Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake Head Coach Jeff Cassar
On the team’s overall performance:
“I thought, attacking-wise, that we were very good. I thought we were good on both sides of the ball tonight. I couldn’t ask more from our players. They had one shot on goal tonight, so defensively we were very strong. On a different night, we probably could’ve had two or three – a ball was played off the line, and their goalkeeper made another great save. Overall, I’m really pleased. I’m not pleased with one point, but I’m pleased with the team’s performance.”
On the defensive breakdown that led to FW Thierry Henry’s game-tying goal:
“He’s an extremely intelligent player. Sometimes, it looks like he’s not interested, then boom. That’s what it was. We weren’t quite focused enough in that dead ball situation – they played it quick, caught us out of shape, and then we were looking back at it.”
On FW Joao Plata shouldering the load for the RSL attack:
“He’s just deadly right now. Most of his shots are on target, and tonight was no exception. He’s hungry, he wants to keep scoring. I thought he and Olmes [Garcia] were great together, and really put a lot of pressure on New York, then Robbie [Findley] did a good job coming in for the last ten minutes. Joao [Plata] is very engaged.”
On FW Olmes Garcia’s performance:
“I’m really pleased. I can’t remember everything that’s going on, but I thought he was lively and threatening. He did a great job, defensively, on a few plays – which was huge – so overall I’m really pleased with him.”
On how the club has performed during the current homestand:
“I’m a little more pleased with the performance, not the result. We’ve got a quick turnaround, looking at Colorado, and we feel we play relatively exactly the same way we do at home or away. We need to pick up some points. Colorado lost tonight and Vancouver tied, so we picked up a point. We wanted three, but got one. I do think that if we play like [tonight], we will end up having three points a lot more than we end up tying.”
On how fatigue played into the final stretch of the game:
“We attacked a lot tonight. We tried to bring a lot of pressure to them, especially being at home. Their two banks of four were a lot deeper in the second half, and it’s tougher to break down, so the game kind of slows down when you get into the final third. I did think our movement was good, our passing was good, and we were [very] close.”
On the upcoming Rocky Mountain Cup tilt against Colorado:
“I haven’t really thought too much about it right now, but we do want to bring that Rocky Mountain trophy back here, back home. We’re going to have to sit down with the coaches and think about what our best lineup is going to be. Then we have a reserve game right after that. It’s back-to-back games, so we’ve got to see how we can get our freshest team out there, but also mindful of the reserve game the next day.”
On the key to translating good performances into good results at home:
“I felt like our foot was on the gas pedal tonight. We were trying, we were putting ourselves into some good positions, but it just wasn’t coming off. I thought we were very good, offensively, on set pieces and set plays – like the ball being cleared off the line – but I think that if we continue to play like that, we’ll get more wins than ties and losses.”
On the return of former RSL DF Jamison Olave to Rio Tinto Stadium:
“It was great. It was great seeing him chase down players. We knew he was going to try to bring his ‘A’-game against his former team, but it was great to see him. He’s doing a great job for them. I was hoping he was going to cause a [penalty] or something.”
On the scuffle between FW Olmes Garcia and DF Jamison Olave:
“I don’t know. I have no idea exactly what’s going on. I’m sure we’re going to take a look at that one.”
On the emotion and intensity in the stadium:
“The sense of urgency. Again, we had an unbelievable turnout tonight. We really felt the energy from the crowd, I think our players did too. We just kept pushing, and that’s important. It really spurs us on. I know how important three points are at home, so I got excited too.”
Real Salt Lake DF Chris Wingert
On FW Joao Plata’s form in the last few games:
“His finish tonight was unbelievable. He’s just feeling it and it’s not a surprise. I told my dad last year this guy’s a goal scorer. He didn’t have big numbers last year but you should see the way he finishes in practice. He hits the heck out of the ball, he’s sharp around the goal, he’s got an unbelievable fighting spirit. I don’t know if you can see that from outside of the field but the guy competes like crazy, Even when we play ping pong. True story, he’s yelling at himself and screaming. He’s a beast. I love playing with him.”
On having FW Alvaro Saborio out and having to assume bigger responsibilities in the attack:
“To me talking about scoring goals, talking about getting shutouts, talking about that stuff isn’t what produces the results. It’s not bad to talk about it but to me it’s talking about the details and training hard every day so that you can execute on the field. Of course is it ideal to be out of such a goal-scorer like Saborio? No, but we have four other great forwards who have all played tons of minutes for us and have done a good job and worked their butts off. We’re a little bummed with the result tonight for sure but I thought we played fairly well.”
Real Salt Lake DF Nat Borchers
Thoughts on the team and his overall performance:
“I think we had a pretty good game. There were moments in the game early on where I think they were the better team. They had more of the ball, better with their passing, but as the game went on we were able to kind of assert ourselves and get our possession game going and finding a lot of space. Unfortunately we gave up that goal and we weren’t able to get the second.”
Thoughts on Henry’s goal:
“We’re going to have to look at it on the tape. I know for about 10 minutes there they were really overloading that space putting it near myself and [Chris] Schuler. It was like three guys up top, and I just don’t think that we were in the right spots defensively as a group to limit some of those penetrating passes, and that kind of lead to the goal.”
Thoughts on dropping points at home:
“It’s always tough dropping points at home. There’s always the other side of it where again we had I think a very good second half, and we created some great chances, and we just got to keep pushing through it. This is the summer - it’s hot and guys’ legs are a little bit tired and a little heavy, and I think that we’re doing the right things. That just means we’re going to keep creating chances and we’re going to get those goals.”
