D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen
On the team’s performance:
“I thought it was a pretty professional performance today. A pretty complete performance. Searching for that third goal was important and I think again overall its not that Montreal has their full strength and a weeks rest, but no matter what you have to take advantage of teams that are down on their luck, and I think we did that today. We stepped on them, and I thought we struggled a little early with the tempo, trying to break them down - they obviously came here to sit back and get a tie, and it took us a little bit to figure that out. But we did, and found Branko, and found Maicon back underneath. I thought we had some success and were unlucky not to get one or two in the first half. In the second half the second goal really opened them up and I thought we took care of business from there.
“Overall, I thought we could have been sharper in a lot of areas. In the attack, I thought we could have moved the ball quicker. Our urgency wasn’t there enough for me. If they’re sitting back, you’ve got to move the ball quick. If there’s a foul, you got to get it down quick and play numbers out.”
On taking advantage of Montreal’s weaknesses:
“It was an important game to have the ball. We knew they were going to be a little leggy from the travels, so it was an important day for us to make them work as much as possible, and I think we did that and I think you saw they started to wear down.”
On Forward Chris Pontius:
“Chris is unique, right? He has these attributes, and you can put him up top or underneath and also out wide. When he faces people he does a very good job. We’ve seen that before. He sometimes just opens up to hit it with his right foot, and he also has the ability to cut balls and deal with his left, so he’s a pretty complete player in that sense. I worried a little about putting him back out on the flank, just about taking him out of a place he was successful in, but I thought he did a good job.”
On Midfielder Lewis Neal:
“We’ve been waiting to put him in [the midfield], we know he can play here and we know he understands that position. It’s just that we’ve had more of a need for him in the left midfield at times, and left back as well. It’s just another position we know he can play now, and he’s just a versatile, smart kid. He’s been through a lot, you know - not many people know Lewis Neal. He played some real games over in England and he’s a really nice addition to the group.”
On Midfielder Branko Boskovic:
“Yeah we probably squeezed a little more than I thought. I thought on a hot day like this it was going to be a tall task for him to go 90 minutes, so we knew at some point he was going to have to be pulled but I thought the minutes he put in were very good. He again changes us up, in particular against a team that’s going to sit back. He’s a guy with ideas, and he plays with the right pace. I thought he had a good night and he got an assist on the goal.”
On Defender Robbie Russell’s first goal with the club:
“I’m happy for Robbie Russell. He’s had a lot of near misses recently and it was good for him to get a goal.”
On the emphasis on possession in training:
“Knowing that it was going to be a hot day, the fact that we weren’t sharp in possession the last two weeks - that was something that we needed to have today, and we had it. Now, let’s be realistic, they sat back and gave us a lot of possession, but I thought we moved the ball pretty well at times, and Branko has a lot to do with that.”
D.C. United Midfielder Chris Pontius
On his goal:
“I didn’t even know I was going to do that. I just saw both of them come by and was looking for the opening on the right, both defenders went to the right, then I cut it to my left thinking I can either serve it right there or if I’m clear for a shot I’ll try to put it far post. And I was clear for the shot, so I put it far post.”
On the importance of the goal:
“It was huge. It’s always a killer to get a goal before halftime; you saw what it did to us up in New York. It was a tough night to play, especially when they [Montreal] were sitting a lot of the game. We kind of figured they were going to do that, after three games in seven days, or whatever they had. So, we had to break them down, and it was a little difficult at times, but that goal allowed the game to open up. In the second half we had more possession and moved the ball a lot better too.”
On his decisions leading up to the goal:
“If I can get a shot on my right and I get an opening, I’m going to take it. In the second half, I didn’t get a hold of the ball, but I saw an opening far post and I took it. If that’s closed down then I’m looking to go one-two and put it to my left and go that way. Your brain is going a hundred miles an hour when you are going at that speed and you have to make split-second decisions. I made the right decision on the goal.”
On the team’s strength at home and getting the sixth straight win at RFK:
“It’s great. It’s the one thing for our fans and this organization, every one of our goals this year is to take back RFK and make it a fortress to play against us this year, and I think we’ve done that. We always say if we win at home then we find the road to be a playoff team. So, we are winning at home and we are doing all right on the road as well. We need to get a couple more results on the road and boost ourselves and create the gap between us and some of the top teams in the East.”
