908 Beiträge - Forenjunkie
|
|
|
TORONTO -- Toronto FC used to be known for its heartbreaking tendency to give up goals in the dying seconds. Nike Roshe Run Flyknit Mujer . Doneil Henry, the man who scored Toronto FCs last-gasp game winner Saturday, knows that probably better than anyone. Jermain Defoe scored twice and Henry, who has seen plenty of heartbreak in his more than four seasons with TFC, headed in the third in injury time to lift Toronto to a 3-2 Major League Soccer victory over the Columbus Crew. The difference this season? "Its the guys that we have in this locker-room, we have some really bold characters, some guys that really will die for the game," Henry said. "Thats been the difference-maker. And we all believe in our coach, we all will stick up and die for this coach, for Ryan Nelsen. "So when you think of opportunities of winning games, and trying to finally bring the playoffs to Toronto, you think of the guys in this changing room." Defoe, the former Tottenham Hotspur star and biggest name in Torontos much-celebrated off-season signing spree, scored on a penalty shot. He then added a second when Brazilian striker Gilberto headed the ball onto the Englishman, and he one-timed a beautiful strike past Crew keeper Steve Clark. The 21-year-old Henry, however, was the star of the afternoon. The six-foot-two defender from Brampton, Ont., muscled his way in on a free kick from Daniel Lovitz with about a minute left to play to score with a glancing header. It was his second goal in as many games -- Henry scored in Wednesdays 1-1 draw with Montreal -- and another plus for the player whos rebounded from a couple of minuses. "In your career when you have your negative days, you can either let it eat you and be a timid person or you can stand up like a man, and just embrace it and just try to better yourself and understand the game better," said Henry, who ripped off his shirt while his teammates mobbed him. Henry had been making news more for the goals that cost his team -- most recently in Torontos 2-2 draw at Sporting Kansas City a week earlier, Henrys foul inside the box cost the team a Kansas City penalty shot. Nelsen is proud of how Henry has played this week. "Hes got amazing athleticism, hes got lovely spring, hes a good timer of hitting the ball," Nelsen said. "Its just reward for being brave, and trying to make an impact in the game and not letting the game go by, and then look in the mirror at night and think God, I wish Id made that run. As weve all done. "Youve got to be brave, youve got to put yourself in the arena and he did, he went for it, and he got his reward by helping us win this game." The goal boosted Torontos record to 5-4-1 and sent the 22,591 fans at a sun-drenched BMO Field home happy. Justin Meram and Augustin Viana scored for Columbus (4-5-4). Meram put Columbus on the scoreboard in the 18th minute -- several nice passes by the Crew found Meram alone just outside the top of the 18-yard-box, and he fired a shot past Toronto goalkeeper Joe Bendik. Defoe, who said he felt fresh from sitting out Wednesdays game against Montreal, converted a penalty three minutes later to tie the game after he was pulled down in the box by Tyson Wahl. "The last two games, we havent been at our best, but weve gotten results," Defoe said. "Great character to come back and win the game. Its not an easy thing to do. It was all about character again." Viana put the Crew ahead 2-1 in the 65th minute when he headed in a corner kick from the top of the six-yard-box, sneaking the ball just inside the right post. The goals were the only decent shots on target all afternoon. The Crew were more accurate with their passing and held a slight edge in possession. "Even though we didnt play that well, we stayed in the game, we kept trying. . . sometimes it was painful to watch," Nelsen said. "The boys kept going, they never backed out. Even the best teams in the world have really bad days in the office, but if youre still trying to do the good things. . . a lot of the times you get rewarded." Gilberto, the Brazilian striker and Designated Player that was also part of Torontos off-season rebuild, started on the bench for the first time with the team. Nelsen said Gilberto wasnt feeling well on Thursday and Friday, and gave Luke Moore the start in his place. Gilberto replaced Jackson in the 65th minute, and had a shot on his first touch, but launched it well over the Columbus net. He would have fans cheering, though, with his ball to Defoe on the second goal. "As soon as it came to (Gilberto) I knew he was