wanglei
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| Posted: 14 December 2017 at 01:33 | IP Logged
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TORONTO -- The playoffs are as far out of reach as theyve ever been. Same goes for a first winning season. But as Toronto FC embarks on the final quarter of the 2013 Major League Soccer campaign, the players and their head coach insist a lot is at stake, from pride to jobs to momentum for next season. "If you think theres only nine games left and you have to pick yourself up and get motivated, then you shouldnt be playing," striker Robert Earnshaw said Thursday after the Reds completed their final training session ahead of Fridays match at BMO Field against the visiting New England Revolution. "Theres always something to play for." Toronto (4-12-9) begins the weekend 15 points adrift of the Revolution (10-9-6), who are tied with the Houston Dynamo for the fifth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. As has so often been the case over their seven years in existence, talk as the Reds head into autumn is about next season. And, after a relatively decent run of form over the past six matches (2-2-2), players believe they are now developing a cohesion following another season of tremendous roster turnover. Performances have improved and become more consistent. Players say more positive results will come over the final nine matches if that trend continues, offering supporters proof better days are ahead. "Weve come a long way since the beginning of the year," said striker Andrew Wiedeman. "All the players, all the coaches, all the staff, we know it, we see it every day out here in training. "But it would be nice to get some wins and show the fans as well, and carry some momentum into next year." Captain Steven Caldwell said despite the fact its all but a mathematical certainty Toronto will miss the post-season for a seventh straight year, theres no shortage of motivation down the stretch. "Maybe we cant make the playoffs but we really want to finish the season on a high," the defender said. "Were trying to build something here, so when youre building anything, you need momentum. "Were working extremely hard on achieving consistency and that (improved) level of performance and these nine games are crucially important to letting everyone know where this team is going." In New England, Toronto faces a team rounding into form at the right time. Back-to-back home victories over Chicago and Philadelphia have put the Revolution into the thick of the playoff race. If they make it three straight wins Friday, they would move, at least temporarily, into a second place tie in the East. Midfielder Kelyn Rowe, who had a pair of goals in last weeks 5-1 thrashing of Philadelphia to earn MLS player of the week honours, and striker Juan Agudelo, who also notched a brace in that match, each have three goals in the last two games. New Englands attack also features Diego Fagundez, the clubs leading scorer with eight goals and six assists. This is the rubber match of the season series between the clubs after they split two games in Foxborough, Mass. Fagundez and Agudelo scored in a 2-0 New England win in May with Toronto avenging that with a 1-0 result earlier this month on an early strike by the now-injured Matias Laba. Toronto head coach Ryan Nelsen said in New England he sees a lot of positive signs for his club. "Theyve had their pains of a couple of years and I think theyre just starting to blossom," Nelsen said of a Revolution side which last made the playoffs in 2009. "The young boys are just starting to mature, theyve got a lot of games under their belt now and youre starting to see the best of them. "Its very similar to where we are. Weve got a good set of young guys and very soon theyll become hardened MLS pros." Among those prospective stars of the future for Toronto is hometown midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who is expected to start Friday despite being substituted out after 34 minutes with a sore ankle in last Saturdays 1-1 draw against D.C. United in Washington. "Were looking to finish strong. Were looking at it as a nine-game season," said Osorio, who has five goals in 22 matches and is in the conversation for MLS rookie of the year. "If we can bring momentum from the end of the season we can start next pre-season knowing we can be really good in this league." Ryan Smyth Jersey . PETERSBURG, Florida – Heading into Thursday nights action, Dioner Navarro had caught 14 innings combined from starters Drew Hutchison and Mark Buehrle. Ty Rattie Jersey .com) - Maria Sharapova rallied for a three- set win over Ana Ivanovic on Saturday to capture the season-opening Brisbane International tennis tournament. http://www.hockeyoilersshop.com/benoit-pouliot-jersey/ . You can watch all the action on TSN2 beginning at 7pm et/4pm pt. Pineda won his second straight start last Wednesday against Chicago, as he held the Cubs to just four hits over six scoreless innings to