D.C. United Midfielder Branko Boskovic
On the 3-0 win:
“I think maybe first half we can play better, but it was very hot, it was very difficult for both teams. We tried to keep the ball as much as possible. We score in a good time for us. We have a couple of chances. I must say, our defense play very good tonight: Dejan [Jakovic], Bmac [Brandon McDonald], Robbie and Daniel Woolard. They play good game and second half was much, much better and easy after 2-0. We have more confidence, we play, keep the ball. We know what we want and we win.”
On Pontius’ goal:
“It’s unbelievable. It’s a good goal and he made a good run – everything. He dribbling, he passing two defenders and score a beautiful goal. He’s in good form and I’m happy for him.”
On the first goal:
“We say exactly in a good time for us. We were also tired and it’s difficult and this goal bring us up a little bit. Especially after second goal, it’s much easier to play.”
D.C. United Defender Robbie Russell
On the shutout:
"We're happy about the zero, I mean, that was a huge zero for us. One of three goals? Okay. Zero? I'll take that.”
On his first goal with D.C. United:
“It's always great to get your first goal for a new club - it means a lot to me. It's just me building my own reputation and building my own love of D.C. United. This club means a lot to me. But I'll still take that zero over the goal."
Montreal Impact Head Coach Jesse Marsch
On playing against D.C. United at home:
“Well our guys have a lot of miles on their legs. We’ve got a lot of minutes behind a lot of guys, and it showed tonight. In the heat, we just had nothing in the tank. It would’ve been obviously more interesting if we can get into half without giving up the goal, but I feel for our guys tonight because they just have nothing left right now. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves, that’s not the kind of group we are. We’ve got to figure out how to refill because we’ve got another big game coming at us on Wednesday. It’s a time right now where we’ve just got to keep pushing ourselves, and we can’t stop for a second to worry about anything, just got to keep going.”
On starting Evan Bush and Calum Mallace tonight:
“It was time to call on them. It’s a fast game, and in the heat, things come at them quick, it’s not an easy game to play in. I thought that under the conditions they both put a lot into it. As a group, it’s not like we just laid down, we tried to continue to push even though we gave up a goal at the end, we didn’t pack it in. That was a good sign for what we’re about. We’ve got to keep calling on that kind of heart and desire.”
On his team’s depth:
“I think Zarek [Valentin] had a pretty good game. I think Shavar [Thomas] held up OK too. It was just a tough game. They’ve got a lot of offensive weapons, and again, what would that game look like if we managed to get in at half, and see what the game’s like at that point. We’re in a tough moment right now, heavy legs, we’re beat up a little bit. Doesn’t matter, we’re going to keep going.”
On allowing a goal before half:
“A goal at the end of the half. Goal at the end of the game. Set piece goal. I don’t think it’s a foul. I thought the ref was terrible. This was one of the most one-sided refereed games I’ve seen. We look at ourselves, anytime, but the ref did us no favors. There were three hand-balls in the box that could’ve been called. He was just going to keep his whistle in his pocket.”
Montreal Impact Defender Calum Mallace
On his MLS debut:
“There’s always pressure coming in. Making your MLS debut away from home. I didn’t try to let that get the best of me. Tried to play my way. Sometimes you’re on your game, and sometimes you’re not. Personally I felt like I was not. Maybe it was a little pressure, maybe not. Either way, I just look at myself and feel like I let myself down, and the team. It’s just one of those [games]. We can’t dwell on this as a team, and I’m not going to dwell as an individual performance on myself, just going to get up and keep going.”
On Pontius’ goal:
It came as a counter-attack, and I was coming back from the outside. I know what kind of player he [Chris Pontius] is, and we talked about it before, how he can cut. I think it was just a mistake on my part. I told the guys that I take blame for that goal.”
On giving up a goal before half:
Any game away from home in this league, if you can get into halftime nil-nil, and re-group from there, and go out with another plan. I knew what time it was on the clock when it [Pontius’ 46th minute goal] happened. It was a mental error from me individually.”
Montreal Impact Midfielder Davy Arnaud
On the schedule:
“We’ve played a lot of games. The schedule hasn’t been easy for us. D.C. [United] is a good team. It was hot. We can say whatever we want, but it’s been a tough stretch of games for us, and tonight was disappointing.”
On playing without Partice Bernier:
“We deal with suspensions and injuries, and we’ve dealt with things all year. Patrice [Bernier] is important for us, but we’ve had guys injured plenty this year and you have to adjust.”
On Evan Bush and Calum Mallace:
“I thought both guys did well. I thought Evan [Bush] made a really big save for us early in the first half. I don’t think there’s a whole lot you can do, about the goals. They both did well, and it’s nice for the young guys to get their first games.”
