Postgame Quote Sheet
LA Galaxy 5, Real Salt Lake 0
Sunday, Nov. 9 – 4:30 p.m. PT
MLS Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Semifinal Second Leg
StubHub Center – Carson, Calif.
REAL SALT LAKE HC JEFF CASSAR
On tonight’s game:
“We lost our shape and discipline. Getting stretched out and we ran across a team that was fantastic on the evening. We could never regain control of the ball. There was just too much time and space for LA on this evening.”
On the Real Salt Lake’s performance:
“Our possession wasn’t there tonight. We were giving the ball away tonight too often and too early and it was just setting them off. Against LA if you are not good with the ball they are going to make you pay and we paid today and we paid a lot.”
On the difference between the first leg and the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinal:
“Their movement tonight was fantastic. Landon [Donovan] was everywhere. They were a little bit stagnant at our place. Their movement wasn’t quite what it was tonight and we weren’t ready for that and I am not sure why.”
REAL SALT LAKE DF TONY BELTRAN
On the team’s performance:
“We didn’t do a good enough job keeping the ball so they would come at us a lot and that is when LA is the most dangerous. Credit to them they did a really good job penetrating us with balls getting them high and spreading out it‘s very difficult to defend and very difficult to play out and they battered us. We just didn’t do a good enough job tonight. Keeping it short out in the back and we let them penetrate they used the momentum and they kept coming at us. When you put yourself in a hole it is very difficult to pull yourself out. We tried to push forward there at the end and we get exposed so credit to them they played a good game.”
On Landon Donovan:
“He battered me. He was on another level. He is an incredible player and he had so much desire tonight. He is class he is going to finish his chances. He is going to punish you and that is what he did.”
REAL SALT LAKE FW JOAO PLATA
[Translated from Spanish]
On tonight’s game:
“I thought it was a tough and difficult game. We gave it our all but we couldn’t get the result.”
On the team’s performance:
“We tried to get the goals but we had no luck. We tried to do everything possible but that is the way the game is sometimes you win and sometimes you lose and today we lost.”
REAL SALT LAKE GK NICK RIMANDO
On tonight’s game:
“We didn’t play our game. They were all over us. We were launching balls in their half. We were not the disciplined team that we are. We were not organized. It was a tough game for us and if you are not disciplined and organized against a team like this they are going to punish you and that is what they did.”
On Landon Donovan:
“He is great he has got some fire in his belly for sure. He is a player that is special and has been special for quite some time and tonight you can see that he wants it bad.”
LA GALAXY
LA GALAXY HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA
On tonight's performance:
“We played well. We had a good week of training. Our expectations were that we are going to win this game. Obviously, the result is a little surprising, but I totally anticipated that we would win this game.”
On Landon Donovan retiring:
“I think it’s the right time for him to retire. He’s ready to go. He’s given it everything he has. He wants to finish this year on a high note and then get on with other things in his life.”
On the Western Conference championship:
“I think whoever we are playing in the next games – they are going to be pretty defensive. We know that and we just need to play better. We need to be sharper on the ball. Do a better job opening teams up. We have to continue to move forward.”
On Leonardo’s play:
“Leonardo has played very well for us. He makes a good combination with Omar [Gonzalez] and A.J. [DeLaGarza] plays very well on the right side of the field. I thought the timing was right to try that group in the back.”
On the rationale behind playing Stefan Ishizaki:
“Weeks ago, when this whole series was established I knew I was going to play Stefan [Ishizaki] in the second game.”
On the team’s performance in their 5-0 win:
“We played well .We had three goals out of the midfield out of [Marcelo] Sarvas and Landon [Donovan]. Defensively we were pretty solid. I think they had one really quality chance off that corner kick. I don’t think there were too many out of the run of play. The entire team defended well on the night.”
LA GALAXY MF LANDON DONOVAN:
On tonight’s match:
“We played very well, and our energy early set the tone. I said last week for a majority of the first half in Salt Lake, they were really camped in their own end so we expected that they would come out and be pretty conservative here; and they were. We did a lot of work this week on breaking down the team with those ten guys behind the ball. So I thought our spacing was really good, our movement was excellent, our possession passing was excellent, and then our final pass was really good. I think that combined with really good energy made for a really good night.”
On LA Galaxy’s midfield:
“Stefan [Ishizaki] played well. Between him and Baggio [Husidic], they’ve been excellent all year. When one starts, the other comes in and does well, and when the other starts, the other comes in and does well. Tonight Stefan played well, and we’re very fortunate to have a guy like Baggio around too. It’s good to have a lot of options and it’s going to help us going forward.”
