TORONTO -- Down 3-1 to lowly Toronto FC after 45 minutes, the Montreal Impact were clearly chomping at the bit for the second half to begin.
Cheap Shirts Free Shipping . The Impact starters lined the BMO Field sideline, as if they couldnt wait to get back on the pitch. Instead they contented themselves with a few drills while halftime contestants dressed as submarine sandwiches waddled off the pitch. As the Toronto players trotted out from the tunnel, the Eastern Conference-leading Impact were sprinting into position. And the Montreal fightback officially began. Hassoun Camara and Marco Di Vaio scored one minute apart in the second half to lift the Impact to a 3-3 draw with Toronto in MLS play before a sellout crowd of 21,700 Wednesday night. "Obviously I wasnt happy at halftime," said acting Montreal coach Mauro Biello. "We were very timid ... They were winning second balls and being more aggressive than we were. And I said We could get one back and were going to be back in the game. "Credit to the guys. They came back out, they came strong. We were able to get that second goal and we saw the momentum turning. And we were able to get the third." Camara pulled Montreal (9-4-3) to within one after defenders Steven Caldwell and Ryan Richter failed to deal with a high ball. Camara pounced on it and banged it in past Joe Bendik in the 69th minute. Di Vaio, with his 11th goal of the season, tied it up a minute later after a Richter clearing pass ended up on Felipes boot. The Brazilian midfielder slipped the ball into Di Vaio who made no mistake from in close. "Theres still a lot of things we need to work on," said Biello, filling in for the suspended Marco Schallibaum. That includes shoring up a defence that has given up seven goals in the last two games. Star defenders Alessandro Nesta and Matteo Ferrari were on the back foot for most of the night, with little help from the midfield. The Impact should be happy they lead the league in offence with 30 goals in 16 games. Because they need those goals, having given up 24 at the other end. "Theres obviously a little bit of concern, theres no doubt," said Biello. "Normally youre not going to win games (giving up) three goals on the road. Its obviously a concern and it needs to be fixed. Were working hard every day. Were watching video on what we could do better. Everything is a learning progress. For us, were happy we took the points but yes, definitely we need to do a better job defensively." While Biello took solace from his teams character in rallying for the tie, Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen was left to ponder a great opening hour that went south quickly. "They punished naive mistakes by us," Nelsen said of Montreal. "But I have to look at it as a (glass) half-full game for 60, 70 minutes. Am I happy? No. No ones happy, of course, when you play that well for 70 minutes and give it up. "But in saying that, Montreals a very good team. Theyve done that to a lot of teams this season. They get a chance and they take it." Up until the 69th minute, Toronto (2-8-7) seemed to be in cruise control after Jeremy Brockie, Caldwell and Darren ODea opened their MLS scoring accounts in the first half. Toronto seemed en route to posting its first league win at BMO Field in almost a year. "We had them on their knees and we should have finished them off," said ODea. But the home side deflated quickly after Montreal -- which stands 17 points ahead of Toronto in the standings -- struck back in the second half. Suddenly the visitors seemed faster, with fresher legs. "Its tough to take but its sometimes a little bit easier to take when you know youve played well," said ODea. "And weve let a lot of teams off the hook. But slowly and surely it will come." Brockie had a chance to give Toronto the win in the 89th minute but his long-range shot hit the post and deflected wide. And Montreal came close in stoppage time when a Caldwell header back to the keeper almost found an Impact attacker. While praising Montreal, Nelsen slyly got in a few digs. He said he liked his young talent, because it would be around longer than the veteran Impact. And he accurately surmised that the Impact go down at the touch of a feather. Toronto could well have been awarded a first-half penalty when Nesta tugged Luis Silvas arm like he was ringing a bell as the TFC forward raced into the box. "Probably the kids too honest," said ODea. "I could guarantee 100 per cent that they would have fallen down, as you saw every time they got touched today." Toronto has been anything but an offensive juggernaut this season. But it profited from an opportunistic attack, some good running off the ball and poor Montreal defending to take its 3-1 lead. The Impact seemed to be moving backwards for much of the game. Toronto flank players were often seen waving their hands frantically for the ball as the Montreal defence left huge gaps. Nelsens team had scored just 14 goals in the previous 16 games. But as the first half came to a close, Toronto was up 3-1 and stroking the ball the field around with considerable flair. Torontos last league victory at its lakefront home was July 18, 2012 -- a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids. The team did defeat Sporting Kansas City in Toronto in the second game of this season but that was at Rogers Centre. Some fans may have missed the four goals in the first 24 minutes due to major local traffic issues resulting from a major accident nearby Montreal scored 23 seconds in after left back ODea failed to deal with a looping ball from Brazilian midfielder Felipe. Argentinas Andres Romero then beat an onrushing Bendik and calmly slotted the ball past centre back Gale Agbossoumonde. "Pretty horrendous," was Nelsens assessment of ODeas defending on the play although he also said the mistake was characteristic of the Toronto skipper. Canadian Dwayne De Rosario holds the league record for fastest goal, after just 11 seconds, for San Jose against Dallas in 2003. Toronto replied in the sixth minute when Bobby Convey found Brockie in the box, perhaps fortuitously with what looked to be a scuffed shot. Brockie deftly moved the ball from his right foot to his left and roofed a shot past Troy Perkins for his first MLS goal. Brockie set up the next goal, firing in a 21st-minute cross that an unmarked Caldwell headed in. ODea earned some personal vindication three minutes later, working a nice one-two with Silva before banging a left-footed shot in. Toronto outshot Montreal 18-16 (7-5 in shots on target). The home side also pushed the visitors around for much of the game, earning three of the four yellow cards on the night. The game marked the midway point of Torontos season. TFC was 2-11-4 at the same point last year, having started the 2012 season with a league-record nine-game losing streak. With four players on international duty with the Canadian squad and Robert Earnshaw and Richard Eckersley injured, Nelsen was short of options on the bench. He had to dress striker Andrew Wiedeman, despite having an MCL injury. "Were down to bare bones," Nelsen said. Reinforcements are on the way, the coach promised, with forward one area where Toronto is looking for a new recruit. Toronto has brought in 20 new faces since the end of last season. But some have been stopgap measures. Quality is still lacking. "Were a few players way from being a very very very good team," said Nelsen.
