Bewerbungen » times and Dos Santos said he expects

OTTAWA -- Call it the best-case scenario for the Ottawa Fury FC. The young franchise played to a 0-0 draw Wednesday night against FC Edmonton at Keith Harris Stadium in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship. Considering this was just the third game in franchise history for the Fury, head coach Marc Dos Santos was pleased with the draw. "This is four times 45 minutes and now were at halftime of the game," said Dos Santos of the series. "If you asked me what would be the best score after leg one I would tell you I want to win 5-0. But the reality is, if you do tie, at least tie 0-0 at home." The two teams, who compete in the North American Soccer League, will meet next Wednesday in Edmonton for the final game of the home-and-home series. The winner, the team that scores the greater aggregate of goals over the two matches, will secure the fourth semi-final place and join the three Canadian MLS clubs, Montreal Impact, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps in the next round. Should the two teams end in a draw next week the Fury would earn the tiebreaker as visiting goals are more valuable. However, if next weeks game is scoreless the two would play extra time and then go to penalty kicks to determine a winner. "We control our own destiny now," said Edmontons Ritchie Jones. "Were pretty good at home and teams usually dont like to play us at home." The Fury gave Edmonton all it could handle and while he gave full marks to Ottawa for its performance, Edmonton head coach Colin Miller believes his team should win next week. "With the greatest respect to Ottawa we are the favourites," said Miller. "Were a five year franchise now and theyre a new franchise. Were at home and were very difficult to beat at home. I think if we play the way were playing now I think well be a match for anyone in the NESL. Its in our hands." Both teams had good chances in the early going of the second half, but both goalkeepers seemed up to the challenge. Ottawa keeper Devala Gorrick made the save of the night in injury time on Sadi Jalali as Edmonton broke through for a wide-open chance. "Thats one of those shots I train for everyday," said Gorrick. "Luckily I stayed focused because it was cold and I didnt have to do throughout the second half, but I saw the balls and then things slowed down for me and my training kicked in and I was able to stay big and get a body behind it." Minutes earlier, Edmonton failed to take advantage of a direct kick as Richie Ryan made a great defensive play to block the kick. "It was important for us to keep a clean sheet," said Ryan. "It was more for confidence as were confident that we can go and score next week in Edmonton." Ritchie Jones had a good chance at the 51st minute, but Gorrick made an easy save to keep the game scoreless. Mason Trafford had the crowd on its feet as he made an acrobatic kick from in close, but John Smits stretched out for the save. The game got physical at times and Dos Santos said he expects much the same next week in Edmonton. "Its going to be a war," said the Ottawa coach. "I dont think well be welcome there." While Miller felt the game was physical, he by no means thought it was ugly. He says his team prides itself on playing a hard-nosed style. "I didnt think it was over the top physical," said Miller. "I thought it was two teams committed to winning the game. Its the heat of the moment and theres an awful lot to play for the clubs." The game remained scoreless after the first half. The Fury, playing without four of its starters due to injury, had the better chances early in the half, but failed to beat Smits. Ottawas Philippe Davies nearly scored off a header at the seventh minute, but Smits was able to get a hand on it and tip it wide. Davies once again had a great chance at the 26th-minute mark, but watched in disappointment as his shot went just over the crossbar. "The first 25 minutes we came in very well and created opportunities, but for the last 15 minutes of the first half Edmonton was better," Dos Santos said. "In the second half we had a lot of problems in the beginning, especially in the first 25 minutes. After that we began to grow and it became an open game. We created situations, they created situations and our goalkeeper made a fantastic save at the end and it would have been unfair if Edmonton would have scored." Cool temperatures and a brisk wind seemed to have little effect on the play or the crowd of 2,411 who were boisterous in their support of the home team. Edmonton grew stronger as the game went on and had a number of good chances late in the opening half, but Gorrick was solid for the Fury. "This was by far the best game weve played," said Gorrick. "We showed a lot of composure, especially in the first half, and overall I think were getting better." The Amway, which features the countrys five professional clubs, is moving into its seventh edition, with the winner representing Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League. Notes: The Fury were without Tom Heinemann (high ankle sprain, 4-6 weeks), Nicki Paterson (knee, day-to-day), Sinisa Ubiparipovic (knee, day-to-day), Omar Jarun (eye, day-to-day). Edmonton lost D Lance Laing midway through the second half and isnt expected to play next week at this point. Custom New England Patriots Jerseys .com) - Joe Pavelski scored twice to lead the San Jose Sharks in a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers to split a home-and-home set. New England Patriots Jerseys . -- Adam Tambellini scored three times and set up one more as the Calgary Hitmen won their sixth in a row by crushing the host Lethbridge Hurricanes 8-1 on Saturday in Western Hockey