Photo and video: Daniel Gajdamowicz

John Hackworth’s postgame press conference

Postgame locker room interviews with Brian Carroll, Ray Gaddis, Zac MacMath and Amobi Okugo

Philadelphia Union postgame quotes

Team manager John Hackworth
Opening Statement

A couple things before we start with questions. I think that is the first time we came back and won the game after being down. It is also a Great Clips, another giveaway. Can’t thank the fans enough. The people that came out tonight were awesome. I know just like the players and everybody else, we had to struggle through some crazy weather. Usually the rain doesn’t factor into a soccer game as much as it did tonight. The field was so saturated you had puddles, players were slipping and it really had a big impact on the game.

On the Farfan goal and what happened

I was in a position where I really couldn’t see it too well. I was back here under the River End, but I don’t know. I am going to have to go and watch the replay….there are a lot of things that are puzzling about that. I honestly don’t know why there was a red card either and I got tossed out of the game. I thought there was a clear hand ball on the play before. Can’t talk about that stuff, but I didn’t see it well enough.

On whether or not Sebastien LeToux and Michael Farfan practiced that situation

Not that exact situation, but you could tell by the way that Michael said “Hey I got this, if you just put it to where I can, I am going to put this in the roof.” And he did. He aimed it perfectly. He is a great player that way, he has excellent technique. So it was a good play by him and obviously a huge point in the game for us.

On whether that’s something you can teach or whether that’s purely instinct

In that one you think these players are experienced enough where they have gone through that a number of times. You have to get a touch on it, if you can get a touch on it, pick your spot on frame, that is what you do. Obviously he decided to go over their heads and saw a spot. I was watching after the call was made and Michael was lining that up for about two minutes. You could tell he was going there.

On being ejected from the game

I was upset because I thought there was a penalty. I thought when Sebastien (Le Toux)was on the ground right in front of the near post, the player on the ground closest to me clearly takes his elbow and knocks the ball. That is a hand ball. it is in the box. I don’t think I was the only one who felt it was a Pk. I tell the fourth official, probably a little bit too emotional at that point, that I think it is a hand ball and how could they not see that hand ball. So he, for whatever reason, told me next one you are gone. I hadn’t said anything, I don’t think I used any profanity, I don’t think I said anything too bad. Then Jorge, the referee came over, I am in the box and I say how did you miss that hand ball and I go through the motion of how I thought the player did it and he threw me out. So it is interesting because I haven’t been thrown out in a long time and usually you have to say something. I guess my actions were a little too dramatic.

On coming from behind missing key players

I have always said that I really like this team. I like our character. I like the way we prepare. I like the way we don’t give up at all. I like our resilience when we come off a poor performance. So tonight we started well and then we gave up a silly goal, part of that is the field, and then we just kept plugging away. At halftime we talked about the fact that we just needed to execute a little better. The game plan was good and we thought we would get one back and if we get one back we could force the game and fortunately that is what the guys did. Full credit to them.

On whether or not Fabinho could have a starting position

I like our starting lineup right now, but Fabinho is certainly a guy that in time has potential to be a starter. I saw his cross to Conor (Casey) and thought it was a great ball. He’s truly a left back, but in the time he’s been with us he’s been really good getting forward on certain balls in the box and he did that tonight. Good start for him.

On what he saw from Zac MacMath tonight

Zach is playing well. I can’t find fault in his game. He was really good and managed his box extremely well. A couple of difficult balls were put in there. Clearly he’s learned from things earlier in the year, great punches, getting high and wide past the first line. His distribution was good, his kicking game was good. We’re happy with him.

On how critical this game was

This was a really big game. Because of the previous three games we knew we had to come here and get three points. We felt like Chivas was a good team. They deserve a lot of credit because what they do, they do it really well. They make it really hard for teams, as Dallas found out and Montreal found out. So I think that just furthers the point that our guys really dug deep and showed a lot of character to got the win and do it in good fashion.

Michael Farfan
On if the team practices/prepares for a goal like the indirect free kick he scored tonight

Not too much prepping. I think it just of just happened. We knew that they would have pretty much their whole team in the goal, and I figured the only place it could possibly going in—or the best chance of it going in—was over their heads and under the crossbar. I pretty much set out to do that, and fortunately it worked.

