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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

TORONTO - After Canadas mens soccer team overcame the scorching heat and spotty pitch to upset Cuba on foreign soil last Friday, coach Stephen Hart allowed his players a brief time to revel in the result. Then they promptly filed those feelings away. Canada hosts Honduras this evening in the second game of the third round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. Another victory would give Canada six points and some considerable breathing room heading into a two-month break. "(I told them) the usual stuff, enjoy the moment for a couple of hours and then understand that youve achieved nothing, weve achieved nothing," Hart said after practice Monday at BMO Field. The 77th-ranked Canadians defeated Cuba 1-0 on Friday, while No. 46 Panama defeated 55th-ranked Honduras 2-0 in the other game in the group. After Tuesdays matchup, the national side, gunning to make its first World Cup appearance since 1986, takes a break before picking up World Cup qualifying again in September. "Its going to be massive for us, we dont want to go into the next two months with any regrets of what could have been if wed won maximum points," said David Edgar, whose well-placed cross led to Olivier Occeans goal versus Cuba. The Canadians played through soaring heat on Friday that left Hart joking that he just hoped his players "didnt die." They also played a man short after keeper Lars Hirschfeld was shown a red card for handling the ball outside of the box. Milan Borjan played well as Hirschfelds replacement, immediately facing a dangerous free kick. "It was difficult because I didnt warm up or anything, it was a tough situation to come in on, winning 1-0, a free kick on the 18-yard-box. . .," Borjan said. "But the guys gave me the confidence, the coaches they gave me confidence, so it was good." Hell be Canadas keeper against Honduras while Hirschfeld serves a one-game suspension. Hart said he has faith in whichever Canadian keeper he has in net, saying theres little difference between the two. "New goalkeeper, different name," Hart said. "Other than that, the players wouldnt be picked if I didnt think they could do the job." Borjan and his teammates made a plea to fans Monday that has become an all-too-familiar refrain — come out and cheer them on. International games in this multicultural city see crowds often lopsided in favour of visiting teams, and Borjan hopes to see a sea of red rather than the blue and white cheering on Los Catrachos. "Its very important, and its not just me, its the whole team," said Borjan, who made his Canadian team debut in February of last year. "We need all the supporters to come to the field, when people are cheering for you it gives you so much confidence, so I hope I see a full field Tuesday." Canada defeated Honduras 2-1 the last time the two teams met, in a friendly almost two years ago in Montreal — a victory that snapped a string of eight matches without a win. Honduras arrives in Toronto after a rare loss at home, but Hart doesnt believe the visitors will let any sense of desperation throw them off their game. "Theyre a wounded animal but its one game, theyve lost one game, OK, its a home game, but I think Honduras has too much experience to be desperate," Hart said. "Theyre going to come in here and think its only Canada, and they can get a result here." Atiba Hutchinson may start after coming in as a second-half substitute versus Cuba. Hart subbed the PVS Eindhoven midfielder, who has been nursing a knee injury, into the game to be a stabilizing influence when the Canadians went down a man. Hutchinson calls Honduras a very technical team that can move the ball up the middle at great speed. "But weve been working a lot on our shape and being compact as a team and being well-disciplined so well have to just carry that into the game," Hutchinson said. "Also when were going forward, I think were creative enough to get chances and hopefully we can get the goals." The top two teams in the group will advance to the final round of qualifying in the CONCACAF region, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. Canada will travel to Panama and Honduras in the fall. The Canadians host Panama on Sept. 7 and Cuba on Oct. 12. Cheap NBA Jerseys . The underperforming English champions are last in Group D with only two points from four matches after opening the campaign with a 3-2 loss at Madrid. "It is very difficult, because probably we did some mistakes in the first game," City manager Roberto Mancini said Tuesday. Cheap Jerseys .H. -- Jeff Gordon came into the media centre after winning the pole in New Hampshire and found that the moderator was not yet at his post. http://www.azulvirtual.org/hot.html . -- Rodney Stuckey scored 19 points and Greg Monroe added 15 points and four rebounds to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 112-86 preseason victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Winterhawks swept their way into the Western Hockey League final thanks to a huge third period. The Winterhawks exploded with four unanswered goals over the final 20 minutes to down the Tri-City Americans 4-1 and advance to the WHL final for the second straight season. Second-seeded Portland won the best-of-seven series 4-0 over the Americans, the top seed in the Western Conference. The Winterhawks will face the winner of the Eastern Conference final between Edmonton and Moose Jaw, which the Oil Kings currently lead 3-1. Portland lost to the Kootenay Ice in the WHL final last season. Despite the series between Portland and Tri-City ending in a sweep, all four games were tied well into the third period and the first two went to overtime. "What a battle tonight," said Portland head coach Mike Johnston. "It was such a tight, tough series. I give Tri-City a lot of credit, we had our hands full." Tri-City led 1-0 after two periods, with Americans goaltender Ty Rimmer stopping all 40 shots he faced. "Rimmer is one of the best goalies in the league, and he showed it tonight," Johnston said. Cam Reid and Marcel Noebels broke the ice for Portland, scoring 1:06 apart in the third to get the rally started for Portland. Reid walked in off the right wing boards and beat Rimmer over the blocker to tie the game at the 6:42 mark of the third on Portlands 46th shot of the game. Noebels gave Portland the lead at the 7:48 mark on a feed from Ty Rattie. Noebels took the puck to his backhand side and lifted it over Rimmers glove for his third of the series and fifth of the playoffs. Reid and Noebels were each acquired by the Winterhawks at the WHLs trade deadline, with Portland surrendering three high draft picks to obtain the duo. &"Sometimes you have to make a move and overpay with draft picks," Johnston said.dddddddddddd "But you can see right now that they can make the difference." Reid, who left St. Cloud State during the NCAA season to join the Winterhawks, stated hes "never won anything like this in my life." "The reason I came here was for this playoff run, and its an unbelievable feeling right now," Reid said. Sven Bartschi stole the puck from Tri-Citys Zachary Yuen and beat Rimmer to make it 3-1 with 3:03 to play, then Brad Ross scored on a breakaway 26 seconds later to seal the victory. As he did in a 3-1 Game 3 defeat, Tri-Citys Adam Hughesman opened the scoring with a rebound goal on the power play. Brendan Shinnimins wrist shot from the point caught Portland goalie Mac Carruth in the mask, and Hughesman pounced on the rebound to give the Americans a 1-0 lead late in the first period. With Rimmer making 57 saves in the game, Carruth was a somewhat forgotten man on the other end of the ice. But for the second straight night, he held the Americans to one goal and stopped four breakaways that couldve put Portland in a two-goal hole. Carruth made 39 saves Thursday, and stopped 77 of 79 shots in Games 3 and 4. "I dont think we couldve done much more," Tri-City coach Jim Hiller said. "Carruth was terrific, and their big guys scored big goals." The Americans won their fourth division title in five years this season, but failed in a quest to reach the league final for the second time in three years. Tri-City has never won the WHL title. "I thought we went toe-to-toe with (Portland)," Hiller said. "When they needed big goals they got big goals. They got great goaltending. Theres not much more than that." ' ' ' 

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