Jurgen Klinsmann & Tim Howard: Post-game Interview (On the field)
Thoughts on the game...
JK: "We can still do better. We got through the group, but we have to do better in the Round of 16. And we will do better."
On Germany & getting out of the group...
TH: "Proud of the group. We still got a lot left in us. I thought we played well throughout the group. Today was a tough game, tough conditions. Hats off to Germany. I think they have the opportunity to win the World Cup. That's how good I think they are."
"It's shows how far we've come. That we're not happy just getting there. That we want to progress. We still got a little left in us."
On the offense and not having many opportunities vs Germany...
TH: "We're going to try and get as much rest as we can. Everybody comes into this last game tired. Germany's a top team. they're going to make it difficult on us. Not only do they defend well, they use the ball well. So they don't give you many opportunities. But offensively I thought we've been good in this tournament so that will continue."
On Jozy Altidore...
TH: "Anytime you lose a big player it stings a little bit, but I think the top teams and the top players move on. You realize that injured guys can't help the team and you use what's in reserve and you go again."
Kyle Beckerman: Post-game interview (In the tunnel)
On playing Germany...
"We knew it was going to be a huge challenge. Germany is such a good team...one of the best in the world. They really came at us in the beginning of the game, but I thought we responded well after the first 20 minutes or so. We tried to get in their and get a win. We didn't play for a tie. We just came up short."
On advancing to the Round of 16...
"It's huge. We knew it was going to be extremely tough. But we believed in it. We felt like there was a chance. Everybody's got to play the same game, and if that's the case, we have a chance. We did enough to advance. We can start to dream. Hopefully we can make some upsets."
On facing Belgium in the Round of 16...
"Extremely good team. Got a ton of great players that play all over the world at some big clubs. It's going to take a huge effort from us. We're going to have to score our chances and defend with everything we got, but it's a game that two teams have to go out and play, so we feel like we got a chance. And with a chance, we're going to give everything."
Jurgen Klinsmann (Post-game Press Conference)
On Germany and advancing to the Round of 16...
"It's a huge achievement by our team to come through that group and qualify for the knockout stage. We knew it was going to be a very tricky game that a tie was going to be enough. It was not easy to handle it mentally. We had a little too much respect the first 20-25 minutes of the game and then the nerves settled a little bit and we got better."
"It's tremendous for this team, for our group. If somebody would've said that after the draw, that Germany and U.S. would be going through - and we're sitting with the German team in the driver seat for the last game (after two games) - probably nobody would've believed it. But, we have a very, very strong team. The players are so hungry to do well. The effort and the commitment they showed for all 90 minutes was outstanding. I wish we would've created more chances and find more ways to take it to Germany, but overall it's a fantastic achievement by all the guys."
On the "Group of Death"...
"I think that most of you would agree (maybe with another group or two) that this was by far the strongest group to go through. Ghana and Portugal bring such quality to the table and Germany is among the top 4 or 5 favorites to win this title. It was hard work... Whoever we face now, we're going to take it to them."
On starting Omar Gonzalez over Geoff Cameron...
"Everyone is so important. We wanted to give [Geoff Cameron] a break. Omar has worked so hard and he was ready for it."
On Jermaine Jones...
"He is who he is. He's a warrior. He's so important to us & to the team b/c he has this never-die attitude. He is playing a very good tournament so far. Hope he steps it up another notch in the round of 16."
On the weather/conditions of the field...
Reporter: Were you tempted to do you trademark dive slide?
"It would've been no problem. It was wet already. [chuckle] Might be difficult after defeat.
On what the U.S. needs to improve...
"We have to improve. We have to keep the ball longer. Every time we connected 4, 5, 6, 7 passes and shifted it to the other side we looked really good. We have to be calmer on the ball and make the opponent run. We have to be a little bit calmer under possession. We have to stay composed and move the ball around with one/two touches and make the opponent run."
On facing Belgium...
"We're familiar with Belgium because we played two friendlies with them over the last few years... We will be prepared."
On U.S. conceding a goal to Thomas Mueller...
"We'll look at the video and see what we did wrong. Every time you concede a goal you did something wrong. It's just normal. It's mostly a sequence of events... Thomas is a player who doesn't need two chances. He's fine with one and puts it in the net. We'll have a closer look at it tomorrow."
