CHIVAS USA HEAD COACH MARTIN VASQUEZ
Overall thoughts on the match:
“We came here with the attitude to win the game because we need to add points to stay close to all the teams in the Conference. We will take the point; it’s a good result considering the way things happened in the game. The effort and the load of nine games in 28 days, I think it was a good result and we will take it.”
On Chivas’ ability to change formations on the fly:
“We just apply the fundamentals and principles of playing in whatever formation we play. We try to defend with pressure, cover and balance. Whenever we are attacking, we try to give a lot of mobility and support. Today we changed on the fly to a 5-4-1 because [Real Salt Lake] was pressuring us.”
On newcomer Giancarlo Maldonado’s performance:
“I think he did well. It’s not easy to come to [Rio Tinto Stadium] against the Champions. It’s a big field and it’s a high altitude. I think, at times, he was dangerous, and he was good with the ball. I think he needs a little more time to adjust, and with a couple of more games I think it will help. But I am happy with his performance.”
CHIVAS USA FORWARD GIANCARLO MALDONADO
Overall thoughts on his performance:
“I felt good. I think the team had a very good game. It was a very complicated team we were playing and it was a rival. But I think that the team gave everything they had during the 90 minutes and, at the end, we got out with a point and that is very useful for us.”
On his transition with the team:
“I’m adapting little by little. I am gaining confidence and I think that the minutes that I am getting will help me improve.”
CHIVAS USA GOALKEEPER DAN KENNEDY
On the match:
“We came here and we didn’t want to give anything away early and we wanted to be organized and make it difficult for them to get easy chances on goal. In the first half the pitch was really slippery, really wet; I think you could see that in the possession that we tried to have, but the ball kept slipping out of bounds on us. We came out in the second half and wanted to be a little better on the ball and the guys worked really hard. The saves I had to make were saves you can make as a ‘keeper because your defense is putting opposing players in tough situations.
“I was happy with the team’s performance. We got a point and we said we were going to get out of here with at least a point, so we accomplished our goal.”
On his discussion with the defense after RSL’s lone goal:
“It’s been a long month for us and we have had a lot of games. We were in the 60th minute and we just gave up a goal to put us down 1-0 and we needed a little boost. If that’s vocally, I was just trying to get the guys going as much as I could. Once we scored that goal we just wanted to make sure we didn’t give another goal away.”
