Veljko Paunovic, Chicago Fire Head Coach
Opening Statement
“First I would like to thank our supporters, section eight, and sector Latino who came here to support us and how they handled this hard result and elimination from the Open Cup. For us, it’s a disappointment and it’s very hard. The whole locker room feels very, very bad at this point. I also want to congratulate the New England Revolution for the good game, for the win, and for reaching the finals and we wish them all the best.”
On the difficult swing to the second half
“I would like to add that we did our best. This is the best we can do at this point, but we will work hard and we will come back next year. We believe being a better team and more competitive and most of all, we want to have another final and play to win. I think about today’s game, the second half was much better. We still have the issue that once we concede a goal, we start to play the way we want to play. We feel a relief of having the negative result, so now it’s actually when we react. We want to be the team that is more, who imposes his style, but still we are working on that we are not ready to do and play that kind of soccer. The second half was the same thing. After the second goal and the third goal, we pushed hard, we tried to do some adjustments, but the team, I’m really proud of our guys. I think our team did a huge effort and, as I said, this is the best we can do at this point and we learn from everything. It was a great experience for us and we just expect and we work on improving and not making the same mistakes in the future.”
On the Revolution's first half penalty kick
“I think it was for sure an important moment of the game. I can tell you we never comment on officiating. I didn’t see the play. For us, for sure it was tough to receive that first goal too early and too innocent. I think we have to be honest, we are a young team and we commit too many innocent mistakes, which I always address with our staff and locker room and it’s something that we’re aware of it, but we have to grow up. We have to grow up in this league and this competition just doesn’t give you too much time for that. You have to react in the next game and I think the pace of the competition and the pace of how well we grow, it’s not the same pace. I think we are behind, but that’s the part of the process.”
On the plan to improve from the team’s match against New England two weeks ago
“Basically, the whole plan a couple of weeks ago was working. As I said, where we are, this is the best we can play at this point. It was important for us to keep the clean sheet at least for the first half and then try to win the game in the second, but it was too easy and I think we learned from the last game. For me, it’s just a matter of growth of the team that we have now and what point we are right now.”
On David Accam’s red card
“It’s soccer. On the field, things happen that you can’t always be aware. I have no comments. I understand it, I will review it, I will address it with David [Accam], and if there is anything to address, that’s it. I insist I didn’t see the play.”
David Accam, Chicago Fire Forward
On if the loss was frustrating
“I think so, a little bit. We just tried to win the ball and push a little bit harder and at the end, I just made a silly mistake.”
On if there are any lessons to be learned from the Open Cup run
“For me, the guys showed a lot of passion, but today we weren’t good enough and for us, we need to learn how to start games earlier. We didn’t do that. We sat back and they put pressure on us and that dictates the game for us which isn’t good. So next time, we need to dictate the game.”
On how they change the way play is dictated
“Just our confidence on the ball and I think it’s just the simple things we need to do more.”
On the equalizing goal he scored
“I was composed when I got the ball. They thought I was going to shoot, but then I faked it and I just toe poked it into the side corner.”
