. We wanted to come out in the second half with the same look, and then we knew we were going to make that move early. We wanted to start with Robbie, then have Olmes [Garcia] come on. It wasn’t the plan before kickoff, but once Robbie started to tighten up, we were going to have to make a move. We had scouted Montreal, and felt that if we had fast, explosive players that really stretch them over the top, it would be beneficial for us. That’s why we started Robbie and Joao [Plata], and had Olmes come on and keep that intensity – keep that pressure – on them. It was key tonight, and it’s going to be key in the future.”
On what contributed to FW Olmes Garcia’s breakout game:
“I think we have to give credit to Javier [Morales] for sending fantastic balls. [Garcia] has been working extremely hard – we’ve been doing a lot of finishing. He’s been looking brighter and brighter, so it was just a fantastic spark when he came into the game. He’s been doing it for the last two weeks in practice, so it was good to see it on the field.”
On MF Luke Mulholland’s performance:
“I thought Luke [Mulholland] was a beast. He was taking a lot of punishment, and he kept running and going. It looked like he was getting stronger and stronger throughout the game, so I give a ton of credit to Luke. His finish was fantastic – he wanted to make sure he kept it on frame. Again, on both sides of the ball, he was great tonight.”
On how his club responded after the early 1-0 lead:
“I still think there’s plenty to work on. I thought our passing out of the back wasn’t exceptional tonight. We gave away a few uncharacteristic balls. ‘Not being on the same page’ is something I’m going to have to look at and correct. The grinding spirit was excellent.”
On how Montreal’s red card in the 65th minute affected the game:
“It changed the game. We felt that they were going to be creating chances no matter what, which they were, but I think it deflated them a little bit. It’s a team that’s not getting the results they want. Then [the red card] happens, chins go down and the energy level drops a bit. [Head Coach Frank Klopas] has to make a change, tactically, and that gives us that extra spark that we needed a little bit. We took advantage of it.”
On whether GK Nick Rimando being so close to the MLS shutout record is a distraction:
“It’s been awhile. It’s something that we’re talking about. It’s tough when you’re at home, and you’re wanting to push, press and get points – and not sit back – but it’s an error that we made. We kind of gave away service twice, we let [DF Krzysztof Krol] come inside and hit a long diagonal ball. We got stretched out from there. It’s something that we’re definitely cognizant of, and need to do better at.”
On his initial thoughts on the upcoming tilt against the New York Red Bulls:
“We have a reserve game tomorrow. That’s going to be key for preparing guys. We’re going to want to be as fresh as possible for that game. I think they’re going to have a mixed-bag lineup, but I think if we come out with that same intensity and energy level, it’s going to be something good for us. Obviously it’s going to be emotional for [DF Jamison] Olave to come back, but it’s going to be good. We have awesome relationships with those guys. It’ll bring out the competitive juices, which is something we’re going to look forward to.”
On the benefit of having this Thursday night game:
“It gives us a little bit of time to get a break. After this game, I think I’m going to give the guys the weekend off to recharge their batteries, then come back with a nice couple of practices leading up to the Red Bulls game. We have a lot of games coming up in the next six to seven weeks, so we have to be very mindful that we recuperate the right way and have a good rotation of players.”
On his club’s performance in the final third:
“I felt like our final pass was good tonight, especially in the second half. Obviously it opened up a bit with the red card, but they still had two banks of four sitting in front of their [18-yard box]. I thought our final ball was fantastic. Obviously two from Javi [Morales], the set piece was good, everyone was moving, and everyone was contributing. I think if that’s happening, we’re doing really well.”
Real Salt Lake MF Ned Grabavoy
On getting the three points at home:
“It feels great. I mean however you need to get the three points that’s the focus. Each game is going to play out differently and each game is going to be different. Getting the three points at this point in the season is the important thing, especially at home. Against teams that are struggling, let’s be honest when we have teams that come in here who aren’t confident with the way they play we need to win those games. So we took care of that tonight and now going forward hopefully we can build off the way we’ve been playing. I think we’ve been playing pretty well. I know we lost at LA but I thought we played well. The tie against Vancouver I thought we played pretty well for the most part. I think we’re playing well right now but we’re just having trouble finding that result.”
On seeing the ball hit the back of the net three times:
“It’s great. Especially the third goal to take that pressure off. We haven’t been able to find that as much this season maybe as much as years past. That killer instinct a little bit to know what the numbers are going forward and to play. I’m really happy for [Olmes} Garcia. Hopefully this gives him some confidence going forward and gives us a different option. Whether he’s starting or coming off the bench. I think that’s a real positive.”
On seeing the goals being scored by a young member of the team:
“I think we’re happy anytime we see some young guys be rewarded a little bit. And too see him be rewarded and have two great finishes is a great thing for us. I think it’s difficult sometimes for our younger guys because getting in and out of the lineup in more of a veteran team, a team with a little bit more of a core to your team. But we see how much they work in training and we see how much they care. It’s great to see a young guy rewarded like that.”
Real Salt Lake MF Javier Morales
On his thoughts on the match:
“I think that we played a little better today, but we got to keep working and keep improving. I’m so happy, because [Olmes] Garcia, in the second half, he scored two goals. We need it more than him, because we need those guys coming in the second half off the bench and make the impact.”
On FW Olmes Garcia’s performance:
“He’s fast. I think the defender will worry about him. After his first goal he got comfy, and he’s a pretty good player.”