League play. http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/E...atriots-Jersey/. The Red Wings hadnt played the night before. The Boston Bruins had. A month from now, or two months from now, it doesnt matter. But right now it does matter, when you start and you play back to back, its wear and tear on you for sure, Babcock said. Irving Fryar Jersey . Not that Durant cared. The only streak he cares about is still intact. John Hannah Jersey . Sections of the British media reported Friday that Brooklyn Beckham, the son of United great David, was invited to a training session at the club on Thursday.TORONTO -- Kyle Lowry sat at his locker nursing a headache in the moments after the Toronto Raptors loss on Sunday, the product of a misplaced knee. The Raptors were thoroughly dismantled by a speedy Phoenix Suns team in a 121-113 loss, but Lowry and coach Dwane Casey insisted there would be no lingering pain after a rare defeat at home. "Its not a systemic problem, its one game, we knew we werent going to go undefeated the rest of the way," Casey said. "That team right there, theyre fighting for their playoff lives like we are, and theyre a quality team in the west. "Its not like its the end of the world." Lowry scored 19 of his 28 points in the third quarter against the run-and-gun Suns, but his standout effort wasnt enough as the Raptors (37-28) lost at the Air Canada Centre for just the fifth time in the last 16 games. There were some scary moments with about a minute-and-a-half to go when Lowry went down in a scramble for a loose ball, and was ploughed in the head by first one of PJ Tuckers knees and then the other. "Ive got a headache. . . These (TV camera) lights are killing me right now," Lowry said, shrugging off any suggestion of a concussion. "PJs not a dirty guy, Ive known him for a while. He even apologized after the game. . . . Hes a strong dude, so it hurt." Terrence Ross finished with 22 points while Amir Johnson had 20, DeMar DeRozan finished with 17, and Jonas Valanciunas chipped in with 15. Gerald Green scored 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter to top the Suns (38-27), while Goran Dragic added 19, and Markieff Morris had 16 point and grabbed 14 rebounds. The Raptors had been red-hot the past several weeks, positioning themselves for their first playoff appearance in six seasons. Theyd gone an Eastern Conference-best 11-3 since Feb. 10 heading into Sundays game and sat first place in the Atlantic Division. But the hungry Suns also have the playoffs in their sights. They went into Sunday trailing Memphis by a game-and-a-half for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. "Thats a helluva team right there," DeRozan said. "(We can) just learn from it. We battled, a lot of stuff didnt go our way. . . It was just a tough night overall. The Suns outran the Raptors all afternoon, and led by as much as 14 points before taking a 96-90 advantage into the fourth in front of a crowd of 18,717 energetic fans at the Air Canada Centre. The visitors pulled ahead by 15 a couple of times in the final 12 minutes before a basket and free throw by Lowry made it a seven-point deficit witth 4:08 to play.dddddddddddd But on the Suns next trip down the floor, Morris grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to put the game virtually out of reach. "Theyre up and down," Lowry said. "They got out. . . 121 (points), thats their type of game. We dont want to have a type of game like that, we want to hold teams under 100, under 90 preferably." Rebounding proved problematic for the Raptors all afternoon, with Suns owning a whopping 45-26 advantage on the boards. "Again, no time to panic," Casey said. "I dont think were going to see that type of speed and quickness -- at least I hope not -- the rest of the way." The Raptors frustration showed at times. Casey was slapped with a technical for arguing a call, then DeRozan collected a tech when he kicked the ball in anger. "It was just tough when youre going out there playing hard and sometimes you dont get a call that youre fighting or dying for and that we may need at a critical time," DeRozan said. Both teams shot well, the Suns going 50.7 per cent from the field to Torontos 49.4. There was plenty of energy from both teams in a first-quarter shootout. The Raptors and Suns combined for 10-for-14 from three-point range. The Raptors led by as much as nine, but Marcus Morris drained two consecutive threes to put the Suns up 37-35 going into the second. "The guys seemed really focused tonight," said Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek. "They came out right from the start, they had the energy. Maybe it was the one oclock game that were not used to playing; they thought it was a great opportunity. I thought were on ESPN or something." The Raptors went 0-for-8 to open the second quarter until a John Salmons pull-up jumper more than five minutes in. The Raptors ended the quarter with a 10-2 run and when Ross drained a three, and pumped one fist in the air, it pulled Toronto to within two points. The Suns led 61-59 at halftime. The Raptors fell behind by 14 points with just under six minutes to play in the third, when Lowry almost single-handedly got them back in the game. He scored 10 points in the final 3:38 of the quarter and the Raptors went into the fourth trailing 96-90. NOTES: Raptors forward Patrick Patterson missed his fifth game with an elbow injury. Casey said he will be evaluated again Monday. . . The Raptors are on the road for two games -- Tuesday at Atlanta and Wednesday at New Orleans -- before returning home to host Oklahoma City next Friday . . . The Raptors had won three in a row against the Suns before a 106-97 loss in Phoenix on Dec. 6. ' ' '