Seattle Sounders 3 - LA Galaxy 1 - Statistics, Quotes, Chart

Euphoria from last night's performance, let alone victory, has yet to disappear. The monkey for the Seattle Sounders is possibly off their back after the 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy. In reading through the quotes from last night Landon Donovan sums up the match best;

It was a good atmosphere, it was a good environment. The turf actually played okay. And [the Sounders] were good tonight. They deserved to win.

It isn't often when the best player on the opposing team says things like that. It is even rarer when his coach agrees;

We didn't react real well to it technically or tactically and the better team won the game.

When Bruce Arena and Landon say that I don't think it is just post game puffery. There were few excuses. They point to the first 15-20 minutes as being the moments when the game turned. From the Sounders standpoint when formerly struggling Nate Jaqua and Pat Noonan grab a goal and two assists, but also forgo a few other opportunities things certainly looked bleak for the Galaxy.

When Zach Scott shuts down Mr America it was probably the end for them. Juninho was the only real threat from the road team, and his shooting was from deep and usually under pressure. Watch the recap and feel good about the club. Read the statistics and quotes and feel even better.

POSTGAME QUOTES: Sounders FC vs. L.A. Galaxy

Sigi Schmid - Sounders FC Head Coach

(On the play of Nate Jaqua) "We're going to have to name him 'Mr. Open Cup' pretty soon. He was unlucky - the header he had early went off the post. Then he finally got a goal and I think he'd like to have a couple of the other chances back. He could have finished with three or four goals tonight, for sure. But it was good to see him get a goal. I think it was very important for him, as well as our team, obviously in tonight's game, but I'm very happy that Nate got a goal tonight."

(On being one step closer to being three-time U.S. Open Cup champions) "We always take it seriously. We've got Dallas in the next round and we're at home, so that's a good thing for us. Our guys really respond to the fans and the intimate atmosphere here, I think it's tremendous and it gives the fans a chance to see it up close and personal. But we've got a tough semifinal game. Dallas is a good team. Our goal is always whatever we enter, we're going to try to win."

(On L.A.'s lineup) "I thought both teams put out a mixed lineup, but I thought they put out a mixed lineup. They had some guys with injuries that they weren't going to take chances on and we certainly took some players out of the lineup and tried to rest some people as well. So it was good. We're not going to apologize. They're not going to apologize. Both teams came here to compete. I think there's only really been one team that said we're not going to compete in the Open Cup, and that happened last night. But outside of that I think every team has come in to compete and try to play well and put their best team on the field that makes sense based upon the rhythm of games you play."

(On Lamar Neagle's performance) "Lamar has done well. There's times where he drifts out of the game a little bit, but he always comes up with a big play or two. The third goal was certainly a very important play for us, a sealing goal. He had an assist on a goal when we played the Galaxy reserve team, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind playing the Galaxy a few more times and getting on the field. But Lamar has done well. He's still a young player, he made a lot of growth last year by going to Charleston. And he's been back and continued to make that growth. As we give him minutes he responds to them."

(On Terry Boss) "Terry did well. I thought he made a couple of good saves, a couple of big saves early in the first half as well, that kept us in the game, like you said. But I was really pleased with Terry's confidence. He was composed. You could tell he was in control of his goal box, which is very important for a goalkeeper to be. He wasn't rattled and he comes up with a big save. So I was very pleased with what he did tonight."

Nate Jaqua - Sounders FC Forward

(On the match) "I was able to get that first one early and I had a couple of other ones I would have liked to put away, but that's how it goes sometimes. The bottom line is that we got the win and we're moving on to the next round."

(On how exciting it is to have made it this far in the U.S. Open Cup with the Seattle Sounders FC in each of his seasons with the team) "Yeah, it's great. We've got a good opportunity now. I think we have the game here at home again. It's fun playing here. I love it. I love the fans that come out. I'm looking forward to it."

(On how much today's match can help to build confidence going forward) "I think we have a lot of confidence going forward. I think that's why we're playing well right now. It's just something if you can keep using that momentum going forward. For myself, it was nice to get a goal. Usually when you get that one (goal), then (more) start to follow. I had a couple of other chances I would have liked to put away, but that's how it goes sometimes. But I'll use that as good momentum for myself and we're moving forward."

(On if it means more that the L.A. Galaxy brought out some of their first string talent this match) "I think around this stage guys start realizing that if you win a couple of games then you're in the final. And everybody wants to be in the final, so why not? It's a great opportunity. They had a good team, a good squad out there. They put the pressure on us that first half, especially after they got that first goal and it was 2-1 at halftime. But we were able to come back in the second half, fought hard, and Lamar (Neagle) got a great third goal and we were able to put it away."

