COLUMBUS CREW HEAD COACH ROBERT WARZYCHA
On the match:
Obviously, I’m disappointed because we gave up the goal almost the last minute. I think New York this year is known for scoring goals late. I think they have four of the last maybe four games, including against us at Crew Stadium. We came here to win the game; we came here to get the points. If somebody would’ve given us one point before the game we would’ve taken it but I don’t think that’s the right thing to say because I think we play on the road pretty (well). We won three games on the road so this was I think a little bit disappointing.
On losing Dominic Oduro early in the game:
I think we lost a very good player in the first minute. He scored a goal and then that little bit changed the way we played. Dominic (Oduro) is a good player and I’m sure he would’ve probably caused more trouble than other players to be honest with you, with his speed. That was unfortunate for us that we lost him in the second minute.
On Mike Petke’s reaction to the penalty kick:
I think he has the right to be ballistic, but obviously you’re going to have some calls going for you and going against you. I don’t question the referee’s decision; I think there was contact over there and he has the right to call it. Too bad it was against him.
On taking four points on the road swing:
Obviously you have to be happy with four points to be honest with you. But what concerns me more is the injuries. We have Kevan (George) with the stitches and Dominic, we don’t know what’s going to happen and a couple of other guys hurt also. We have to regroup and then we have the Open Cup game on Wednesday and hopefully some of these guys going to be ready for that game.
COLUMBUS CREW MIDFIELDER EDDIE GAVEN
On the match:
Both teams fought hard; it was a tight game. I thought our team played really well for most of the game. It’s just tough giving up a goal at the very end there obviously but at the same point being able to get a tie on the road against a very good team, I feel like we can definitely take some positives from this game and then get better for our next game at home against Houston.
On the offense’s play:
I thought it was good. We were able to create two goals tonight. Dom (Oduro) did really well for us early in the game being able to put us up. That was awesome and took a little bit of pressure off our defense for sure. They were able to get one, then we were able to go up again. We were definitely able to create some goal-scoring opportunities, which is obviously good to see; playing on the road, it’s not always easy to do that, so that’s definitely something we can take from this game, hopefully give us a little bit of confidence moving forward. We just got to keep on pushing; we got to start getting some points at home and being able to get some wins when we go to Crew Stadium.
On Jamison Olave’s goal:
I’ll have to go back and look at it on the tape. They threw pretty much everybody that they had into the box at that point in the game, just trying to get a goal and he did really well being able to take it down, made a really nice first touch and blast it upper 90. We don’t know how he was that wide open, we’re going to have to take a look at it. It was tough after the guys fought so hard and feeling like we were so close to being able to get a win here and then all of a sudden it ends up being a tie; it definitely leaves a little bit of a bitter taste in your mouth, but at the same time being able to get a tie on the road against a good team, we definitely have to try to take some positives from it.
COLUMBUS CREW FORWARD DOMINIC ODURO
On his goal:
It was a loose ball at the center back, (Jamison) Olave, I think he tried to head the ball out and it came straight to Eddie (Gaven) I want to believe, it was a little bit blurry for me but Eddie I think was able to attack, won the ball, was trying to get a little bit of touches, went right in the box, and tried to finesse the ball a little bit, which was really good. It went in the net but the goalie got me with his knee so it kind of really hurts. It’s unfortunate I had to come out but at the end of the day I’m happy with how the team played today. I think we really played well; we fought hard. We deserved to win this game but at the end of the day we just take the positive out of it. We did play really well so we just keep it that way.
On his injury:
Right now it hurts; it really hurts. I can barely walk but I’ll fight through it. I think we’re trying to go get a scan to see hopefully it’s something minor, which I hope it is. Other than that hopefully I’ll just try and rehab it and be ready for next week.
On the match:
We played well; we kept the ball really good. Even though we were playing away, especially with New York, I thought we kind of went out there to deliver, we really played good, we played the ball really well. It’s just unfortunate they kept piling the pressure on us. What else can you say? Olave had a great shot and he took it. We’ll just take the positive; like I said we just have to move forward and Houston is next, so we just look forward to that game.
REFEREE GEOFF GAMBLE (VIA POOL REPORTER)
On the play which led to Columbus’ penalty kick
I had a clear view of the play. The defender pushed the attacker in the back, which is a penal offense, which then resulted in a penalty kick.
