Xolos - Galaxy Quote Clash

The second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal is here! Today the Galaxy and Tijuana Xolos face off in Estadio Caliente in TJ to see who moves on. In honor of the occasion, I'm posting here all the quotes from the first game in LA that I haven't already used in articles or posts. 

Tijuana Coach Cesar Faria

On the second leg

I think we can overturn the result in Tijuana.

Overview of game

In the first half, the Galaxy played with more energy, which we expected. We made a mistake that cost us a goal.  In general, the balance was very good. We had the chance to tie, and to score more than one goal.

Why didn't Benedetto start?

Dario didn’t start because he has an injury in his Achilles tendon, and if we don’t care for it, we’re going to lose him to that. He was very close to scoring. In the last game, he left because he was injured.

Worried about goal deficit?

This is not a 90 minute series. We’re going to play at home against the Galaxy, and we’re very confident at home.

Tijuana support from fans?

It was spectacular. It gave our players enthusiasm for 90 minutes. Now we have to finish things out in our house and we expect even more support there.

Joe Corona's performance

He’s an important player for us. He did everything we asked him to do. We took him out when he was a little tired. With a little bit more luck he would have had a goal.

The Goal That Wasn't

Jaime Penedo had a pretty amazing game for the Galaxy versus the Xolos on Wednesday. 

I decided to combine the quotes about his goalkeeping here, since they didn't really fit the feature piece I wrote for ESPNFC.

Xolos coach Farias on Jaime

We had the sort of game today that I think deserved better luck for our side. We had two balls saved off the line.

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena

A couple of dangerous plays, but for the most part, our backline held up well. To be able to come out with a clean sheet was a positive.

Jaime had a good night, came up with a couple of saves - I think a couple weren’t counted because they put the flag up.

We’re ahead. Jaime is coming into the prime of his career. We think he’s going to get better, at this point. I’d like to believe that the position is strong for us.

Galaxy defender AJ De La Garza on Jaime

Jaime saved us a couple of times and Marcelo saved one off the post. We weathered the storm and got out of here with a win.

He’s someone you can count on. The one ball he saved off the line, I thought that was in. I had stopped running already. I was nowhere close to it. But he came out of nowhere and slapped it away. He can make those plays. You count on a goalkeeper to make those saves that can keep you in a game and he did that tonight.

Jaime on that save

I too, thought the ball was going in, but my body didn’t want to accept that and was already running back to do whatever I could. Some might say, oh, I knew I was going to get there and save it, but I won’t lie. I knew I hadn’t hit the ball out far enough, and I was already moving there, and luckily I was able to save it.

I remember most Omar’s face, but what’s important is that the ball didn’t go in.