Lamar Neagle - Sounders FC Midfielder

(On his goal) "Flaco (Alvaro Fernandez) played a great ball, I ran across the back line to kind of keep an eye on a guy. He played a great ball and I just got a flick on it and it went in the side netting."

(On how important it is to get this win) "It's important just to keep our momentum going. No matter what were playing - reserve game, regular season, or Open Cup - we want to win. We definitely have the squad to do it. We definitely have the depth on the team to perform and every single person is playing."

(On the Galaxy) "They're definitely ones to take it seriously, too. It's Open Cup, everybody in the U.S. is playing in it. We're the defending champs and we want to keep it going, so we're definitely not going to take it lightly."

(On playing at Starfire) "It's crazy. We have more fans here than some teams do at regular season games. It's an amazing atmosphere and it's great for the game."

(On Seattle Sounders FC still being undefeated in U.S. Open Cup competition) "Yeah, you can see how seriously the Sounders take it. We're doing the same thing this year. We want to come out and we want to win it again."

Terry Boss - Sounders FC Goalkeeper

(On the match) "I think the guys did a good job. We came out and everyone was real sharp. From the opening kickoff I think it was evident to everybody how bad we wanted to win and how important this U.S. Open Cup is not only to us, but the city and to the organization."

(On facing several set pieces today) "It was one of those things that was like, we wish we didn't have to face as many as we did, but we ended up doing a good job. Guys did a good job battling in there and we took care of them. I think we were really fortunate not to give up a goal on set pieces with as many as we took, but it was definitely nice to get out of there without giving one up."

(On if it is good to see other teams starting to take the Open Cup seriously) "Yeah, I think L.A.'s team was great, their roster. You could tell it was important to them, too. I think this tournament does mean a lot to a lot of teams and there is a momentum around the league in how valuable it is throughout their organizations as well. So I think that ups the ante a little bit and makes this win a little bit more sweet."

(On the Seattle defense) "I think our whole team did a great job, but especially the back line--Jeff Parke and Patrick Ianni and Zach Scott--and Leo (Gonzalez) is such a good one-on-one defender, he did a great job for us. We didn't break down that many times, so it was nice to walk away giving up only one goal."

(On the play of Pat Noonan) "Pat's a great player. He has such a great soccer IQ. You can just see that when he has the ball people are running and he's finding people. He's definitely one of those players that needs to be accounted for at all times. And the way he delivers the ball he makes players around him so much better. It was definitely nice to see him on the field and be so effective for 60 minutes."

Adam Cristman - L.A. Galaxy Forward

(On scoring a goal for the LA Galaxy...) "Obviously the chance to start...It was an okay performance by myself. Getting the goals, that's my job as a forward, to score. So that's a positive. But at the end of the day, we didn't so enough to win and we had other chances we could have put away.  So it's disappointing."

(On being eliminated from the US Open Cup...) "It's disappointing. We were all the way to the round of 16 our first game, and this was the quarterfinal. It's the only type of tournament where you can win a championship and it's only four games. It allows you to focus on it. I think we could have done better tonight and so it's disappointing. We feel like we could have done well in this tournament. We didn't have it tonight and that's the result. We'll move on and focus on the rest of our games and tournaments for the rest of the year."

Landon Donovan - L.A. Galaxy Midfielder

(On playing at Starfire...) "I guess kind of a typical early round Open Cup game. It was a good atmosphere, it was a good environment. The turf actually played okay. And [the Sounders] were good tonight. They deserved to win."

(On the loss...) "We were a little naïve. I think we tried to play a little bit too much early. We made a few mistakes and they made us pay. They had a few other good chances too. We got back in the game and had some chances at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half to even the game. We didn't and then we make an error and that's pretty much the game."

(On the early pressure from Sounders FC...) "We knew that was coming. We didn't do a good enough job of relieving the pressure. We gave away too many balls in the bad parts of the field and they took advantage of it and that was pretty much the game. The first 20 minutes really decided the game."

Bruce Arena - L.A. Galaxy Head Coach

(On his overall impression of the game...) "I thought Seattle's start of the game was excellent, our reaction was poor and we were dominated in the first 25 minutes of the game. We got our feet under ourselves in the last 15 minutes of the first half. I thought we ended the half playing well. Two-one, given what we saw in the early going, was a pretty good position to be in. We came out in the second half and did all right, then obviously the third goal broke our backs but I thought if you take away the first 25 minutes-which might be a pretty stupid statement-it got better. Obviously at 3-1 we dug ourselves a hole. That's the way it is. "

(On Starfire Sports Stadium...) "The field and all of that is tough, but you know, both teams play on it. It's fine. It's all part of it. What are you going to do? We didn't react real well to it technically or tactically and the better team won the game."