A 3-0 scoreline is pretty good, eh? Some in the press box were calling it the most complete United game of the year and it's tough to disagree. Three goals scored, a shutout and players working for their teammates all over the pitch. Two absolute stunners from Joe Vide and Santino Quaranta and a opportunistic Quavas Kirk gets his first career regular season goal. Guys were joking that Quavas subbed in from the sideline and ran straight towards goal for the rebound. He subbed in during the 87th minute and scored in the 87th minute. I'm checking with Elias Sports Bureau to see how many times that's happened before. I can't imagine it's happened very often.
Update (11:44 p.m.): Post-game quotes below and a few photos added to Video & Pics.
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On the game:
It took us a while to open them up. They started out with a 4-5-1 [formation]. We knew, watching the last game, we had an idea that that’s how they’d come out and it’s hard to play teams down so it took us a while to find our rhythm and flow. But I think once we opened them up, things started to open up and we created chances, not only in the run of play but also on set pieces, I thought. And the guys we injected in today showed some life. Obviously getting the stats now is important but the way they energized the game I thought they did a pretty good job today.
On the substitutes’ performance:
Well you always hope, through the course of the season, you hope that they’re in it long enough that they understand it’s just a piece within the organization or system. It’s taken a little bit longer than I’d like but we’ve had so much change, guys coming in and out hurt that it’s just tough to develop that. The guys are getting a little experience along the way, some of the young guys are understanding it. It’s still not consistent enough but we’re making some strides.
On Joe Vide pushing forward:
Between the two of them, as Joe [Vide] and Clyde [Simms] play together more, the understanding gets there and they know when to cover each other and now have they ability to read each other, and that comes by playing alongside each other. Inevitably, it works that way over time.
On Luciano Emilio’s two assists:
I think the game dictated that. [Colorado] was dropping everybody back in. It was hard to break them down so what ends up opening when teams drop are outside-the-box shots. He gave Joe [Vide] a great ball and Joe put himself in a good spot to get that. Credit Luci because he did what was needed.
On Louis Crayton:
He managed the box really well. The communication seems to be better and the one thing you can always rely on is that he has really good feet. He’s ready to bail out and give them the ball and he makes good decisions. So far he has adjusted well to the game here. He’s got a lot of experience so it’s easy for a guy with experience to get in situations like he’s in.
On Santino Quaranta’s goal:
Santino took a great shot. The one thing when Tino faces on against people, people have to be on it because you don’t know if he’s going to dribble or shoot because he’s capable of doing both very well. I’m real pleased for him because he’s battled through some injuries now and he’s battled through a lot of difficult things in his past and he continues to make strides and get better and better. We’re pleased for him and it was a great goal. It should be goal of the week.
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER SANTINO QUARANTA
On his goal:
It was a good strike. I was kind of lucky I guess. It’s a good feeling, I really can’t describe it. It was special, it was a special goal for me because today is August 23 and it’s 10 months [of sobriety] for me since the day I went to California. It’s a special day all around. I was happy to be out there running around and really grateful, that’s the only way I can describe it. I know I’m doing the right thing. I know that good things happen and now I can see the rewards, it’s paying off - all the hard work. [The goal] was in the 80th minute and maybe I get taken off before because I’m not doing the extra work. To be able to score is always special, it’s a great feeling and even more special today.
On playing in different positions:
I’ll talk to Tommy [Soehn] and I do whatever I can to help the team win. That’s what I told him from day one, since I got here. I’m all about the team, whether it be up top, wherever. I just try to help the team win and that’s all I can do. That’s what I did today. That’s it.
D.C. UNITED GOALKEEPER LOUIS CRAYTON
On the game:
I’m very happy. It’s my first home game. We played together and that’s what we did at the game at New England so it’s a good thing to win, especially when you play collectively.
D.C. UNITED FORWARD QUAVAS KIRK
On his goal: 

[Bryan] Namoff just had a great header and the keeper put the ball on the ground and it just popped back up and I just ran onto it. It was a wide open net so if I had missed that I would have just put my head down and walked off the field. It was a first, I’ve never done that before. It definitely felt good to get a goal. [It was my first career goal] in the regular season so it definitely felt good. Feels real good.
On the many injuries:
We definitely got some bad injuries. We lost Fred last game and that’s a big blow to us but the younger guys, some of us are coming up through the ranks, showing our stuff out there so it’s a good opportunity for all the guys that came out today and all the guys that did come out played well.
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER JOE VIDE
On his goal:
Once I kind of made a move, I just called for it and played a good ball in. I’m always expecting it because you never know if you’re going to get it so you have to be in the right place at the right time.
On whether there is more pressure on him because of injuries:
Not really. I have a certain role anyway. This goal is kind of one off, it’s not really happening much. If it happens, it happens. I kind of sit in, try to win balls, bring some energy. I try to do my job and try to make things easier on the other guys around me, whether they need me to step up. Today I thought I played well. If it’s just winning balls and not doing much attacking-wise [I can do that]. But there’s no real pressure. It’s nice when we’re at home and we’re expected to win. We want to be a team that makes it to the playoffs.
COLORADO RAPIDS HEAD COACH GARY SMITH
On the game:
We tried to have some confidence and start building relationships among the guys. During the first period we felt quite comfortable, even though we weren’t winning.
COLORADO RAPIDS DEFENDER MIKE PETKE
On the game:
The first goal, going on the 44th minute, I’m saying to myself, I feel comfortable with the back line. We’re shutting them down great and then they get that goal. That just slows you down. You come out a little inexperienced. We’ve got a lot of experience on the team but we acted very inexperienced to start the second half. We were going in the first minute like we had ten seconds left to get that tying goal and I think that killed us. It opened up the counterattack a lot for them. They took advantage of their finishes. Santino [Quaranta] had an unbelievable finish. [Preston] Burpo had a great save in the third one or second one. I don’t think the 3-0 justifies the score but I’m not saying they shouldn’t have won the game tonight at all.
On the team’s performance:
We have some offensive players in Conor Casey, Colin Clark, Christian Gomez. I just think it was a bit unlucky. And you know, [they have] outstanding goalkeeping. You look at the offensive side too, it’s only my second game but even before I got here, teams would get three or four shots and they’d score on two. It’s just a bit unlucky and maybe on times, there are a few shots we give up that we’re not tight enough.
COLORADO RAPIDS FORWARD CONOR CASEY
On the game:
We just got outplayed, period. There’s no getting around it. After we went down 1-0 we tried to press a little bit but nothing came of chances.
