U.S. OPEN CUP 2011 QUOTESHEET
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH BEN OLSEN
On the game overall
That’s what happens when you get whacked over and over. We’re all human, you get that many licks, they start to add up. Overall, it’s disappointing; we obviously would have liked to win the game. The energy and the fight towards the end was great and exciting but the good teams don’t have to do that. The good teams put all that energy and passion in the beginning of the game so they don’t end up fighting to get a result, but we will put it behind us.
On team’s effort in the beginning of the contest
I think that’s not fair, I think we certainly showed more than [the Revolution] did in the first 50 to 60 minutes. It wasn’t great, I don’t think either team was great but we certainly had the ball, we just didn’t simplify things and move the ball side-to-side and just find the open man. We were just going for killer balls, we struggled a little bit to hold the ball up but again, it is a new group and I thought we were lacking a little bit of energy, a little bit of concentration, that killer instinct in that first 50 to 60 [minutes] and then we get that second goal and we woke up – and that part is unacceptable.
On the second goal
It wakes you up. Again, the good teams don’t need to wake up, they wake up at the start of the whistle and they are ready to go.
On Andy Najar
To me, tonight I saw Andy Najar back and believe me, I’m happier than you guys are to see him back because I love the kid. He played his heart out tonight and he responded to suggestions we had for him and he showed tonight that he took a big step forward to getting back into MLS games.
On Branko Boskovic
[Branko] Boskovic was very good, very sharp, dictated the game and finishing and was unlucky enough to get maybe one more [foul] so he has been a great pro for us and done everything we have asked. These aren’t always easy games to play in when you are a European international but he comes and plays hard.
On the upcoming match against Houston
I’m not that stressed about losing two games in a row. I think we will be very motivated, we will have the legs ready to go on Friday and it’s just a matter of going out and doing our jobs.
On the number of defensive mistakes
[The] League’s getting good enough that if you make a mistake you get punished. Pretty simple mistakes as well. We will look at [the mistakes] and try and learn from them.
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BRANKO BOSKOVIC
On his late injury
I think it’s nothing serious. I will have an [MRI]. On the field I feel pain and I think this guy’s broke my leg, but now it’s better.
On the nature of the foul
I don’t know [if it was a hard foul]. I don’t think he tried to hurt me. The ball was between us and I think it’s not a bad foul.
On D.C. United’s effort
I think in the second half we played very good – we scored two goals and found our game. A lot of games we have problems in defense, they scored so easy against us, we must be more stronger in defense.
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER KURT MORSINK
On falling behind in the match
We were pressing, trying to push the game from the get-go. The first goal caught us on the counter. It was kind of a miscommunication. We were trying to give cover and [Dube] just kept running. On the second [goal] I told Daniel [Woolard] to leave [the ball], it hits the other guy and then I try to touch it and it bounces to a one-one-one. There were things we could have eliminated… The coaches prepared us well. We pushed the game because one or two goals would have put the game away against them.
On Branko Boskovic’s performance
Branko [Boskovic] is a special player – that’s why he’s one of our DP’s. As soon as [New England] started to drop back he saw a lot of the ball, and he’s a special player that knows what to do. He’s played at a high level, we’ve got a lot of competition in midfield and maybe things haven’t gone the way he would have liked, but he’s a good player that plays hard.
NEW ENGLAND HEAD COACH STEVE NICOL
On the game
[The game] got a bit heated at the end but I think a lot of it was just the world record amount of free kicks [D.C. United] got in the second half. But always when you’re three up, you don’t expect to lose the game. [The game] was tight, but in the end I think we deserved it.
On Kheli Dube’s 34th minute goal
It was a good move. [Ousmane] Dabo started it off way back on the other side of the field, [played] a good ball wide to Kheli [Dube], and Kheli put it in the back of the net. It was a real good goal. The first two goals were good goals. They were well-taken. The third one was a bit of a ricochet, but never mind we will take that as well. So overall the guys did well. We hung on at the end and that’s the most important thing.
On D.C. United’s pressure in the last 20 minutes
[Branko] Boskovic takes his goals well, but we have to close the ball down better. But as I said, with the amount of free kicks they were getting they were going to score eventually.
NEW ENGLAND DEFENDER RYAN COCHRANE
On the game
I think we did a good job of bending but not totally breaking. I think they were pretty much on top of us the last 20 to 30 minutes of the game there, but that’s just sometimes the way it goes when you’re playing with a lead and a team is kind of desperate to push everybody forward. I think we did alright considering [D.C. United] had a good amount of their first team guys that came on and I think we handled them pretty well.
On the importance of the first goal
I think to be fair probably that first goal was a little bit against the run of play. But obviously I think we settled down a little bit in the first half and I think that helped our confidence into the second half. I’m proud of the guys tonight.
On the play of Branko Boskovic
[Branko Boskovic] is good. He did well. He kind of gave us a little bit of trouble because he found spaces in behind our midfielders and in front of our defenders and every time he got the ball it seemed like he had time to turn up and look and make a pass. He did have a nice little goal there too, so he gave us a little bit of trouble but I think we got the result and that’s all that matters.
FORWARD KHELI DUBE
On playing forward
It’s good to play for the first time in a while up front. Playing up front is what I like to do. If you’re using two forwards, it is easy for me and that is what I like.
On scoring two goals
I like to score and you’ve got to make sure you use every chance you get. When there’s a chance, you try to prove yourself and hopefully it works out.
On his team’s play
Yes [I was happy] because you could tell that everybody was trying to fight to get a win. Although, in the second half [D.C. United] kept coming and they brought in guys from their first team and I think we did well.
