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one Well before that is reason why
Topic Started: Dec 3 2012, 09:21 AM (14 Views)
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Group C takes the spotlight today and one side has a chance to grab a spot in the next round but its not Italy or Spain. Roddy White Jersey . TSNs coverage of Euro 2012 begins at 11:30am et/8:30am pt with Italy vs. Croatia followed by Spain vs. Ireland at 2:15pm et/11:15am pt. Watch both matches live on TSN, TSN.ca pay-per-view and TSN Mobile TV or listen to the matches live on Bell Media Radio. Croatia, the only Group C team to win their opening game, will try to clinch a spot in the knockout phase when they face Italy, who is coming in off a spirited draw with Spain. It only took three minutes into their first match against Ireland for Croatia to jump into the lead when Mario Mandzukic looped a header past a diving Shay Given, Irelands first choice keeper. With the score tied just before the half-time, Croatia would go ahead to stay on a controversial marker. Nikica Jelavic slotted home a botched clearance by Irish defender Stephen Ward, after Luka Modrics effort from outside the penalty area was blocked. Jelavic was in a non-interfering offside position when the initial shot came in from Modric and, in the referees opinion, was played onside by the Ward clearance, allowing him to legally score the go-ahead goal. Mandzukic added a third Croatian marker, his second of the game, in the 48th minute after his header from Ivan Perisics cross bounced off the post and into the net off Givens head. Croatia nearly made it 4-1 in the 77th minute when Ivan Rakitics shot curled just wide of Givens right hand post, but would have to settle for the two-goal victory. Following the victory, Croatian head coach Slaven Bilic had high praise for his offensive attack. "If you dont have a striker who can score a goal, you have absolutely no chance to win the game," said Bilic. "Its the same in the Premier League, Croatian League, Thailand League, or anywhere." Bilic also reinforced his defence by playing captain Darijo Srna at right back instead of midfield, and moving Vedran Corluka across to centre back. Standing between Croatia and a perfect start to the tournament is Italy, who earned a hard fought draw with defending World Cup and European Champion Spain in their opener. Italy held the advantage in their first contest after second-half substitue Antonio Di Natale put them in front, courtesy an excellent setup from Andrea Pirlo in the 61st minute. Di Natale replaced striker Mario Balotelli, whos aggressiveness drew the attention of Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai, first with a verbal warning after the Italy forward collided with Gerard Pique, then with a yellow card for a foul on Jordi Alba in the 37th. Balotellis had a glorious chance to open the scoring when he forced a turnover and dribbled in all alone on goal but waited too long to shoot and was stripped of the ball by Sergio Ramos. Spain was able to equalize three minutes after Italy took the lead in the game and both teams were forced to settle for one point each. Italian coach Cesare Prandelli was not pleased with his team giving up the Spanish goal so soon after taking the lead. "The thing that really disappoints us is that we allowed them to equalize very quickly," said Prandelli. "We were playing the world champions and we should have made them work harder to get back into the game. We gave Spain the chance to score goals. We need to improve, but thats our mentality." Meanwhile, defending champion Spain will lock up with a desperate Ireland team that will be searching for their first points of the tournament. Spain would also be looking for their first points if Cesc Fabregas had not found the equalizer against Italy, finishing off a trademark beautiful Spanish passing play. The draw ended a 14-match winning streak for Spain in competitive matches, which began after a 1-0 loss to Switzerland to open the last World Cup. Spain had a surprise in store for their opponents in the opener by starting with no recognized strikers in its lineup, with Fabregas at forward between David Silva and Andres Iniesta, leaving Fernando Torres, Alvaro Negredo and Fernando Llorente on the bench. Torres eventually replaced Fabregas in the 74th minute and nearly scored a minute later but was somehow stripped by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon near the edge of the area. Torres missed another clear opportunity in the 85th minute when he chipped a lob shot over the charging Buffon that did not find its mark. Ireland always looked to be in tough in Group C and now will need a positive second game result against Spain after they were soundly beaten by Croatia in their opener. Ireland, which is playing at a major tournament for the first time in 10 years, had one