NEW YORK RED BULLS HEAD COACH MIKE PETKE
On the match:
That game, it wasn’t a good performance at all by us, at all. I don’t know if we underestimated them. I don’t know what it was. Not a good performance by us. I will say this, while I say that perhaps we didn’t deserve to win today I have my check book out and I am ready for MLS to fine me because it’s not good enough from the referees, it’s not good enough. I watched the replay of the penalty of what I already knew to be not a penalty and it backed it up. He (Justin Meram) misses the ball, the player, misses it, and then there is contact from the side. That’s a guy in my estimation whose probably getting ready for the Memorial Day weekend who wants to be a part of the show. That’s what it is to me and I could care less what the league fines me, or what they say. Those decisions, those types of things cost jobs. And it goes to his partners on the sidelines, who handballs, fouls happened two feet in from of them and they don’t even see it. I’m pissed off. Like I said, I’m not blaming the refs for us not winning. I don’t think we did enough to win, but we are going to have games like that and to give them that PK call, shocking.
On how the team bounced back:
Listen, we’ve had a very good run so far. It’s still good we’re still unbeaten. Today, I would say by their estimation as well, it wasn’t good. It goes on me as well as a coach, maybe I didn’t prepare them right this week. Maybe we underestimated them. Or just maybe it was just one of those days you have, you know? Yeah we bounced back, we’re down 2-1 at home, of course we’re going to look decent in those moments because we’re pushing everyone forward, but the standard wasn’t, from everything, from the coaches to the players, it wasn’t where it should be today.
On getting ready for Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup match versus Reading:
Yeah, I would expect that they would be, you know? It’s the Open Cup, they got a big win against Harrisburg and they are going to come in here, of course, they’re not going t lay down to us. We’re taking the Open Cup seriously, so it will be a mixture of a team most likely and we’re looking to get a win Wednesday. That’s really all it is, you win and you move on, you lose and you’re done. This is a good opportunity for this team moving forward to advance in the tournament, see some other players and players that we have not seen a lot of, but also to win and that’s what we’re aiming for.
On Columbus’ game plan:
Listen, they stepped up with four or five guys to pressure us and we were not willing to, or weren’t able to outcast that pressure and sustain the flow of the ball, of the game. We just were content on playing it either sideways or backwards or long and then losing the second balls. Credit Columbus for coming in and having that game plan, putting pressure on us and not caring that they had a few players out. Yeah, it wasn’t good enough.
NEW YORK RED BULLS DEFENDER JAMISON OLAVE
On today’s game:
We rescued a point, but it feels like we lost two points. We are home and we should always play to win when we’re hosting a team. Unfortunately we didn’t perform today the way we should have, it was a very good team effort in the end but we came up short, we just need to move on.
On the penalty kick call:
For me it wasn’t a penalty, the player from Columbus mis-kicks the ball, he doesn’t make contact with the ball and his momentum takes him to the ground. There was a player chasing him from behind but there is nothing to be done after he mis-kicks the ball. My opinion is that is not a penalty kick.
On being more offensive on the last five minutes:
Coach sent me up, there were about five or four minutes left and he just wants me to go up and try to go find a ball and equalize the match.
On his high amount of goals so early in the season:
When I was playing for Real Salt Lake I would usually get one or two goals per season, now I have four this season and I’m very happy that I’m being able to score.
On his game tying goal:
When the ball was up high I thought about playing it to Fabian (Espindola), but when the defender closed in on me I changed my mind and I decided to bring it down with my right and shoot with my left, I’m glad it went in or else you guys would have been (criticizing) me and even my teammates because Fabian (Espindola) was wide open.
NEW YORK RED BULLS MIDFIELDER TIM CAHILL
On the first half:
I just think they pushed us high; they tried to make sure we didn’t get a lot of the ball and wanted to play it quick. They did their homework and they did really well at it. At the start of the half they caught us a bit off guard and we conceded a sloppy goal and we had to react. You got to react by making something happen, as soon as we started playing back we tied it 1-1.
On being excited to go back on National Team duty:
Right, right now I’m just… I haven’t really thought of the “Socceroos.” You know it’s just mixed emotions today because of the result, even with the way we played I thought we were probably the better team. You could see that they wanted to sit back and get the win, I think they were actually a little surprised when they got the penalty. When you ask the ref about the penalty… I think a few people are going to be looking at that a few times.
On his assist on the first goal:
(Thierry Henry) always makes the move. He shows every time, whether he comes deep. You know I tried to curl it back around the defender and it stopped perfect for him and it was a great finish. I think that’s what he needs, he needs the service and we got a great goal from him.
NEW YORK RED BULLS FORWARD THIERRY HENRY
On if he spoke to the referee as the team captain:
I have tried for three years. I don’t talk to them anymore. They are the boss and you have to go by their decisions.
On if the team didn’t play well enough:
No, I mean we had chances to win the game. That’s why I won’t talk about the penalty. You have to give Columbus credit on how they played today but we had chances to win the game but I guess the chances didn’t go our way.
On keeping the unbeaten streak going:
I think we have been having a good run but you have to say today we didn’t play particularly well. Like I said to you, I feel like we should have won the game. You have to give Columbus credit, they came with a plan and they did it well, it wasn’t good enough, especially the way we started with the goal we gave away.
