Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake Head Coach Jeff Cassar
On the game overall:
“The commitment from the guys was unbelievable. It's similar to what we've been going against offensively. They put two banks of four right in front of our 18, and it was really hard for us to penetrate. Colorado really threw everything at us, but our guys stood still and defended awesome.”
On being able to dictate the play for the first 15-20 minutes of the game:
“We were just playing good soccer. Our team shape was very good tonight before the red card and after the red card. It was tough for Colorado to penetrate through us. Just being disciplined and not giving up any chances and then putting away one, and sticking with it.”
On whether the team was prepared to play with a man down:
“We didn't plan to play short. We had our roster set up and if we had any issues, we were able to deal with them. Our subs were fantastic tonight. Carlos [Salcedo] was a beast on the back line when he came in. Cole [Grossman] really solidified the midfield. John [Stertzer] really made a couple nice plays even though he was in for seven minutes.”
On GK Nick Rimando tying the record all-time shutout record:
“We've been trying to do it now for a little while. For Nick [Rimando] to get it and kind of get that over with is something. The accomplishment that he achieved tonight is unbelievable. His play tonight was unbelievable. He really came up big in the times we needed it, and I thought he commanded his box fantastic. He's always there for us. We've been doing a really good job of defending and he hasn't had that much work in the last few games, but this game he was busy, and it wasn't just stopping shots. It was manning his box and I really felt like he did a great job of that.”
Real Salt Lake GK Nick Rimando
On getting the shutout to tie the all-time league record:
“A shutout is a shutout for me. The effort from in front of me was fantastic.”
On getting selected to the All-Star Team:
“Whenever you get chosen to play in an all-star game, it's a big compliment to you. To be here and to represent Real Salt Lake, and to play against one of the best teams in the world, it's going to be a fun time.”
Real Salt Lake MF Kyle Beckerman
On how they pulled out the win:
“Mainly, it was just our confidence, sharpness, and organization.”
On GK Nick Rimando tying the shutout record:
“It was awesome. We've been trying to get it for Nick for a long time. He deserves it. We feel like he's been the best goalkeeper in the league for years. I'm just so happy for him to tie it tonight. Nick is a huge player for us and I think now he's getting more recognition because of the national team. It's great because Nick's a good guy and we all like to see when the good guys do well.”
On finally earning a shutout as a team:
“I think we've really been searching for a shutout. It was good for us to have a tough challenge with ten men and be able to hold them off and get the shutout. The three points is big because we were only three points ahead of them. We got a little separation. These are the kinds of games that may be a turning point for our season.”
On playing with ten men for the second half:
“When you go down a man, it's a strange thing. The mindset of every player at that point goes strictly to defense. We just had to not get scored on and we win the game, so you just get everyone tuned in with the same mindset and you know what you have to do.”
Real Salt Lake FW Robbie Findley
On things going their way to start the game:
“The first 15 minutes or so, we were moving the ball and able to get it in different areas. Then there was a period of time where they had the ball and we had to defend. We did well and kept our composure, and then towards the end of the half, we were able to do the same. It was great work by [Chris] Wingert to pressure the ball in the back. It was just hard work all around.”
Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni
On losing the match despite creating chances:
“It’s the game. I say the same thing, the game of soccer doesn’t owe anyone anything, you have to go out and get it. I think minus the better part of the first 15 minutes, I think we handled ourselves real well. We created some great opportunities, had a lot of great chances in the first half to do something with it. We just didn’t have that final touch and that final pass. It wasn’t there tonight. That’s the game. Sometimes you get it, sometimes you don’t. Tonight wasn’t our night.”
On whether there was a lack of urgency in the first half:
“The mindset was to go out and start playing from the beginning. I think it took us getting scored on to really open up. It’s a level of comfort. Players on the ball have to want to have it, and have to want to play. For whatever reason, after we got scored on everyone woke up and wanted to get on the ball. From that moment on, I think there was only one team on the field.”
