MLS Chicago Fire 1-0 FC Dallas
FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja
On the match:
“Good match. I thought we played well. Thought we had the best of the options in the game. It was one of those games where you can’t find the net and I have to accept it. We’ve been very sharp for the past month and a half, and the one night like tonight, we have to accept losing the points. It’s part of the game. We couldn’t find the net today. Then we were scored on by a very isolated play. We weren’t concentrating enough and we gave up a goal there. I thought we played better. “
On the youthful lineup:
“It’s been a challenge all season, but not a problem for us. It’s a great opportunity. For me, I was delighted to see the young players on the field. I can’t be happier to see this club getting younger and getting minutes in games. The future looks bright for us for sure.”
On getting Kellyn Acosta back from injury:
“It’s great to get Kellyn back. It’s great to get him back, yes. He needs freedom in his games and that is what this game is for. We are fighting for points and at the same time we are bringing players back into the rhythm. And that’s great. It will pay off in the near future.”
On matching up against Real Salt Lake next home match:
“The league is hard. This is a day by day thing. We need to keep moving forward one game at a time. We don’t stay in the past, and last week and today, I’m not going to stay with what happened. We correct and we move forward. We move on. It’s the way it is.”
Chicago Fire head coach and Director of Soccer Frank Yallop
On expectations for Robert Earnshaw:
“I mean, every time we make a signing, we hope it works out, and that they settle in really quickly. I think the big thing for me when we signed Robbie was that he’s already been in the league. I’ve kept contact the last couple of years with him about coming to San Jose when I was there, and he ended up going to Toronto, but we had a good rapport. I always felt that bringing in someone who has already played in the league is really important. He gets the travel, he gets the game, he gets what’s good. impact-wise, he’s obviously been very key to us the last few games, so we’re hoping it continues.”
On surprise at Robert Earnshaw’s early impact:
“Not really, but if you look at Robbie’s goal scoring record, it’s very good. He knows how to score goals; give him a service, he’ll put it in net. Not surprised, but very happy. I think that’s the key for me: anytime you sign anybody, you just really hope it works out. Many coaches have sat and tried to explain why a player has not done well, and it’s not easy. Our league is very difficult, and moving clubs is never easy, but if you look at Robbie’s impact already, two goals in two games is amazing, and off the bench too. He might not like this, but maybe it’s his role, so we’ll see. Very happy for him, he’s a great kid, and he works hard, and he’s clued into what we want to do, so very good.”
On the overall performance of the team:
“The coaching staff, we were talking before the game, we felt we had a punch off the bench, finally, and a real danger. So if we feel that the game is slipping away from us, I felt the last few games that Mr. Earnshaw would come on and make a difference, and he has. Maybe it’s what the team’s been missing a little bit. I think if we had him from the start of the season, I’d like to think of how many points we’d have; I think we’d have more. It is what it is. We’ve battled away, and we’re still in the picture. That’s what I like about our group; not just Robbie, but I’d like to commend all the players that played tonight. I said to Sean Johnson after the game, his save in the first half keeps us in the game. He’s a big part of what we’re doing. He’s been great this season. Back four was great, with Baky, Jeff, Gonzo, and Lovel against a really potent offense. I think that you have to tip your hat to those guys; they gave them a couple of chances, but not really ones that I thought that they looked like scoring, other than the one that Sean saved. Even this game, against a good side, and we come out on top. I think we deserved a tie, to be honest.”
On FC Dallas’ performance against the Fire:
“You ask any coach, they’ll say you play against the opposition. Whether we did a great job against them, or they didn’t play very well tonight, it is what it is. I wouldn’t think they were on the top of their game, but I think we were pretty much on the top of our game. I think that we nullified their threats, other than a couple of opportunities. If you look, all in all, we had the better of the game. We had the better chances, against probably the hottest team in the league, so I think that’s a great sign. I feel really proud of the way that my players and the team has stuck with it; to come out and play like that, against a very difficult team to play against, play very well, and do what they did tonight. I’m very happy.”
