|
|
TORONTO -- The artistry Justin Mapp displayed in scoring Montreals lone goal drew rave reviews from even Toronto FC coach Ryan Nelsen on Wednesday night. Winnipeg Blue Bombers Jerseys . Mapp danced through Torontos defence to score on Montreals only shot on net as the Impact salvaged a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship against a TFC side missing star striker Jermain Defoe. "Hes a lovely man, he goes about his business quietly," Nelsen said of Mapp. "That was a classy classy goal, to tell you the truth, and the only way I think really they were going to score, to break us down. "Sometimes you have to tip your hat." Defender Doneil Henry scored the lone goal for Toronto. The draw could be considered a victory for Montreal, since road goals carry more weight. If next Wednesdays second leg in Montreal was to end in a 0-0 tie, the Impact would win based on Mapps goal at BMO Field. "Coming away, the first leg, you score an away goal, its very important," said Impact coach Frank Klopas. "But also I felt we finished the game the second half, we played some good soccer, we had some good opportunities, and so its a good result on the road. But nothings done yet." The draw was the latest chapter in a Canadian Championship battle between these two teams. Toronto has won four of the six titles, Montreal has won the other two, including the inaugural tournament in 2008, and then last year. The winner earns the right to represent Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League. Toronto dominated possession for most of the night, and had five shots on net to the Impacts one in front of 18,269 mostly red-clad TFC fans at BMO Field. Nelsen sat Defoe because the former Tottenham Hotspur star was feeling "a wee bit tight." The coach admitted that, with the lineup he fielded, he was looking ahead to Saturdays Major League Soccer game against the visiting Columbus Crew. "But in saying that, I put out the team that I thought should have won that game," Nelsen said. "We gave a lot of guys a chance to prove themselves, and it looked a bit like they hadnt played together, sometimes it wasnt pretty. But they worked hard." Henry leapt to head home a corner from Daniel Lovitz in the 20th minute, a blistering shot from the top of the six-yard box that Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush had little chance of stopping. The goal was a positive -- finally -- for Henry, whos been mired in negatives lately. Most recently, in Torontos 2-2 draw at Sporting Kansas City, a foul by the Toronto defender inside the box cost the team a Kansas City penalty shot. "For Doneil, he showed his character," Nelsen said. "Obviously hes had a couple of tough ones that everybody likes to remind him of. Its the ability to get back on the horse and get back in the arena that I love about the kid." Mapp tied the game in the 70th, dribbling through Torontos back line and beating a lunging Steven Caldwell to fire a shot past keeper Joe Bendik. "Just collected it on the right side, started driving toward the top of the box. . . ultimately nobody put pressure on the ball and I found myself at the top of the 18 and just had a go. Snuck in," Mapp said. "Nice of him to say," he added, when told of Nelsens praise. "Just trying to stay consistent and do my job each week. Its been tough for us, just trying to play my part, and hopefully it continues." "Tough" is an understatement for a Montreal team that has been struggling mightily this MLS season, looking nothing like the squad that made the playoffs last season. Montreal sits dead last in the league with one win, six losses and four draws. Toronto FC is 4-4-1. But the Impact picked up their pace in the second half, and are in the drivers seat heading into Wednesdays game. "It was tough, (Toronto) had a little more bite (in the first half), winning all the second balls, the soccer really wasnt pretty from either team," Mapp said. "But its Toronto-Montreal Cup final and at halftime, we just said Look, leave it all out there, and good or bad, you just dont know when youll have this chance again." Klopas raged about the refereeing in his post-game news conference. "For me to come here again and complain with the referees. Two clear hand balls in the box, for me its embarrassing. Its embarrassing," he said. "It was a good game played by both teams. . . but me the referees, to be talking about two clear hand balls. . "If youre going to have a final, at least let the players decide, not the referees making calls like this. For me, its an embarrassment." Nelsen said he had little sympathy for the opposing coach. "Talk about bad calls, weve been on the back end of a few of them this season, so Im not going to feel too bad for Frank," Nelsen said. Toronto controlled possession for much