Yes. Yes. Yes.
It wasn't necessarily the prettiest game for the entire 90 minutes, but the boys fought hard and twice came from behind to beat Toronto 3-2. Two goals in two minutes - a penalty from Jaime Moreno and a nice follow-up from Luciano Emilio - were the difference as the team got its third win of the season. Gonzalo Peralta also scored his first career goal in the 41st minute (see it here).
Everyone in the locker room was talking about the lift the fans gave the team - a great performance form La Barra Brava, La Norte, the Screaming Eagles and everyone else at RFK tonight. You guys brought it and everyone took notice.
The team has Sunday off and will train Monday as it now looks ahead to a trip to New England to face the Revolution on Thursday, May 29.
On another note, we announced tonight that Francis Doe has been called up to the Liberian National Team to potentially compete in four World Cup qualifiers. Francis will depart D.C. tomorrow and be gone until June 21. More info at dcunited.com.
I'll be back with some post-game quotes and photos in a bit.
UPDATE: I've added a couple photos to Video & Pics and.. post-game quotes galore below...
D.C. United Head Coach Tom Soehn
On the win:
We are looking for something to go our way and nothing has been easy this year, not even today.
But the guys were resilient.
I credit them for their fight and their belief. I also want to say, watching our fans, they could have a lot of doubts, but coming here and playing at home, not matter what, they back their guys right to the end. Even when we were down, and that is such a big advantage. They have come in at a time when we really needed it.
On the recent struggles:
This group with all the turmoil we have we keep sticking together and we are going to pull through this. During traumatic times like this you can see it go the other way very easily. But we had a lot of the ball [tonight]. It’s just a matter of getting that one opportunity. One step in the right direction, but we still have a lot of work to do. This is a good starting point. Coming from behind, winning a game, it’s a real positive and something to grow off.
On Santino Quaranta:
We are looking to win a game when we are at home. I have called on everybody to step up and play their role. He dug deep and he wanted that play, he wanted that for himself and he made something out of it. And Luci [Emilio] did a great job of following it up. He was more attentive and more alert, doing the things he did last year like following up plays.
On Jaime Moreno:
I thought I was going to have a heart attack, but that’s what I like about this game. Fortunately we won. We broke the ice.
On what the team needs to do moving forward:
Everyday, try to find out what’s the meaning in wearing this shirt. Everyone is picking it up and we just have to keep improving.
We do have a good team, its just that its one of those seasons where everything went wrong.
D.C. United goalkeeper Zach Wells:
On the game:
I think its a better effort and better execution.
On Toronto’s goals:
I think we were pressing so hard going forward, and they got one right before half. We just weren’t getting back on defense as a unit. It’s always going to be tough and it’s also tough when you have 95 percent possession. They get two plays down the field and serve a pretty good ball.
D.C. United Forward Luciano Emilio
On the win:
It’s always important to get out of a difficult situation and win. It’s motivating so we hope we keep winning.
On the importance of winning:
This motivates any team, I think, with a win like tonight’s. I hope this is a new era for D.C. United and I think we are going to move forward because the team is going to look very different from now on.
D.C. United Defender Gonzalo Peralta
On his goal:
I hope that goal will be the beginning of a new stage for D.C. because we’re on the bottom of the standings and we were very ashamed. We felt very bad, weren’t enjoying trainings or anything so we hope this win will lift us up and get us going.
Toronto Head Coach John Carver
On the loss:
They have had a good result tonight and I can see them going on a run now. Tom [Soehn] is a good coach, a good manger, and a good organization. People have to be patient with him. You see tonight, he has too many good players for him to be at the bottom of the league. We knew we were in for a tough game. There was a little bit of pressure on them before the game, I think there is a little bit of pressure off of them now. I hope the people stay patient with them and give them a chance.
But we knew we were in for a tough game, and that’s what it was. We had a goal one-nil up and [we] got a sucker punch just before half time.
But… they came back in the second half, regrouped – [we were] trying to get a little higher to stop the pressure on the ball. And I thought it was working. And then two goals come up – we get a penalty against us. I can’t comment on that because I’m too far away from that.
I asked the fourth official and he said he couldn’t see it either. I can’t really comment on that until I see it again. The boys are disappointed with it. And then they score within two minutes.
It’s disappointing. But we came at them and had a goal. They brought on defensive players to try and stop us attacking them.
And I felt right towards the end that we were going to sneak something.
On Greg Sutton:
Greg has been outstanding for our football club. He has been one of the reasons why we have so many points and have won so many games lately. And everyone is allowed a mistake every now and again. Take the mistake away from it, he still had a great night.
I said to him as soon as the final whistle blew, ‘don’t let that worry you, its about us picking ourselves up.
We have a great run.’
Again, we are disappointed we lost a game tonight… We have now got to go on another run and we have a huge game on Tuesday [in CONCACAF Champions League qualifying].
Toronto FC Midfielder Rohan Ricketts
On the loss:
Yeah we started off really well as a team. We came here looking to get the three points and at times we looked like we could. Me and the team, I don’t know about the boys but I feel we are invincible as a unit. Man, I hate losing.
Difference between this game compared to Wednesday’s:
They were at home, makes a little bit of a difference. We had our great fans behind us. The pitch was bigger, a grass pitch, but everyone loves that. We still had a few chances and Danny [Dichio] had a great finish for us. That was a big plus.
Toronto FC forward Danny Dichio
On the loss:
I thought we deserved something. Let’s not beat around the bush, D.C. is a good team. They are in the wrong position at this moment in time. They are going to rise up on this win. We knew that we were in for a game today. We managed to score two goals. When you score two goals away you expect to get some points taken, some points back home, either a tie or the win. So we are disappointed in that aspect.
We have gone on a really good run and we have to brush ourselves off now and get ready for the next game.