On the team and tonight’s performance:
“We were talking about not scoring a lot of goals in the last few games, and there was a lot of reasons for that. But when our team is together and we know we have this to play for, then we’re going to play well. Now are we always going to score five goals against a team like that, no. But to be honest, we could have scored eight or nine tonight, and I thought we were really good. We know we can play well at home. Between Seattle and Dallas, they gave us a lot of problems during the season so we’ll watch the game very closely tomorrow. We’ll be sure to get proper rest this week and we’ll be ready to go.”
On Real Salt Lake:
“They’re a team that is very good when they have the ball, and when they don’t have the ball, they struggle because they have a lot of guys that don’t want to defend through the midfield and upfront. We did a really good job of making them try to defend. When you have [Alvaro] Saborío having to chase back in his own end to defend guys and not in front of your goal, that makes a big difference. We’re one of the few teams that can flip the table on them. Most times they go into games and dominate possession wise. We’re one of the teams that can change that so that was part of it. But then at the end of the day, you have to take the chances and we took our chances tonight. I was a little surprised that Luis [Gil] didn’t play. I thought he was there best player last week so that was a little surprising to see that he wasn’t on the field to start. We’ve scored a lot of goals here, and won a lot of games here so you can’t expect them to come throw passion to the wind and go all out crazy because we’re a good counter attacking team. I think they wanted to keep the game close as long as they could, but fortunately the early goal put them under a lot of pressure.”
On the possibility of this being his last game if the team hadn’t advanced:
“Last night, and today I was thinking a lot of this through. And the reality was that we could have been standing here, and this could have been the last game ever. There are a lot of things that were out of my control tonight, and one of the things that was in my control was how I played. So I wanted to make sure that when I went home tonight and looked in the mirror that I knew I gave everything regardless of the result. Fortunately the team played well too, and made for a really fun night. I had fun, and I wanted to have fun tonight. If this was going to be the last game, I told my girlfriend today that I wanted to have fun and I want to enjoy it. If we lose, we lose, but I want to make sure I enjoy it. More often than not, when I enjoy the game, I play well.”
LA GALAXY FW ROBBIE KEANE
On the team's performance:
“We knew we had to get the first goal. In the first ten minutes, we knew we had to get the first goal. Once we got that, they opened up even more and we got the second one early as well. I think for them then the game was over. They had to go for goal, so obviously there was a lot of space for us to counterattack and defend well. That's the reason we won the game. We should intensity from the start to the finish.”
On how he felt before the game:
“Honestly, I felt awful before the game. Bad back for the last two days. Bad hamstring. I wasn't feeling great until the game started moving.”
On Landon's performance:
“Unbelievable performance. Unbelievable. Perfectly capped off a great hat-trick.”
On how he feels about the next round:
“To be honest with you, as soon as I get on the plane my focus is on international. As soon as I get back, then I will focus on the next game. That's who I am. We don't even know who we are playing.”
On the team's performance:
“We knew we had to get the first goal. In the first ten minutes, we knew we had to get the first goal. Once we got that, they opened up even more and we got the second one early as well. I think for them then the game was over. They had to go for goal, so obviously there was a lot of space for us to counterattack and defend well. That's the reason we won the game. We showed intensity from the start to finish.”
LA GALAXY MF MARCELO SARVAS
On the Galaxy’s midfield and Stefan Ishizaki’s play:
“I think every player is important. It’s not about the midfield, or defense. I think we did a very good game; we stepped on the field the way we usually do, looking for the goal all the time. We neutralized the key players like [Javier] Morales and [Kyle] Beckerman. I think we did a good job around those players and everyone was sharp tonight. The team was great tonight.”
On being able to stop Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales:
“I think when you play at home you feel more confident and you’re not afraid to leave your defense alone with another player. So we were able to press Morales and Beckerman, and keep the ball, look for the goal, and be dangerous. Every ball we had, we were dangerous. We finished the play and had time to compose our team behind the team, so I think we did a very good job tonight.”
On Landon Donovan’s performance:
“It was a great performance. Landon did what he does best. His speed with the ball, running, breaking lines, and scoring goals. I think it was a great performance.”
On through ball from Robbie Keane:
“Of course I saw it coming; I’ve played with him for three years so we know each other. I know what he is able to do, and I just believed that I was close, and going to score. I saw the ball coming, and I think [Ned] Grabavoy lost his step and Robbie [Keane] asked for the ball.”