of a game that saw few scoring chances by either side. Dwayne De Rosario, who is tied for the tournaments all-time lead in goals with four and won back-to-back tournament MVP honours (2009 and 10), almost put Toronto up by two goals in the 58th minute when he rung a hard shot off the crossbar from about 25 yards out, drawing groans from the crowd. DeRosario sat on the turf in disbelief at his bad luck. De Rosario had another great chance in the 70th, lobbing a high ball over the head of Bush, who was well out of his net. But Heath Pearce was there to head the ball off the goal-line. De Rosario would have a third chance in the 84th minute, when Toronto was awarded a free kick just outside the 18-yard box, but he fired it high of the net. Lovitz had perhaps the best opportunity in the first half, one-timing a rebound off a beautiful cross from Ashtone Morgan. But he launched it well over the top of the crossbar. Toronto, which is 7-1-3 all-time against the Impact in Canadian Championship action, defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps to make the final, while Montreal edged second-division side FC Edmonton to earn its spot. Kierrie Johnson Ottawa Redblacks Jersey . At this point, even he isnt sure when it is going to stop. The right-hander dropped his fourth straight decision in Los Angeles 6-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night, leaving his status very much in doubt as the Dodgers prepare for the stretch drive. Rob Bagg Jersey . - Vince Carter, heading into his 17th NBA season, doesnt consider age a big issue anymore. www.cflshopofficial.ca/Calgary-Stampeders.html . The club announced on Wednesday that Malhotra signed a 25-game professional tryout contract. The 33-year-old suffered a serious eye injury when struck by a puck during a game versus Colorado in March of 2011.ST. LOUIS -- Hiroki Kuroda snapped an 11-start road winless streak and Jacoby Ellsbury helped build an early lead with three hits and three RBIs his first three at-bats in the New York Yankees 7-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night. John Ryan Murphy added two RBIs for the Yankees, who took two of three without an appearance from Mark Teixeira, nursing a sore wrist, and wrapped up a 5-4 trip. Catcher Brian McCann made his first career start at first base in the finale. Shelby Miller (6-4) allowed a career-worst seven runs and nine hits in five innings for St. Louis. Kolten Wong had a career-best four hits and an RBI, Matt Carpenter doubled twice with an RBI and Yadier Molina had two hits and two walks, but the Cardinals stranded 13 runners. Derek Jeter didnt play in the finale but made a curtain call before the seventh inning after the scoreboard camera focused on him in the dugout and fans responded with another standing ovation. Kuroda (4-3) allowed three runs in 5 2-3 innings for his first road victory since last July 25 at Texas. He had been 0-7 since then, the longest drought of his career but is 1-1 away from Yankee Stadium this year. Miller had won five of his previous six starts but has lasted fewer than six innings seven times in his 11 starts. Frequently jumping on the first pitch, the Yankees pelted the 23-year-old right-hander for seven runs and seven hits. He walked two in the third andd fourth. Adarius Bowman Edmonton Eskimos Jersey. . Ellsbury had an RBI single in the third as five straight Yankees reached safely, and added a two-run single in the fourth. Murphy had a two-run single in the fourth. The Cardinals stranded two in the second and left the bases loaded in the third when Yadier Molina popped out to second. Kuroda has allowed just one extra-base hit with the bases loaded in 65 career plate appearances, limiting opponents to 14 hits in 57 at-bats with a double. St. Louis chipped away with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth and Wongs RBI single off David Robertson in the eighth cut the deficit to three. The first two Cardinals reached in the ninth before Robertson struck out the next three, including pinch-hitter Matt Adams, to earn his 12th save in 13 chances. NOTES: All three games were sellouts. Paid attendance of 45,267 in the finale was the Cardinals 13th in 24 home dates. ... Adams did not start at 1B due to calf tightness. ... The Yankees have a day off Thursday before beginning a seven-game homestand against the Twins, Mariners and As. Vidal Nuno (1-1, 5.49) starts Friday against Minnesotas Ricky Nolasco (2-5, 6.12). The Cardinals open a four-game series at home against the Giants Thursday, with Jaime Garcia (1-0, 4.26) opposing Ryan Vogelsong (3-2, 3.20). ... Matt Holliday singled in the third and has reached base safely in all 24 home games. ... The Yankees are 6-3 overall against St. Louis. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
|
