The following are quotes from U.S. SoccerÆs postgame press conference following the U.S. 0-0 tie with Costa Rica. DAVE SARACHAN, U.S. ASSISTANT COACH On how the team feels about qualifying with just one away match left vs. Barbados: “We think we’re in a great position, we really do. We know that we’ve got to go into Barbados and win the game, but we feel very good about it. Today, in our minds, is not a loss. It’s a little bit of a revelation with some young players. The way we compete, we feel good about going into Barbados.” On if there was any communication during the match with suspended head coach Bruce Arena: “Telepathically, we somehow connect. Some information came down.” On the team’s performance during the second half: “I thought the second half, as it went on, was pretty good. Maybe at the middle or toward the end of the second half, they clearly came in (to the match) trying to get a point and not really win the game. They came out with three forwards at the beginning of the game, which surprised us a little bit, but I thought our defenders did an excellent job dealing with that and throughout the game. ôBut as far as the second half, I thought as it went on, we were more dangerous than they were. I don’t remember them getting too many quality chances.” On if he was frustrated by the team’s lack of scoring opportunities: “A little, but if you look at the numbers they put behind the ball, especially centrally, it was difficult to get a lot of clean chances. We were hoping to maybe catch them on the break a little bit, and there were a few opportunities were balls were sent over the top, especially in the first half, that I thought were dangerous. ôWe told our guys, expect Joe-Max (Moore) and Ante (Razov), especially in the first half to not be shy. They were almost too unselfish. We wanted them to turn and go at them, and Cobi (Jones) to go at them. As I said, I thought in the second half, we made more of an attempt to do that.” On if there was one player that was missed the most tonight: “I don’t know if I could say we missed one guy, but clearly Claudio, of course, you’re going to miss no matter what. We didn’t get good quality crosses on the left side. Maybe Eddie Lewis (U.S. midfielder, suspended for accumulating two yellow cards in World Cup qualifying) could have been a guy to help us tonight. McBride is always a guy that you want on your side. ôBut that’s not to take anything away from Ante and Joe-Max. I think their work ethic tonight was good, and it wasn’t an easy game as a forward, in terms of the numbers (of players) behind them. But your always going to miss veteran players like the ones I mentioned.” On the getting Olympian Josh Wolff in the game as a second-half substitute: “We wanted to play Josh (Wolff, U.S. forward who recently competed on the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team) tonight. We felt that he would be a good guy to help us. We weren’t going to make that change in the first half and really we gave the first group 15 minutes in the second half. I think the way that went is the way I would do it again.” JOSH WOLFF, U.S. FORWARD On what he thought of his overall play and the goal that was disallowed due to offside: “Obviously, coming in, some of the guys know what I like to do, and I was able to get around the corners on a couple of occasions and get in some dangerous spots. Obviously, the goal that was called back was a little disappointing for me, maybe to be a little more aware of where I am and come back with Ante. Ante did a great job of getting up and winning that. I put it on (goal), but it wasn’t meant to be.” On if this game is a distraction for playing with the Chicago Fire in MLS Cup 2000 on Sunday: “Not at all. This is very helpful for all of us. Playing for your country is very exciting and it allows you to have a little bit of confidence. I think the same thing about coming from the Olympics, I had some confidence. Coming in (as a sub), I thought I did okay tonight. Some things I’d like to do better, but I thought I played pretty well. Now we just look to Sunday, and there’s another big game.” CHRIS ARMAS, U.S. MIDFIELDER On how much the team was hurt by the loss of the injured and suspended players: “You look at the guys who filled in, and they did a darn good job. Ante battled tonight, he won a lot of balls. He held the ball, he was dangerous a few times and Tony Sanneh was, too. He was very active on the left side and I think those guys picked up the slack. ôHow do you replace Claudio (U.S. midfielder and team captain who was suspended for tonight’s match)? He’s our playmaker. He’s the guy tonight that maybe holds the ball a little more. Of course, you miss Claudio. He’s the leader out there. He’s the guy everything goes through. ôBut I think we still created chances. Like I said earlier, I think if we were a little sharper, we sneak out a goal. Of course, you take three starters out, and you miss them. One good thing with this country and this team is that it has depth, and we proved it tonight. Costa Rica is a very good team. We didn’t give them too many chances –maybe a couple of free kicks and a couple of dangerous moments, but we tried to go at them and were unlucky not to get a goal.”