bright moment during their 3-1 defeat when, in the 19th minute, Sean St. Ledger headed in Aiden McGeadys free kick from the left. Ireland was not pleased by the referees decision on Croatias second goal, believing that the scorer was never onside and legal to score the goal. "The second goal was clearly offside," said Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni. Unfortunately, they would never get back into the contest and would concede a third goal before the final whistle. The three goals were as many as Ireland had conceded in its previous 14 games. "It was unlike us to concede the goals we conceded today," said St. Ledger. "Croatia didnt split us open. From our point of view, they were disappointing goals to concede." Matt Bosher Jersey . The Dartmouth, N.S., native defeated Mexicos Oscar MolinaCasillas on Sunday by the score of 12-8. It was a close fight early, with the score 1-1 after theopening frame, but Clayton pulled away in the later rounds to advance to themens 69kg round of 16. Deion Sanders Falcons Jersey . A brief statement from World Wrestling Entertainment says the 62-year-old Lawler will be heading home in the next several days. He collapsed at the announcers table at a WWE event at Montreals Bell Centre last Monday night, after suffering a mild heart attack. http://www.atlantafalconsfansprostore.com/sean-weatherspoon-jerseys . However, once again, the bullpen just couldnt finish the job. Fortunately, he had Mike Coles and Amos Ramon on his side. Michael Turner Womens Jersey .C. - The Toronto Marlies relied on three of their biggest names for a win on Saturday night. Tony Gonzalez Jersey .25 million club option for Scott Feldman and a $1.A little over 12 months ago an emotionally bruised and football battered Womens National Team were in the elementary stages of coming to terms with a World Cup campaign that was a disaster both on and off the pitch. The historians will record the seeds of doubt were sown four months before that opening 2-1 reversal on June 26th at the hands of the hosts and the then World Champion Germans with a very public feud between the governing body and a team that as a bargaining tool announced a willingness back in early February 2011 to go on strike in support of their beleaguered coach Carolina Morace. "We can compete now with the worlds best. And its something we havent been able to do in the past. And now to have this coach threaten to leave, we cant let her just go. We have a shot at something great," was what captain Christine Sinclair told the Canadian Press back then. We all know now that shot at greatness completely misfired. Four days after slumping off the pitch in Dresden following the reversal at the hands of Nigeria in their final group match Sinclair was back stateside scoring for her club side the Western New York Flash in a WPS fixture. Exactly a year removed just this past Monday, Sinclair was scoring the winner, a record breaking 135th international goal, against Columbia during a tune up in Switzerland for the London Olympics. On the eve of tomorrows penultimate fixture before July 25ths Olympic opener against Japan, the current World Champions Sinclair closed the book on Deutschand 2011 when telling TSN.ca there was little relevance between what happened then and what London holds. "I honestly dont think that much. Weve got a new coach, a new team and its a new tournament. It was an experience we dont want to go through again. As a team we have moved on" With a mere six sleeps left before the team touches down in London, Sinclair is of the firm belief the team are chomping at the bit to put the adversities of Germany to their advantage as the team continue their progress back to full football recovery under the quite excellent John Herdman. The young Englishman recruited by the CSA in the wake of the Morace World Cup fiasco. "I actually think we feel less pressure because of last year. I think heading into the World Cup wed been doing so well and people you know ourselves included expected us to do some great things. Bit this time round the expectations from the outside are less and as a team we fell less pressure". Sinclair completely dismisses out of hand any additional pressure she may feel that comes with being one of the greatest womens players to ever lace them up. "I dont really feel the pressure, I just go out and play. Obviously the Olympics are a big deal, the world cup is a big deal but I just go out and try to play like it was any other game. I think if you get caught in a thought oh my God its the Olympics, this is the World Cup I dont know I think Id go crazy" Canadas rivals in the group stage at the Olympics draw eerie comparisons to last years World Cup group of death opponents - none more so when it gets underway than with their opening tilt with the World Champions. This time though, Canada wont have the additional