Login | Signup
yuanyuan

ole took a shot that was blocked and Desharnais w

Aug 30th 2012, 12:51 am
Posted by xieyuanyuan
2 Views
Few football fans knew much about Russia heading into the last European Championship, where the young squad turned into one of the teams of the tournament by reaching the semifinals. DeMarco Murray Jersey. Four years later, Russia is built around a nucleus of the same players, is again led by a Dutch coach, and will be looking to go a step further in Poland and Ukraine. Russia coach Dick Advocaat has fielded a largely unchanged lineup since the last European Championship, building trust and experience among players who almost all compete in Russias national league. "It will be to our big advantage as we read each other by just a glance," Russia forward Roman Shirokov said. The players also know the coach well since Advocaat led Zenit St. Petersburg to the UEFA Cup title in 2008, a run that underscored the potent threat of Russias national team on the eve of the last European Championship. Advocaat took over from Guus Hiddink after Russias failure to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, reuniting him with several stars from his time in St. Petersburg. "I already had worked (in Russia) and of course I knew the players well," Advocaat said. "I just built on a group of CSKA players and Zenit players." That lack of fundamental change has fueled criticism that the squad is getting too old, but playmaker Andrei Arshavin disagrees. "There are advantages because we understand each other well," Arshavin said in an interview with UEFA. "We know each other. Were used to each other." Arshavin, who is back at his boyhood club Zenit on loan from Arsenal, said he hoped for some young players to force their way into the squad "because no team can live without being renewed." It could come at the expense of midfielder Sergei Semak, who captained Russia at Euro 2008. "Advocaat hardly regards me as member of his team but I will do my best in the final matches of the Russian league season to prove that Im ready to play," Arshavin said. Russia plays in Group A against co-host Poland, the Czech Republic and Euro 2004 champion Greece. "The European Championship is a special event where all teams are highly motivated," Russia striker Alexander Kerzhakov said. "Definitely Poland, which is playing at home, will be the most difficult opponent, though the Czechs and Greece are also tough opponents." Russia has fond memories of playing Greece in the European Championship. It beat eventual tournament winner Greece in the group stage in 2004 and broke down the stubborn Greek defence in Salzburg four years ago for a 1-0 victory that kick-started Russias campaign after a demoralizing 4-1 loss to eventual champion Spain in its first match. Russia has never won an international tournament as an independent state. The Soviet Union team featuring goalkeeping great Lev Yashin won the first ever European Championship in 1960. -------- Associated Press writer Leonid Chizhov in Moscow contributed to this report. LeSean McCoy Jersey.J. - With the final seconds ticking off the clock in regulation, the New Jersey Devils stood on the bench and started congratulating one another. Brian Orakpo Jersey.Lazare, Que., rebounded from a shaky preliminary round to advance to the mens three-metre final at a FINA Grand Prix diving meet Friday. Drew Brees Jersey. The win on grass a week ahead of Wimbledon was just Clijsters second since returning from a three-month hip injury. She lost the opening set to Romina Oprandi on Sunday and struggled in the second before taking control of that match. LeSean McCoy Jersey. Police said no signs of foul play were found. Miami Beach police said the woman, whose name was not immediately released, went to Boshs home Monday and "appeared to be well and in good spirits" upon arrival. Jimmy Graham Jersey. Louis Cardinals activated Matt Holliday from the 15-day disabled list for their game against the Nationals on Thursday. SUNRISE, Fla. -- It was a special night for Stephen Weiss even before he scored twice. Weiss led the Florida Panthers to a 4-2 victory Sunday against the Montreal Canadiens after he was honoured for becoming the franchise leader in games played. Sean Bergenheim and Brian Campbell also scored for Florida and Scott Clemmensen made 18 saves. Weiss and Bergenheim each had assists and Mikael Samuelsson had a pair of assists. Weiss was honoured in a pregame ceremony for breaking on Thursday the Panthers record (614) for games played. His parents, Karl and Linda, and brother, Jeff, were in attendance. "Its awesome for them to be here. It means a lot to me and them," Weiss said. "Its nice to get that win and a couple goals for them." The Panthers improved to 3-0 against Montreal this season. David Desharnais and P.K. Subban scored goals for Montreal. Peter Budaj stopped 28 shots. The Canadiens have lost six of their past seven games and four straight. "This losing streak is not easy on anybody," Montreal coach Randy Cunneyworth said. "The one thing you have to do is have a little pride and you have to keep working hard." The Panthers scored twice in the first four minutes of the second to take a 3-2 lead. Florida opened the second on the power play. Bergenheim took a shot from low in the left circle that beat Budaj and made it 2-all. Weiss got his second goal when he grabbed a rebound in front and poked in the puck at 4:01 to give the Panthers a 3-2 lead. "It was nice to get a couple bounces," Weiss said. The Panthers overcame a two-goal deficit for the second consecutive night. The Panthers trailed Carolina 2-0 before winning 3-2 in a shootout Satturday night. Patrick Willis Jersey "We proved last night that we can come back and win it," Clemmensen said. "It is fresh in our minds and we were able to put it together again tonight. It was a big two points." Campbell scored on a slap shot from the high slot at 9:52 of the third to make the score 4-2. "They came at us in waves early. Give Montreal credit, they played an extremely hard game," Panthers coach Kevin Dineen said. "We had an answer for it tonight, which was nice." Trailing 2-0, the Panthers closed to 2-1 on Weisss first goal. Weiss took a pass from Keaton Ellerby in the slot, turned and wristed the puck past Budaj at 11:36 of the first. It was Weisss first goal in 12 games. "It was a big goal just to give us a little life, being down two," Weiss said. Montreal took a 1-0 lead 4:27 in, when Erik Cole took a shot that was blocked and Desharnais wristed the rebound past Clemmensen. The Canadiens stretched their lead to 2-0 on Subbans power-play goal with a two-man advantage. Subban took the puck in the left circle, moved it to the slot, and fired a shot that went over Clemmensens shoulder at 6:55. The Canadiens only took four shots in the second period. "Were getting chances, but we cant seem to get over the hurdle," Desharnais said. "It isnt for lack of effort, we just have to find a way to push through this. Its not a position we want to be in by any means. Were fighting ourselves mentally right now." NOTES: Florida LW Wojtek Wolski, acquired from the Rangers on Saturday, and RW Jerred Smithson, acquired from Nashville on Friday, both made their home ice debuts ... Budaj made his ninth appearance in goal for Montreal. ' ' '
Bookmark & Share: