The Red Bulls tied the LA Galaxy 1-1 last night in the most expensive game in MLS history, a marquee matchup that saw five Designated Players take the field at the Home Depot Center.
Here is what both sides had to say in a tilt between the Eastern and Western Conference leaders, and the first-ever MLS meeting between old Premier League icons Thierry Henry and David Beckham.
New York Red Bulls Head Coach Hans Backe
On the result:
“It probably should have ended up 3-3. With all of the chances, from both sides, it was a very intense game. It was a very good game. It was a good level on the game today. Probably the best you can see in MLS at the moment. It was very entertaining. Two teams that wanted to attack for 90 minutes and go for the winning goal. It was only the last three or four minutes where we said we had to sit back and get some possession, and get away with one point.”
On the openness of the game:
“I was surprised myself. We said at halftime that this was an unbelievably open game. I think if you look at both teams balance in midfield, it is probably eight attacking midfielder players on the pitch and then you have at least two fullbacks attacking all the time. So, the balance is probably the answer to why it is that entertaining and that open. For the Red Bulls, we try to play the same way away as we do at home. Of course, LA is an attacking team and that is why it ended up being a very open and entertaining game. I think the balance in midfield is the answer.”
On bringing Juan Agudelo into the game:
“You always hope when you bring a sub in that he can make a difference with fresh legs. He was very close on the freekick from Rafa Marquez when he hit it just outside the post. Of course, you are hoping he could be the guy for us to get the late goal, but I think overall the whole team performed ok. The last 20 minutes, I think we controlled the game. We had three good chances in the last 20 minutes, so that’s a good sign that we weren’t fatigued.”
On the only one yellow card:
“That means that it was a good level from the referee too. The rhythm and the flow of the game is important and the referee is the guy who allows that, so I didn’t think there were that many tackles that could have been a yellow or red card. It was a fair game.”
On the LA/ New York rivalry:
“I said last year that I didn’t have the feeling that it was a rivalry, but this year with the designated players and the power strikers on both teams, it is a special game. Of course, the media helps when they write a little bit more about these game.”
On the level of play:
“This is probably the best you can see in MLS, this level between two teams, and it is a good level. I can compare it with many leagues in Europe that would be very happy if they had seen a game like this with the number of chances and the technical level, and the work rate. The whole package was very good.”
New York Red Bulls Forward Thierry Henry
On tonight’s game:
“Tonight, for the neutrals it must have been a good game. They saw some great football. The Galaxy played very well in the first half. We should have been ahead at half time, without Tim Ream they could have been 2-1 up. Saying that we had some chances of our own in the first half. I think it was pretty even. In the second half I think we kind of played better we hit the post another went wide. Overall I think it was a fair result 1-1 but at the end of the day for the neutral it was a good game.”
On Omar Gonzalez:
“He is a great defender. I played him last year and he had a great game against me. It was a good battle. At the end not only him with me but with everybody it was a good and fair battle with everyone. They wanted to win for the team and we wanted to do the same. It was a fair battle and there was a lot of respect on the field. You know when you go at it sometimes you are going to have some people battling for the ball. At the end of the day for the neutral it was a good game an open game people were fighting for the ball some of us needed to score and the only thing is nobody won but it is a good one for us away from home”
New York Red Bulls Defender Rafael Marquez
(Translated from Spanish)
On tonight’s game:
“It was a very intense game and they applied pressure on us. Maybe we didn’t play our best game but we had a lot of chances to score but I think it was a fair result.”
On the tie:
“To come from so far and get one point I think it is a good thing.”
LA Galaxy Head Coach Bruce Arena:
On the game:
“I thought it was a good game. Both teams had chances to win it. I think it was well played and probably a fair result.”
On the goal line save by Tim Ream:
“My take is it should have been a goal. Whether it went over the line, obviously, Landon made a heck of a play timing his run and getting the ball around the goalkeeper. He just didn’t finish it off. Give [Tim] Ream a lot of credit. He stayed in on that play. It was pretty close. Part of that ball was over the line for sure. Whether all of it was, I sure can’t tell from where I am, but it was a heck of a play by Landon and Ream.”
On the openness of the game:
“I think both teams can pass the ball and it is hard to pressure each other. We both tried to press each other and the passing was good enough. There were enough plays where the players could be calm on the ball to get through the initial pressure and open the game up. The game opened up because both teams were attacking. It was a good game.”
On the play of Landon Donovan:
“He is playing well. Obviously, on the corner kick, David [Beckham] delivered a great ball and Landon was in a good spot. We actually had that same play in training yesterday, where he hit it over the crossbar, so it was good to see him put it in the back of the net today.”
On David Beckham’s role tonight:
“He didn’t play any differently in the first half than the second half. I would say the Juninho played a little bit deeper because De Rosario gave us some trouble with his runs in the first half. We had a player sitting in the midfield on a more permanent basis so that’s probably why David looked like he was pushed up a little bit more.”
LA Galaxy Midfielder Landon Donovan
On the game:
“It was a great game. You’re not going to see too many games like that in our league this year. I was impressed how much they put into trying to get after it and win the game— most teams come here and try to defend for 90 minutes. It was a good, fast game.”