Thoughts on facing the Colorado Rapids in the next game:
“I think it’s always special for me definitely to go back and play in front of my family and friends back home, and for this group I think we have a great rivalry with them. They have a fantastic team and have been playing well. I think they dropped their result tonight, but they’re going to be fired up and ready to come after it on Saturday, and so are we.”
Real Salt Lake MF Javier Morales
Thoughts on RSL’s possession during the match:
“I think we have to do it better in the next game if we want to improve our position, because the way that we play. I think we have to improve a little bit.”
Thoughts on the next game against Colorado:
“Colorado is going to be a tough game. We have to win because we need three points and we have to go there and take it to them to win it.”
Thoughts on Plata and the lack of goal scoring from other forwards:
“I think the whole team we have to play a little bit better. Today I think for a long time of the game New York had the ball and we had to get it quick, so we start to run without the ball and that is no good for us. Then when we get the ball and we were a little bit tired. We need to go forward, to make the good plays, to score our goals, so I think the whole team has to improve a little bit more.”
The breakdown of Henry’s goal:
“He’s world class you know, and one touch he can put the ball in the back of the goal. He’s a good player, and amazing player and we have to respect him. That’s what he does. One touch and he scored a goal.”
Thoughts on old teammate NY DF Jamison Olave:
“He’s another good player, and you know Jamison did a lot for this club and now he’s doing great in New York. I think he’s a good player and we have to respect him.”
Real Salt Lake FW Robbie Findley
Thoughts on the team and his overall performance:
“Every time I come in, I just try to make an impact, and get us opportunities on goal. I think I did what I could in that sense. As a team performance, I thought that we played well. It’s just that we got to figure out a way when we got that 1-0 lead to be able to keep it for however long it is.”
Thoughts on the turnaround to the next game in Colorado:
“We take it one game at a time, so we weren't thinking ahead at all. We knew that we had to do well in this game, and we got a result which is alright, but now we’re onto the next one.”
Thoughts on what the team needs to do to prepare for Colorado:
“We have a couple of days. Maybe just focus on what we need to do as a team, and not so much them. I feel like a lot of the teams play us the same way. They know what we do, so maybe we need to focus more on our performance.”
New York Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls Head Coach Mike Petke
On the match as a whole:
“I thought that for the first 20 minutes we were absolutely in control. I was very excited and happy to see we were playing like that. Then it tilted towards [Real] Salt Lake’s way, and they did what they do best at home which is possess and get you moving around. I think it evened out in the second half. Overall, we are close to the point in the season where you have to stop saying a point’s good on the road, but tonight, it’s a good point. We haven’t won here since 2008, and I think the guys did enough to win tonight, but we’ll take a point.”
On the turnaround of playing New England at home on Saturday:
“We’ve got some tired guys. Obviously, we’re in altitude here in Salt Lake, and [Real] Salt Lake’s a very good team that gets the ball moving and gets you moving. So guys are a bit hurting right now, a little sore, we’ll have to wait for tomorrow to see how the guys are responding, and we have a big game this weekend.”
On the goal conceded in the first half:
“I’m very disappointed, to be honest with you, in that goal, because it was a situation that we defended the corner kick well, and then when it pops out, nobody gets to the guy with the ball. We need people rushing at and throwing their bodies in the way, and we didn’t. He got a good look – good touch, good look – and buried it in the corner.”
On his team’s overall performance:
“No. I mean listen, Salt Lake’s a great team. Do I think we outplayed them in the second half? No, but I certainly don’t think that they outplayed us. I think it was a little bit even.”
New York Red Bulls FW Thierry Henry
On his goal tonight:
“I saw that Nick Rimando could not see where the ball was, and I just finished it. Great work on the pass from Tim Cahill, and I just have to finish it. Overall, I thought that, obviously Real Salt Lake played really well. We came back in the game. It wasn’t one of our best games, I can say, but sometimes you have to get a result like that, especially in a place like Salt Lake. Usually we come here and we lose. It’s a draw. We are not extremely happy with it, but sometimes you have to save something out of a game and we did tonight.”
On if the altitude affected him:
“No, not really. They’re just a good team to play against. They play through the lines difficultly. They make you run from right to left and left to right. They put guys in the middle of the park, but there’s always a better ball. Real Salt Lake is in a good moment right now, with Nick [Rimando] coming home and obviously, they’re missing [Alvaro] Saborio, but they are a good team. They’ve been good in the past. Since I’ve been here, they’ve been really consistent. This is the first time I can pick up a point at least. We are good with the draw, but you have to give them a lot of credit for the way the passed the ball – they did well.”
On the team’s overall performance:
“I thought we started well. In the first half, I think we had the ball for a while. They got the ball in our box, and we conceded a goal, so it was kind of the same thing for them in the first half. Like I said, they’re a good team; it’s difficult to play against them. We didn’t play that well. We managed to score a good goal in terms of construction. Like I said, we picked up a point. We’re kind of happy with it, but hopefully we can beat New England at home on Saturday.”
New York Red Bulls FW Bradley Wright-Phillips
On his team’s attacking performance:
“I thought we started off well. Obviously, they are at home, so they’ve got a bit of possession. They pass the ball well, we knew that. I think it was fair and square.”
On if he was happy with the team’s defensive performance:
“We expected them to have a lot of possession. I think the boys dealt with it well. Obviously, the one mishap, but things happen in football.”
On Frank Lampard coming to Major League Soccer:
“Yeah, it’s good for the league.”