On the confidence that came after Montreal received the red card:
“It was in the 60 something, no? We had a lot of time, and it was important, because we were up a man and all that space coming and we find them. That’s the most important part I think.”
On the upcoming Red Bulls match against old teammate DF Jamison Olave:
“He was my roommate for four years, but we need the three points and Jamison [Olave] is a good friend. He did a lot for the club. He’s a good friend, but next Wednesday we’re going to take them. The last time that I played against him he got me from behind, so I hope this time it doesn’t happen again.”
Real Salt Lake MF Luke Mulholland
On his performance:
“I’m happy to be back in the starting 11. After that red card a few weeks ago, and then the fact that I helped get the three points, it felt good for me.”
On the team’s performance when the goals kept coming:
“That’s football really. The goals coming all at one time and then no goals for a while, and then they’ll come again. So hopefully this is the game that keeps starting all the goals, then we’ll get a bunch of goals in the next few games. Hopefully that will get us three points with each game starting a big streak.”
On scoring his goal:
“Not really… It was very similar to the goal scored last time here. Just when the ball dropping in the middle of the box, then I just tried to get there before the defender did and I was able to catch it and volley it directly into the back of the corner and catch the keeper out, so yeah, quite similar to the last goal I scored here at home. Delighted to score so early into the game.”
On the instinct of scoring goals:
“That stuff comes natural to me when I’m inside the 18 yard box. It’s just getting it on target. Soon as the ball dropped, it was just a quick reaction and it hit the back of the net. It was a good feeling to score at Rio Tinto Stadium.”
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact Head Coach Frank Klopas
On his overall thoughts:
“It was good up to that call - to the red card. That changed everything. Then, I don't know what else can go wrong. With us it just seems like everything goes wrong with us. We had a chance to go on a breakaway, both players go down, both players have studs up and we get the red card. That changed everything. Other than that, I thought we had the game in control. We had better chances the first half. We gave up a fast goal; obviously we came back and scored a nice goal. [We had] some other very good opportunities. We didn't [score], but I thought we were managing the game and could have gotten a result out of it. The red card changed everything.”
On if the red card was a fair call:
“Listen, when you see both players go with their studs up, they're both going for the ball. For me, how you can give a straight red in a play like that, and then the [RSL] guy doesn't even get touched.”
On his decision to play an extra midfielder:
“It was good, but I also had to think about the game Sunday. We try to manage certain guys. We knew that they were a team that was good in possession, and then we had opportunities to push the game. We wanted to make sure that we could save at least one of the forwards, with Jack [McInerney] and Marco [Di Vaio]. We enforced the midfield. Obviously we have to rest some guys and some guys we put in there, but like I said, I think that the game, everything changed with that call.”
On if he's worried about FW Felipe Martins' current form:
“I'm worried about the team; I'm not worried about one player. I'm worried about the team, that's it because it just seems like whatever could go wrong, is going wrong for us. We just got to find a way to get out, keep working, and try to get a result and maybe snap out of it.”
On if there was any explanation for the red card after the game:
“No, just leave it up to me. It's a lot of frustration, but I have to stick up for my players and my team, and I think it's a bad call.”
On the biggest adjustments his team needs to make going into Sunday's game:
“Obviously, we've got to assess how our guys are feeling tomorrow. It's a short turnaround for us. We have to play on the west coast Thursday night, and then we have to play Sunday at home against a team that's just waiting and resting. It's about getting guys in the right moment. Right now the mentality is going to be to do whatever we have to do to get a result - that's the mentality we have to go in with. We have to assess how guys are feeling. We're playing another good team that has a lot of quality in the final third. They are a good possession team. But right now, it's about whatever it's going to take to get a result, and that kind of mentality. We'll have to see where guys are tomorrow.”
Montreal Impact GK Evan Bush
On how he was busier than he would have like in this game:
“Yeah, you kind of expect that coming into Salt Lake. You know they're going to be on top of the game; obviously they're a very good team. You go into the game kind of expecting them to be on the ball a little bit more. You try to prepare yourself for that. That's how it goes. We had a decent hold on keeping the fort held down for a while and then that red card really changed the game. It's hard to go down a man against Salt Lake in Salt Lake.”
On how the team's chances were heading into the second half:
“We knew that Salt Lake was going to push their outside backs forward, and we knew that in transition, we were going to get opportunities. If we could just stay tight defensively, we thought we could get a couple on the break. Unfortunately, the red card, like I said, kind of killed our numbers going forward, but that's how the game goes sometimes.”
On the adjustments the team made after conceding an early first goal:
“Well, the first goal came off a set piece, so it wasn't really something that defensively we broke down on. It's just a set piece that we lost track of our runners. I think defensively, actually, in the first half we did pretty well. They got isolated out wide a few times, but against that team [RSL], that's what they are going to try to do. They're going to pack the middle and then they're going to try to isolate guys wide. That's what they did, but I think we did pretty well in the first half. So, defensively, I think we were fine in the first half.”
Montreal Impact MF Calum Mallace
On the tying goal after going down:
“We gave up an early goal. That's not the way you want to start, especially when you come here. They're such a good team. We were able to get the goal back, which was nice coming into the locker room at 1-1, and trying to figure out a game plan for the second half. It's definitely a difficult loss.”
On the influence fatigue had on the game:
“We knew they were going to come down their right side a lot, and they're a good team in this league, so it was difficult coming here. Most of the guys played in the game last week as well, so there are some tired legs. [We had] an early flight in, and [we have] a long one back, so it was definitely a tough game. They're a good team and we know how good they are in possession. It's tough.”
