D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen
On emotions after the game
I’m gutted for the guys, obviously. They gave us everything today and we fell short. They’re [New York] a good team and hard to keep off the board. You have to be perfect, in particular when you’re going for the second goal and what would have been the third, you have to make all the plays on the other side, and they found their goal. But overall, I’m extremely pleased in their effort tonight and the performance they put on. I’m sure we’ll look back sometime soon and say that this was a good season and pat ourselves on the back, but right now it doesn’t feel great.
On his thoughts of how the team would do to start the season
I imagined making the playoffs. The future is bright with this team. You know if we can keep this group together for a few years, I think we’ll be seeing success on nights like this. It doesn’t make it less tough right now.
On how comfortable he felt that the team would get the second goal
I was pretty comfortable through the night, until they scored, that we would get the second. We had the chance right before they came down to score. I don’t know if the ball was out or not. It certainly looked out of bounds to me. Again it’s on us, but we’re still in a good position to deal with their goal. I thought it was our night. The way we went about the game and some of the moves we made, I thought it was going to go down, but I give them a lot of credit. Congratulations to Mike [Petke] and their team.”
On Chris Rolfe starting and why Luis Silva wasn’t in the 18
Silva had a little bit of a setback this week. He simply wasn’t ready. Eddie had some health issues so that was a factor too that lent us to going with Chris. And I thought Chris did great, he gave us a different dimension under there and exploited the holes and that makes us a very good soccer team, and I think you saw that in the first half. It will be nice to have him back with two arms next year.
On this group and what the off season brings
You’re always going to have turnover, right? From a core standpoint, this team can be around for several years for sure. Some guys are going to get older and some guys are going to retire and move on or we lose someone in the expansion draft – those things happen and we’ll have to replace those guys. The core is good, the character is right with this group.
D.C. United Midfielder Nick DeLeon
On the team’s performance
We didn’t play how we wanted to play, but also a part of that game plan was getting the shutout, that was a big part of it. Once they scored that goal we knew it was going to be a pretty tough mountain to climb, but I thought we came out with the right mentality for sure.
On elimination after successful turn-around season
Yeah, it’s pretty disappointing. A lot of guys feel, I don’t know, pretty bad about the way we came out in the first leg. You know, it was a poor performance. They already made it a tough mountain for use to climb in the game, but overall I think we had a great season. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the results when we needed to, but it was a good season overall looking back at it.
On mentality after New York’s first goal
It hurt a little bit, but then you have to move on. We had a game plan for this game and that was push the numbers forward, get Bobby up high and start lumping the ball in and getting some chances, so when they scored we just went to that game plan.
On looking back on the season
Yeah, it was a hard season last year. We came back and we rebounded and had a good year. Like I said earlier, unfortunately we couldn’t put some performances together in the postseason, but overall it was a great season.
D.C. United Midfielder Chris Rolfe
On thoughts on the game
Yeah, I think we came out well. First half was pretty good and we put ourselves in a good spot going into the second half. But, that being said, the second half didn’t start particularly well and then once we gave up that goal it became very difficult for us. You know, the most frustrating part of it is that we played such a poor game in the first leg and that’s something that we just can’t do in the playoffs. You can’t make mistakes like we did in that game and come out with the lack of energy that we did in that game and it all becomes more challenging after that.
On feelings on the team
I think it was a great season for everybody involved. Again, a little disappointing towards the end of the season, and that’s why I think that first leg left such a bitter taste in my mouth. We have so much potential and so much that was going right for us all season long and then just to come out like that in the most important game was really frustrating.
New York Red Bulls Head Coach Mike Petke
On overall thoughts on the match
This is a series that in years past we would have lost. These guys showed determination—we had guys with a bloody lip, guys getting stitches and a guy with a lump on his head—these guys gave it their all and I’m really proud of them and they earned the right to be in the conference finals.
On the mindset in the first half
Our mindset didn’t change. I think in the first half we knew we’d be under pressure and we were ok with that. I think we limited them except for that late run by [Nick] Deleon. It’s those little things that you have to keep in mind and pick up those runners and not make those individual mistakes. I thought we were pretty good with passing in the first half, we didn’t throw any balls away, Bradley had that break away and there were a couple crosses and we were in it, but credit to them they did a good thing by putting an extra guy at midfield.
New York Red Bulls midfielder Dax McCarty
On overall feeling about the game
This is the only time you can lose a game and be happy. Obviously it’s a good feeling in here right now. I think we aren’t extremely satisfied with how we played, but we knew we just needed one or two moments of magic and we had a few and were able to score one goal.
On each half of the game
The first half I think they played very well. They had good tactics, they were very aggressive and I think to a certain extent we forgot how to play a little bit. We didn’t really want the ball, we were a little timid and our movement wasn’t really there. I think they took advantage of that and they scored a really nice goal. Second half we were aggressive; we really wanted to score that away goal. Long ball after long ball, guys are bleeding, guys are sore, but it’s all worth it at the end of the day cause we’re through to the conference final, we’re excited about it and it’s a big step for this club.
New York Red Bulls midfielder Thierry Henry
On the game
We provided them a lot of chances in the first half, but in the second half we didn’t lose our shape. We tried to put some players back there to make sure they didn’t score a goal and that’s what we did.
On what this win means
This one goes to the fans because I’m sure they had enough of that, losing to DC, but on a personal point of view, and I’m sure it is the same with them, we haven’t done anything yet. You know, you want to go all the way. You have to give DC a lot of credit, they had an amazing season. We were in the same situation last year and lost in the first round so things happen. It will go down in history as the first time we’ve beaten DC in the playoffs, but that’s it. We have to go forward, try to concentrate, stay committed in what’s coming next.”