On losing their second consecutive match:
“Results don’t do it for me. If results were that important, I’d be livid right now. I’m really not livid. The result in New England had nothing to do with this game. It’s about progress, and I think tonight we took a step in the right direction. We played well, got forward, defended really well after that first goal. There was a lot of good soccer before they went down a man. That is something to build on. Again, I think experienced teams, and teams that have been together for a while, will put those performances together in consecutive games. We’re still building, we’re still trying to do that. I think tonight the effort was tremendous. I’m not upset, I’m not disappointed, that’s life.”
On José Mari’s return and performance:
“He’s not 90 [minutes ready yet]. I was quite impressed with his ability to go out and actually contribute the way he did. I think he’s been missed, not to take anything away from the guys that have been filling in. His experience was valuable out there tonight. I think he controlled the rhythm of the game in the middle. It was good to have him out there. Overall, it was a real solid team performance.”
On Deshorn Brown’s return and performance:
“Especially early on, I thought he was causing them grief over the top, and giving them something to think about. We were able to find Vicente [Sánchez] underneath, and a lot of nice things in the first half. Everyone contributed today. I think it was a really good and solid effort. The only thing lacking was the result, and that’s one thing I’ve always said you can’t control. I’m very excited about the way they played tonight until the end. Sometimes it’s easy to get lax when you’re up a man, and throw caution to the wind and get forward, but the way the guys in the back defended - they did a real good job. Everyone did a real good job. It’s a great performance to build on. Goals come and go. When you’re scoring, everyone’s excited, and when you’re not, you’re rethinking things. But tonight I think these guys have nothing to rethink. They played like men, and deserved more.”
Colorado Rapids MF Dillon Powers
On how difficult a result like this is:
“[A red card] always kind of changes the game, and makes it a lot different than an 11v11 match. We have to figure out a way in those situations to be creative, and get a goal.”
On the positive performance displayed:
“The effort was there. It was just very frustrating, because we know the importance of that game. We felt we let it slip, and that we had a good opportunity to take three points.”
On whether the momentum shifted after the red card:
“When you go up a man, it changes a lot of things. Sometimes the team that gets the red card can start bunkering in like you saw them do. It makes it very difficult to break down, and changes the game a lot. As a player, you don’t find the spots that you might normally find, and you don’t play the game the same way. It’s kind of a curve ball. I think we saw it when we played Atlanta in the U.S. Open Cup, it felt like the same exact game. We were going side to side and just couldn’t find the breakthrough.”
Colorado Rapids DF Drew Moor
On the first half:
“I think they just started brighter than us. They won a couple tackles down our right hand side and it allowed them some space in the box and [Morales] had a good finish. After that it was a completely different game. This is one of those where you can’t wait to get punched in the mouth before you start going.”
On his field position:
“They were playing a man down and [Robbie] Findley, their highest guy, was dropping back real deep. We don’t want him getting the ball and turning so we wanted to at least put some pressure on him. With five minutes to go, I started to make my way in the box because at that point we had really narrowed it down to just putting balls in the box. I don’t think we played well enough even a man up to create chances and to be dangerous. But if their highest guy is dropping that deep, I have to go and make sure he doesn’t turn and get out of it.”
On how the red card affected the game:
“The whole second half we were a man up so that’s a different story, but I thought we earned going a man up. It they didn’t get a red card we probably would have scored there, but it was after their goal scored that we really started playing. You can go 75 minutes playing well but if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net, it doesn’t matter if you’ve already been scored on.”
On losing the Rocky Mountain Cup and the upcoming schedule:
“It’s disappointing that there’s still a game left in it. I think the same thing happened a couple years ago. It’s important to the supporters which makes it important to us. You never want them to come in here and take it away from us. That’s behind us now and that’s how you have to look at it. We have them again in a couple months but we have a very important game on Saturday in Dallas - a team we are tied with in points right now. I tell these guys it’s not April and May anymore, it’s August and September’s coming up, October’s coming up. The little things make a big difference right now.”