going to head it on so I could just turn," Defoe said of the goal. "As soon as I turned I thought, this is the chance, youve got to just hit it as quick as you can. It was one of them goals when as soon as I made contact I knew it was going in." Toronto was awarded the Trillium Cup -- the cup competition between these two teams -- afterward. TFC had won the first game of the matchup 2-0 in April in Columbus. Both teams were playing without their captains -- Torontos centre back Steven Caldwell was serving a suspension for his red card in TFCs 2-2 draw at Kansas City a week earlier, while Columbus was missing forward Frederico Higuain to a suspension. Toronto has only beaten Columbus four times in the 21 meetings between the two teams. Seven of the games have resulted in ties. Toronto has only beaten the Crew twice at BMO Field in 10 matchups. TFC travels to Montreal on Wednesday for the second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship, which doesnt count toward MLS standings. Theyre back in Toronto next Saturday against the San Jose Earthquakes. Nike Roshe Run Comprar España . -- The Guelph Storm are moving on to the Western Conference final after defeating the London Knights 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League playoff action. Zapatillas Nike Roshe Run Baratas . The second-seeded Sharks bounced back from Saturdays 3-1 loss to win this Western Conference quarterfinal series 4-2. Antti Niemi made 26 saves for the Sharks, who are trying to embark on another deep playoff run after making it to the conference finals a year ago.WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- Will ONeill is making a name for himself in the American Hockey Leagues Calder Cup playoffs. The second-year pro is tied for the league lead with 10 post-season assists. Hes playing key minutes for a defence that is allowing fewer than two goals a game. Just about the only thing missing from his resume was a goal. ONeill fixed that in a dramatic way Thursday night, breaking a scoreless tie late in the second period and assisting on the winner in the third as the St. Johns Ice Caps won a third straight game in the Eastern Conference finals, beating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2-1 in Game 4 Thursday night. The IceCaps can advance to the Calder Cup finals with a win in Game 5 on Saturday night in Wilkes-Barre. "It feels nice to get a goal, but it feels great to win," ONeill said. "Weve got a long way ahead of us here, but well enjoy it for a little bit." Josh Lunden also scored for the IceCaps, who went 2 for 9 on the power play. "I thought we did a good job drawing penalties, getting to the net," ONeill said. "Thats the key to getting to any goalie." Brian Dumoulin scored a third-period goal for the Penguins, who went scoreless on six power-play opportunities. "Our power play had some good looks, but at the end of the day, myself and our unit definitely have to put some in the back of the net," Dumoulin said. "Its not just getting chancess anymore. Comprar Nike Roshe Run Baratas España. We have to score." The Penguins were called for six minor penalties in the second period, contributing to a massive 19-2 shots advantage for the IceCaps in the period. Penguins goalie Peter Mannino stopped the first 18 shots he faced, but the 19th was a one-timer from ONeill from the top of the left faceoff circle that trickled past his pads with 26.1 seconds left in the period. ONeills goal came on a 5-on-3 advantage after centre Zach Sill took a double minor for high-sticking IceCaps winger Andrew Gordon with 1:07 left in the period while the Penguins were already killing a penalty. "We were getting a lot of chances," ONeill said. "It was just a matter of time before one went our way. We had a 5-on-3, had good traffic at the net and we buried one." The Penguins tied the score 1-1 at 6:49 of the third when a Dumoulin shot from the blue-line that looked to be headed well wide of the left post hit defenceman Brenden Kichton and skipped past goalie Michael Hutchinson. The Penguins took another penalty less than a minute later, however, and St. Johns retook the lead with a second power-play goal. Lunden collected the rebound of an ONeill shot behind the net and wrapped it inside the post with 10:41 left. "They had some momentum going their way," ONeill said. "It was good to draw a penalty, get back into it and bury one on the power play." wholesale jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys cheap soccer jerseys wholesale jerseys wholesale jerseys cheap nfl jerseys china ' ' '
|