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http://www.cheapshirtsfromchina.com/ . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bays Dirk Koetter wants no part of a discussion about playoff prospects or aspirations.The Buccaneers (5-5) have won two straight to climb back into contention for what would be their first berth in nearly a decade. However, the coach says his team cant afford to think about anything other than whats staring them in the face right now. And, thats a matchup against the first-place Seattle Seahawks (7-2-1).Koetter bristled when he was asked if he detected a playoff intensity from the Bucs in practice this week.I want to feel a Seattle Seahawk-type of intensity because its going to take the most intensity weve got to be with Seattle on Sunday, the first-year coach said. Thats all that really matters right now.Jameis Winston also shrugged off questions about the playoff race .Weve got to get a `W before we even talk about a `P, the second-year quarterback said, mindful that the Bucs were in a similar position a year ago, when they started 6-6 only to lose their final four games.Winston had one of the best performances of his career in last weeks confidence-bolstering 19-17 road win at Kansas City. The Seahawks have won three straight, including beating New England on the road, but figure to be far from full strength health-wise.Nine players on Seattles injury report, including safety Earl Thomas and cornerback DeShawn Shead , missed at least two days of practice in preparation for the Bucs.Russell Wilson wasnt one of them, though. Hes played through a string of injuries and has been one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league during the Seahawks winning streak with 902 passing yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions in victories over the Bills, Patriots and Eagles the past three weeks.Theres been some significant injuries to a lot of the guys, and weve been able to overcome those situations and those injuries and still find ways to win, still find ways to play in the game and play at a high level, Wilson said, adding the focus in on doing whatever it takes to win and continue to play great football.Some things to know heading into the 13th meeting between franchises that entered the NFL as expansion mates in 1976:THANKS, RUSSELL: Winston and Wilson had a long conversation at last seasons Pro Bowl, and Tampa Bays young quuarterback came away impressed with his Seattle counterpart and Minnesotas Teddy Bridgewater.
Cheap Shirts For Sale. Russell is a true professional, and he does his job the right way. I learned so much from him as far as what to eat, what a Pro Bowl quarterback should be like, Winston said.DEPLETED DEFENSE: The Seahawks will be without defensive end Michael Bennett for the fifth straight game, unable to get him back from minor knee surgery in time to face his former team. Losses in the secondary likely will be more impactful. The Seahawks are expected to be without Thomas and Shead. Both suffered hamstring injuries in last weeks win over Philadelphia. If Thomas doesnt play, it will be the first game hes missed in his career, snapping a streak of 106 consecutive starts. Steven Terrell likely would fill in for Thomas at free safety, while the combo of Neiko Thorpe and Jeremy Lane would take Sheads role opposite Richard Sherman.BACK ON TRACK: Tampa Bay rookie PK Roberto Aguayo has rebounded from a shaky start to his pro career to begin show why the Bucs drafted him in the second round. Since misfiring on four of his first eight field goal tries, Aguayo has made nine of his last 10, including going 4-for-4 in last weeks win at Kansas City. This is what I do best. Ive done it for a long time. Sometimes youve got to realize that, Aguayo said. With the transition into the NFL, you try not to put an excuse on anything. Youve just got to get through it. People can say, `Was it this? Was it that? At the end of the day, youve got to grind through it.FOLLOW ME: Dont be surprised to see Mike Evans added to the list of wide receivers shadowed by Sherman. With the injuries in Seattles secondary and how often Winston looks toward Evans, it makes sense for the Seahawks to put Sherman on Evans. Already this season, Sherman has followed the likes of Brandon Marshall, Julio Jones and Jordan Matthews for long stretches. It gets you more action, Sherman said. You get more targets. You get a chance to be more involved in the game. You get a chance to get into a rhythm.---For more NFL coverage:
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