burden of having to play Japan in their own back yard. "Just the fact weve experienced it before you know. This game against Japan is going to be a little bit different. Its not going to be played in Japan. I think the crowd will be there to watch a good football match, not necessarily just to cheer for Japan," was Sinclairs take. "We know that, like we did against Germany, if we perform well we can compete with the best teams in the world and obviously Japan being one of them. Its not going to be new to us weve played huge opening games in tournaments before" Canadas group stage schedule demands three matches within a week, mercifully with little travel required and is one Sinclairs squad wholeheartedly accepts as part of their Olympic journey. "Obviously its one we willingly accept, we cant change it but ideally you play eveery four or five days in soccer thats the way its done in most leagues around the world. Roddy White Womens Jersey. But at the same time its a tournament and same thing what the men do in EUROs and things like that." Ahead of meeting up with the squad to fly to their current Swiss base Sinclair was thoroughly captured by events in Poland – Ukraine. No surprises it was a fellow goal scorer of epic proportions that the Burnaby native focused her attention on. "Im going to get killed now Im a huge Fernando Torres fan. He sits on the bench and wins the Golden Boot you cant argue with that" One of Canadian sports most inspirational captains is not only at the top of her game and one of the few players in world football that puts considerable bums on seats – on the basis of her response to the question if she preferred a World Cup over an Olympic Games a career in the diplomatic ranks awaits. "Theyre both unique and both so special. The world cup is obviously for soccer its the biggest tournament but for the Olympics are a completely different beast." "There is something very special about representing your country at the Olympics. Just to be there with all your fellow athletes no matter what sport they are participating in and been able to cheer for them and celebrate their successes you dont get that opportunity very often" Prior to the Olympics comes two final warm up matches beginning with New Zealand tomorrow. A country with an identity similar to Canadas and the nation Herdman took to last summers World Cup. Its an encounter Canada is relishing. "New Zealand is an up and coming team. I think its going to be an interesting game. The history and the connection between the 2 teams I think the game will mean a lot more to John because as players we are obviously using the game as a preparation game for the Olympics. Hopefully we can make our coach proud and beat them" Canadas final match before flying to London July 18th is against Brazil next Tuesday. When the squad arrives in London Herdman has given the girls a 48-hour grace period that will allow them to absorb one of the worlds greatest cities ahead of the immensity that awaits. "Besides the orientation we have to do and kit pick up we have to do to get our Canada stuff I believe Johns actually sort of letting us explore so a few of us are planning some tourist activities" Herdman celebrates a 37th birthday the day after their London arrival. One wonders what London tourist activities Sinclair has planned on July 19th for a coach thats truly put immense belief back into a squad that was so psychologically demoralized when he took charge last fall. Throughout the course of our conversation its clearly evident Sinclair is an individual who is entirely at ease – jovial her middle name. Although her career has taken her away from her BC roots for extended periods theres no escaping the Burnaby light that shines so brightly for her. Looking to better Beijings quarter-final finish will come with the added incentive of a family and friends reunion. "A few of them have joked that if were in the medals theyll fly over for that but I dont know about that one Well before that is reason why so much effort was put into Januarys quite exceptional Olympic qualifiers staged back home in Vancouver, the London Olympics themselves. Over 10,000 athletes from around the globe competing in 39 different sporting disciplines with the football tournament for our Womens National Team beginning in Coventry 48-hours ahead of the formal ceremonies opening the London Olympics exactly two weeks today. Canadas encounter with Japan is likely a match Sinclair has been waiting for since Dresden last summer but its not one that shes yet imagining in her exceptional football mind. "I dont even know, I havent even really thought about it in terms of that. This team has been all about the preparation and the processing of getting to that game." "I think once we arrive into England Ill start thinking about that game." ' ' '
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