run his record to 2-0, while lowering his ERA to 1. Adam Larsson Jersey . HABS HEADED TO CONFERENCE FINAL The Montreal Canadiens scored early in Game Seven, built a lead and protected it well on their way to a 3-1 series-clinching win over the Boston Bruins. While this game or series isnt necessarily a referendum on the value of fourth lines, the Canadiens certainly benefitted from production lower down their forward depth chart. Connor McDavid Jersey . With one penalty, Fourcade finished in 24 minutes, 58.2 seconds, just nine-tenths of a second ahead of Timofey Lapshin, who shot clean in the cold. CHICAGO -- After three overtimes and playing nearly 50 minutes, Jrue Holiday was happy to get off the court. Winning the game was a nice bonus, too. Holiday made a three-point play with 2.6 seconds left and the New Orleans Pelicans outlasted the Chicago Bulls 131-128 on Monday night. "I really just wanted the game to be over, to be honest," he said. "I felt we had some calls that didnt go our way, but in the third overtime, we had a chance to finally close it out." Thats something that neither team could do before that point. The Pelicans called a timeout with 4.5 seconds, but coach Monty Williams wasnt about to take credit for the mad scramble that left Holiday with a clear path to the basket. "Thats just something stupid," Williams said. "Jrue just makes the play. Im not that bright. Sometimes I try to outthink myself. He just made a great play." "Id love to tell you Im that bright, but Im not. We draw it up for a certain thing to happen, and he just made a good play. All the credit goes to him," he said. Holiday had 19 points and 12 assists. The point guard made an 18-foot shot with 3.9 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score at 103 and force overtime. Ryan Anderson had a career-high 36 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including 7 for 11 on 3-pointers for the Pelicans. Eric Gordon added 23 points. Luol Deng led the Bulls with 37 points and also had eight rebounds and seven assists. Reserve Taj Gibson had 26 points and 14 rebounds. Mike Dunleavy added 23 points and Joakim Noah had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. It was the Bulls first game at home following a 1-5 road trip while the circus took over the United Center for two weeks. The Bulls lost for the first time at home after winning five in a row and now have dropped six of seven. Theyve won only once since point guard Derrick Rose was lost for the season with a tear in the meniscus in his right knee. "Right now a lot of things arent going our way," Deng said. "We have to stick with it and keep fighting and keep working hard. Its not going to turn around by itself..dddddddddddd. We have to make it happen. Were losing a lot of close games right now. Its something we have to get better with. Individually, I have to get better at making plays at the end of the game. "This was a tough one, coming back from a trip. Im not going to lie and say I wasnt tired out there. I was tired. A lot of guys were. Our team and their team, they had a back-to-back. We made a lot of fatigue and mental mistakes at the end." In the first overtime, the teams traded one-point leads for nearly three minutes before Dengs drive gave the Bulls a 109-106 advantage with 2:08 left. The Bulls then got consecutive defensive stops and had two chances to stretch the lead, but couldnt convert. Gordon then hit a 3-pointer with 10.2 seconds to go, tying it at 109 and forcing a second OT. In double-OT, the Bulls rallied from a 118-113 deficit, taking advantage of New Orleans mistakes and tying it at 122 on Dengs drive with 4.7 seconds to go. The Bulls jumped on top in the third overtime, but the Pelicans rallied and took a 127-126 edge on Andersons 3-pointer with 1:08 to go. Noahs basket evened it at 128, setting up Holiday. "Were beat," Williams said. "When you put your heart and soul into a game like that and guys come through, it just takes a lot out of you. Im so proud of the way we won, coming off a back-to-back against one of the best defences in the NBA, to be able to produce." NOTES: For the second straight season, Pelicans centre Anthony Davis -- the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft -- missed the teams only visit to his hometown. The 6-foot-10 big man broke his left hand Sunday in New York and is out in definitely. Last year, Davis was held out with a mild concussion. "One of the first things he said to me when I got back in the locker room was, Two years in a row," Williams said. "Took me a minute to realize what he was talking about. He just really wanted to play here. I feel bad for him." ... . Rose, who had surgery a week ago, didnt attend the Bulls first home game since the injury. "Ive been talking to him," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Hes doing fine." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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Rockezine Forums : Zandbak
Topic: pick in the 2012 draft