On how he and Sebastien Le Toux decided what their plan would be for the indirect free kick

I think we just kind of saw where it was located, and I told him where I wanted it, and he put it there.

On his confidence to hit the narrow target in that situation

I was pretty confident. I just knew that they would come rushing out, so I just had to put it over their heads. I was just trying to make sure I didn’t hit it over the bar. I needed to put it on target.

On if the win was extra special due to playing against his brother

Not really, I think it was just exciting that my mom got to be here to watch the game.

On scoring his first goal of the season

It’s always nice to score, so I’m definitely excited that I was finally able to put a goal on the board.

On the wild scene in box that occurred just before his indirect free kick

That happens. (The Chivas players) weren’t happy with the call, and they showed that with the ref. We were just trying to focus and figure out what we would do on the ensuing play.

Brian Carroll
On the wildness of tonight’s match

I know we’ve been part of a lot of games that have felt a little crazy, and to add onto that, the torrential downpours of tonight made the conditions a little bit more difficult, and tough to play in … Credit to the guys for just sticking with the game plan and working hard no matter how the field was tonight. We were able to pull one out and show some decent character.

On what was different today versus the team’s recent matches

Just disgust over those results, and potentially learning from them, but really just mentally sticking through it and making sure that wasn’t going to happen again.

On if the team realized in the moment that a similar situation had been created to the previous matches against FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake

I think it’s definitely something that creeps into your head, and the moment that it does, you’re like, ‘here we go again.’ It’s probably the last thing we need to think about, but it’s just natural. It’s something that occurs. We have to continue to be mentally strong and fight through that no matter what.

On if he has ever seen an indirect free kick situation such as Michael Farfan’s goal

It’s been a while. I think it’s happened once or twice in my professional career. I remember it happening a ton growing up—it’s just something that did happen. Credit to the guys for taking care of that free kick opportunity. It’s not easy, even though it may look so close to the goal. Credit to the guys for coming up with that designed play and making it happen.

On if the team practices that play

Not really, because it happens so infrequently. That’s something that you use playground ball stuff…stuff that you go back to just to throw one up mentally, through the guys that are usually around the ball in those situations, and they did a good job with it.

On Michael Farfan’s goal

(The referee) calls an indirect free kick…first of all, they had 11 guys on the field after a red card in that situation. We did a good job of the staff on the sideline and a couple other guys noticing that and talking to the refs about that, and they took care of it. Michael (Farfan) and (Sebastien Le Toux) and the guys making decoy runs took care of the rest. It’s not easy to go over the wall and up into the top of the goal, but that’s probably where it needs to go, and they did a good job with it.

On the conditions tonight

Annoying. Sometimes (the ball) stops, sometimes it skips, sometimes it rolls fast, and sometimes it doesn’t go anywhere. The rain is whipping in your face from all different angles—it’s just annoying. Both teams had to deal with it, and we maybe dealt with it a little bit better, but maybe that’s because we’re at home and they’re on a long road trip too.

Fabinho (as translated by Leo Fernandes)
On his MLS debut…
It was very good. I am very happy. I’m happy to help the Philadelphia Union get the victory.

On his assist to Conor Casey…

Since I am a left sided player, I always want to put in good balls. That is my main goal when I come into a match on the left side, to put in good, quality crosses.

On the coaching staff’s instructions for him when entering the match

Just to play my game, and every time that I get a chance, to put the ball into the box.

Chivas USA postgame quotes

Gabriel Farfan
On coming back to PPL Park

It was good. It’s been a while since I’ve been this anxious to play a game and it was all that I thought it was going to be. I entered the stadium and I felt like it was a home game. It was a great time. I love playing here and unfortunately we didn’t get the result but it was a tough match

On how the team is playing now

Yeah, definitely, with our new coach I feel like we are a lot more organized and we have a clear concept of the way the coach wants to play and I think we are executing well.

On playing in his home state of California

It’s been amazing. That’s my home. That’s the simplest way I can put it. I feel extremely comfortable and the organization has made me feel at home so I’m happy to go home after a long road trip.

On whether or not there was any trash talking between he and his former Union teammates

Not really. We hung out a lot this week and I saw almost all of them. It was all jokes but nothing that had to do with the game.