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Apr 20 2014, 09:43 AM
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HAVANA, Cuba -- Stephen Hart expects the pitch at Havanas Estadio Pedro Marrero to be as tough an opponent as the Cuban side his team is facing. In fact, the head coach of the Canadian mens soccer team says the field will be the "biggest thing to overcome" for his players when they take on Cuba in World Cup qualifying Friday. "The heat, theres nothing you can do about that just like theres nothing you can do about the pitch," Hart said Thursday on a conference call. "You just have to be mentally strong, you have to adapt, you have to endure and overcome it." Hart described the grass at the multi-purpose Cuban stadium as "very thick, very heavy and very long" and unlikely to be trimmed before the afternoon match. "Its the traditional grass of the Caribbean. Nothing that we didnt expect," Hart said. "Every single country presents a different challenge in that respect." The two countries have only once appeared in the World Cup finals -- Canada in 1986 and Cuba in 1938. Canada comes into its first semifinal game with a string of victories over several Caribbean squads. It won 3-0 over Puerto Rico, 7-0 against St. Lucia and 4-0 versus St. Kitts and Nevis. Canada is also coming off a friendly against the U.S., the heavyweights in CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. They played to a 0-0 draw Sunday at BMO Field in Canadas only game with its full side this year. Despite the lack of scoring in the match, Hart isnt about to change his tactics. "You have to ask if throwing on more attackers is going to give you goals," said Hart. "I dont think throwing on a bunch of attackers will make a difference. In football, everything is about the balance." The match pits the two lowest-ranked teams in Group C against each other, so both sides see it as a chance to win. Panama and Honduras are also in the group. Cuba arrived directly at the semifinals without having to play in preliminary rounds. "Were playing at home against the team that seems to be the weakest in the group," said Cuban forward Alain Cervantes. "We have to take advantage and open with a victory if we want to reach what every football player dreams of." The 145th-ranked Cuba is at the bottom of the CONCACAFs Group C over the qualifiers. Canada is 77th in the FIFA rankings. Canada will be looking for strong performance from forward Dwayne De Rosario of MLS club DC United, defender Kevin McKenna and the 17-year-old newcomer Samuel Piette. Atiba Hutchinson, who is suffering from a knee injury, travelled to Cuba with the team but Hart wouldnt commit to using the midlfielder. "(Hutchinson) has looked good in training but match fitness is a big question mark," said Hart. He added that Fridays roster will show very little change from the team who played against the Americans. Cuba and Canada played four times before during the World Cup qualifying in 1998 and 2002. Canada has three wins and Cuba has none. One of their previous meetings ended in a draw. The four teams in Group C that includes Panama and Honduras play each other home and away during round-robin qualifying. cheap ray ban . The team goes home with just one bronze medal. Brandon McBride of Windsor, Ont., was the best individual Canuck on Sunday, placing sixth in the boys 400-metre final with a Canadian junior record time of one minute 46. ray ban sunglasses for sale . Ayala went 5-5 with a 2.64 ERA and a save in 66 relief appearances for Baltimore last season. The 34-year-old right-hander has a career 36-46 record with a 3.35 earned run average and 19 saves over 495 appearances between the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Florida Marlins, New York Yankees and Orioles. http://www.officialraybansunglassesoutlet.com/ . Toronto hopes that the left-hander can work past his issues this evening and secure a quick series victory over the struggling Baltimore Orioles. Romero has walked at least five batters in three of his past four outings and has issued 37 free passes in 65 1/3 innings this season. Ray Ban Aviators Sunglasses . The Spurs announced the move Friday without disclosing terms. The 6-foot Australian was signed by the Spurs on March 27. ray ban wayfarer sunglasses . Diving Canada Plongeon reiterated Friday that the two-time Olympic silver medallist has not suffered from any concussion-like symptoms, but will remain under doctor observation.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Brandon Inge made quite a first impression in his first home game with the Oakland Athletics. Inge hit a game-ending grand slam to cap a five-run ninth inning rally that led the As to a 7-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night. "Im so happy here right now," Inge said. "I fit in. Its a new start for me. I welcomed it. I know we have a young ballclub, but they can play. Im honoured to be a part of this ballclub and trying to help them win. Thats what feels the best." After being released by the Detroit Tigers on April 26 after hitting just .100 in his first nine games this season, Inge has quickly made an impact for the As. Josh Donaldson, Eric Sogard and Luke Hughes shared third base to start the season for Oakland and batted .111 with eight errors through the first 20 games. Inge has two homers and eight RBIs in his past two games for an As team that has matched a season high with three straight wins. "Hes just a gamer," said shortstop Cliff Pennington, who hit a game-tying single in the ninth. "Hes a guy it doesnt matter what hes done all game long. In that situation, thats who you want up. What he brings to the table defensively is something else." The Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the ninth off Grant Balfour (1-1) when Eric Thames hit a leadoff triple and scored on Kelly Johnsons two-out single before the As rallied to win it in the bottom half. Michael Taylor, who struck out his first three at-bats, hit an opposite-field fly that landed just inside the right-field line for a leadoff double off Francisco Cordero (1-2) and went to third on Jemile Weeks sacrifice. Pennington followed with an RBI single to right field to tie the game. Pennington stole second and Cordero intentionally walked Josh Reddick. After a passed ball advanced the runners, Cordero intentionally walked Jonny Gomes and the Blue Jays brought in a fifth infielder. Inge then ended it with a drive into the left-field seats. It was his seventh career game-ending homer and the first game-ending slam for Oakland since Mark Ellis did it June 8, 2008, against the Angels. "I was trying to get it in the outfield. Thats all I was trying to do at that point," Inge said. "They loaded the infield with infielders and were tryying to get me to hit it on the ground.dddddddddddd." Inge had been was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and hit into one double play before delivering the biggest blow of the night. It was another rough night for Cordero, who has blown three saves in his past four appearances. "You can say its been frustrating," Cordero said. "You got a team that keeps battling back, comes back and take the lead and gave me the ball in the ninth inning and I just blew it again. Its my third blown save in a row. I have to pitch better or Im going to find myself either out of that situation or maybe out of the team. I have to do my job. It doesnt matter how but I have to do it or Im not going to have a job at all." Manager John Farrell said it was too soon after the game to consider changing closers, but said Cordero needs to do a better job putting hitters away. "The three outs in the ninth are pretty tough for us right now," he said. The As returned from a successful 5-4 East Coast road trip to a dose of bad news. Opening day starter Brandon McCarthy had to be skipped in the rotation because of a sore right shoulder and then cleanup hitter Yoenis Cespedes was scratched about an hour before the game after injuring the back of his left hand in batting practice. Cespedes will have an X-ray and MRI on Wednesday. The teams traded two-run homers in the first five innings with Johnson connecting with his seventh of the season in the second for Toronto off Jarrod Parker and Reddick answering with his team-leading sixth in the fifth inning for Oakland against Ricky Romero. NOTES: Romero allowed two runs, five hits and five walks with seven strikeouts in six innings. ... Six of Johnsons seven homers have either tied the game or given Toronto the lead. ... As reliever Ryan Cook pitched a perfect eighth and has allowed only three hits with 15 strikeouts in 15 2-3 scoreless innings this season. ... McCarthy was pushed back to Saturday against Detroit after complaining of a sore shoulder after Sundays bullpen session. He will throw a bullpen session Thursday to see if he will make his next start. ... The series finale Wednesday features a matchup of former college teammates at California when Tyson Ross takes the mound for Oakland against Torontos Brandon Morrow. The two were teammates at Cal in 2006. ' ' '
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