D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen
On tonight’s result
I am very pleased with the result. It was always going to be a gutsy day. It was just so hot out there. We’ve had kind of a mild summer, and nobody’s been used to this kind of heat. I think both teams had moments in the first half. I think we started off pretty bright, and then they turned it on us in the later portions of the second half and we were lucky not to give one up. But, I think overall in the second half the way we defended the box was better. Our timing was better and just the way we went about the game in the second half was much smarter.
On Perry Kitchen and Davy Arnaud in the middle
They put so much in to each game. Their relationship is good. The distance they’re covering is key for us and the way we play. We ask a lot of them and they continue to win battles in the midfield.
Ending a long stretch of games
It has been a grind. We have two days off now. I think the guys are really looking forward to not looking at each other and not listening to me. It’s a time now to recharge and enjoy ourselves tonight, but start preparing ourselves for a very difficult trip out west again against Vancouver. But, this time we will have legs for Vancouver, and we will be able to kind of go about that in a normal fashion, rather than always adapting and changing lineups and things like that.
On Eddie Johnson’s goal
I thought he did exactly what we needed him to do. You know, it is not an easy thing to not start a game and he went about it in the perfect way and got his goal.
On having a lot of direct play
I think each game is going to be different with us. We are going to have times where we are going to be a team that can out-possess a team and unbalance teams in that way. But we also have the ability to transform into a little bit more of a direct team. Some of that is organic and some of that just happens throughout the game, and we don’t try to say ‘Okay, lets be out-possessed and counter attack and go big.’ But today I thought our balance was pretty good. I think our ability to adapt in and out of that is what has helped us so far.
On Fabian Espindola’s header to lead to Luis Silva’s goal
His timing is excellent. I have talked about the spirit that guy has. The fire in which he plays with is inspiring to the guys around him.
D.C. United Goalkeeper Bill Hamid
On his save on Wright-Phillips header
It was a cross, he got open and we didn’t do well enough to put a bump on the guy. I just got set and made the save. I just did my job.
On the tough stretch of games the team has had how they have done so well
The way we are playing is working, there’s chemistry. We want to continue picking up points, climbing the ladder and keeping this going as smoothly as possible.
On the defensive changes in the second half compared to the first
We saw they were getting a lot of one-two chances in the box and crosses and we wanted to clean that up. It was a good performance by the two center backs and outside backs and we kept it clean.
D.C. United Midfielder Davy Arnaud
On the result
It was obviously a big game and it was a good opportunity to get a result. It was important to get three points.
On the teams last week of games
I am very happy with the ways things have been going. It was a tough week with Kansas City, LA and New York, and two of those on the road. For us to come away with 6 points is great.
D.C. United Forward Eddie Johnson
On playing in some unfamiliar roles as of late and coming off the bench today
I think it’s been fantastic. It’s good to see all the hard work pay off. We have been getting great results. When you come on you don’t want to drop the level, and we were one goal up and they could get a goal to tie it up. I think I played well, held the ball up and combined to finish the game off.
On if he thought his role would be coming off the bench today
Yeah, we had a lot of games and guys have been playing a lot of minutes. Ben already told us these past couple games that he will be rotating players around. At the end of the day we are all a team, and it’s something special to be a part of.
New York Red Bulls Head Coach Mike Petke
Thoughts on the result
I mean, they took their two opportunities that we pretty much gave them. And we had a number of opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net, and we just weren’t able to do anything. In the first half, we hit the post. Two open headers in the six. Two shots from inside the eighteen right to the goalie.
On the defenders
I mean the first half, every through ball Espindola was offside, 90 percent of them. The line was perfect in the first half. Second half, we gave the goal up, it’s a matter of a dry field, and that’s a matter of perhaps not realizing that. The ball isn’t going to skip to the goalkeeper, it holds up and miscommunication and it’s a goal. You know, I was happy with the line for a lot of the game tonight. At the end of the day, it is lost opportunity, missed chances.
New York Red Bulls Midfielder Dax McCarty
On feelings about the game
They scored two goals, we scored zero.
On playing in the heat
Yeah, it was hot, tough time to play a game. But both teams had to do it.
On concerns about the result
They scored two goals, we scored zero.
On what’s bothering him
We lost. It’s never happy after a loss.