On scoring the equalizer:
“Great corner by David. I had the leeway to go into the box if I wanted and I just got into a good spot, it went over Omar’s head and I want to get it in goal and hit it well.”
On his shot that was cleared off the line by Tim Ream:
“I just had a brief look at it, it looks like it was in. I think we are learning this year that if we want to score a goal we really need to score two goals. Or, if we need to score two goals, we really need to score three or four. It’s unfortunate, you would hope at some we would get the benefit of the doubt, but that’s not happened yet.”
On New York’s defense:
“Candidly, for all the talk we heard about their defense, I thought we broke them down quite a few times, especially in the first half. They adjusted, and didn’t really come higher that 25 or 30 yards out in the second half. But I thought in the first half we got behind them constantly and we should have scored a couple more goals.”
LA Galaxy Defender Omar Gonzalez
On the match:
“I thought it was a great game. It was fun. I love being out here. For the fans, I think it was a fun game. There were some chances, goals called back, balls saved off the line. I thought it was a great game.”
On fighting back to get the draw:
“It wasn’t really nerve wrecking. They got the first goal early and I thought that we were playing well, so I knew that we would get our chances and we got our goal. Too bad we didn’t get two.”
On the goal saved off the line:
“I looked up the jumbotron and it looked like he might have gotten it, but it was close.”
LA Galaxy Midfielder David Beckham
On the match:
“We obviously knew that they were going to have a lot of possession. Obviously, their goal knocked us off balance for awhile, but we showed character to get back in the game. It was and open game, it was a good game of soccer tonight from both teams. Probably, in the end, 1-1 was the right result.”
On the level of play:
“It was a good game of soccer. Both teams passed the ball around well. Both teams penetrated. In the last 10 minutes, they were obviously going for the draw. I think, overall, it was a really good advertisement for the game in this country. It is nice to play in games like that.”
On facing Thierry Henry:
“There are always those moments when you play against players you have played in the past. Thierry is such a great talent and to have him in this league and to have him showing people the skills that he has is a great thing for the game. It was nice to see him tonight. It is always nice to see Thierry.”
On the LA-NY rivalry:
“It is two major cities, and to have a great player like Thierry playing in New York is such a good advertisement for the game and the sport in this country. It gives the sport a lot for people to look at and talk about. I think if both of these teams do well, then it highlights the game.”
On how he felt physically:
“Once we kept the ball a little bit more, it was easier for us to penetrate in the game a lot more. Physically, I feel fine. Obviously, I have been traveling a lot which isn’t ideal, but I was straight back into it and had a good week training this week and rest. I was able to get on the beach because the weather has been good.”
On the upcoming game against Philadelphia:
“It is going to be a tough week for us because you play a game this evening and we travel to the East coast on Monday. It’s tough, but that’s why we have a big squad and a good squad of players. I am sure Bruce will look to rotate certain players. It’s another big game for us.”
LA Galaxy Forward Juan Pablo Angel…
On the match:
“I think it was a really good game. The spectators enjoyed good possession, there were scoring opportunities and anybody could have won. I think the 1-1 was a fair result.”
On his performance:
“I think it was a good game, in general. I felt good. There was good link up, I got in good positions and we have to keep building up in the last third of the field. It’s a department that we have to get better at and in general it was a good game. I had one chance early in the game, that Rafa (Marquez) managed to nip it and hit my chin. And then, the header, I want to see that one because I felt that I was onside. I’m not sure about it. And the one toward the end was a pretty high ball, so I didn’t have much of an angle to place it on the other side, it went straight to the keep, but I felt good today.”
On playing his former club:
“For me it’s just another game. At the end of the day it’s just three points. I felt good, I was calm, there’s emotion playing against your old teammates, a team that you played a number of years for, but it was just another game.”
LA Galaxy Defender Sean Franklin…
On playing New York:
“Obviously both teams have very talented players and I know that’s what a lot of fans come to see, it’s good for soccer, and I thought tonight was great soccer at times. You know, I think it would help the sport in America to have a little rivalry with them.”
On coming back from 1-0 a deficit:
“We gave up a goal early, it might have been offside, but we didn’t put our head down. It’s a 90-minute game and we fought back. We had a lot of chances and Landon scored a great header tonight from David’s corner. It just shows our character and shows that even though we gave up an early goal, which kind of has been somewhat of a problem for us this season, we fought back and played well tonight.”
LA Galaxy Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts
Overall thoughts on the game:
“It was a pretty good game. We had a lot of chances— we didn’t put them away, but, fortunately, we didn’t lose. This league is a funny league, and when ever people play against top team they elevate their game. Going to Philly, I know they are going to come tough, they are going to play hard. So, this was just good for us to asses ourselves and where we are. We came away and we were pretty good. It’s up to us to continue building.”
On the goal New York scored:
“I thought he was off, ball just came through and… I don’t know.”
On the atmosphere:
“It was good. Crowd was really into it. It got us going and as you can see we were on top for most of the game.”