D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen
On the difficulty of Open Cup matches
It’s not what we didn’t need. Gut checks sometimes are not the end of the world. We got through it tonight. I’ve been playing and coaching Open Cup games for a long time now and this is it, every time. It’s never great, the other team is always fighting for their lives and ramped up more than the quote unquote better team, and we survived.
Overall thoughts on the match
We made a meal out of that game and we made it more difficult than it needed to be. It’s never easy to break down a team that wants to defend with the entire team and then counter attack with two quick guys.
On what to take from the match
There’s a lot to take from this game. Some of it is Ethan [White getting minutes] and some [other] guys that haven’t gotten games, got minutes. I thought Lewis Neal did a heck of a job at left back, first time ever playing there. I thought, overall, it was what you expect out of an Open Cup game.
On Marcelo Saragosa scoring the winning goal
He doesn’t have a lot of games and I thought as the game went on he got better, got more control of the game and finishing off with a goal was good.
D.C. United Midfielder Marcelo Saragosa
I’m happy to score and get a chance to step onto the next level. It was hard for us because we scored and then [Richmond] was fighting hard to get another [goal], but everybody helped each other and I think it’s a great win.
I think the mentality to be together is the most important for us. There were many corner kicks, and in the end we came and were able to score. I’m happy to have scored like that.
D.C. United Goalkeeper Joe Willis
On the goalkeeper’s role
It’s sometimes hard for a goalkeeper because you don’t get a lot of action but all of a sudden they’ll break and you have to stay tuned in. It’s always nice to see your team play that well, though.
On Kickers goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale
He played amazing. I don’t know how many saves he had, probably more than ten, which is unusual for a goalie in soccer. He had a great game, kept his team in as long as he could and there wasn’t much he could do about either goal.
On the pregame talk from Ben Olsen and Josh Wolff
Benny and Wolffie both said something before the game; that it was going to be a grind. We were hoping to come in early and put a few [goals] on them, and we knew that if we didn’t it would end up the way it did. I’m just glad we were able to grind it out and get a win.
D.C. United Midfielder Branko Boskovic
On the development of the match
I was thinking ‘I cannot watch this game.’ When we scored the first goal, I was thinking that everything was going to be okay, that we would score the second and third goal. But things changed and they scored, and it started being difficult for us. But we were good until the end and scored the second goal, which is much better than going to penalties, because then everything is possible.
On the difficulties about coming in as a substitute
It’s difficult, because you must prove what is on paper, that you are better. You must attack all the time; you must always try something. We must continue to win – it doesn’t matter against who. Every game is a new challenge and a new experience. Like every player, I have to give the maximum and play 100% against everybody.
On the corner kick that lead to the winning goal
It was nothing special, I just put the ball in the box and we scored. We had a lot of corner kicks and free kicks, but this team [Richmond Kickers] was also good on set pieces. But luckily, we scored.
