The London Olympics just got a little more special for John Herdman.

The London Olympics just got a little more special for John Herdman. Nike Free 5.0. More than 30 years after Herdmans lifelong love affair with soccer began at St. James Park, he will lead Canadas womens soccer team onto the same storied pitch in his native Newcastle. The Canadians will battle Sweden in the third and final game of the preliminary round at Newcastle Uniteds stadium -- now officially called Sports Direct Arena -- in what could be their key game of the Olympic womens soccer tournament. Its a park the 36-year-old Herdman knows well. "I stood on Gallowgate End (the stadiums southern stand) with my dad when I was five years old," Herdman said. "This is an amazing opportunity, a dream come true, local lad leads his team out at the ground he went to as a kid to watch his favourite team. "I watched from the stand, always dreamed of leading a team out there one day. . . Brilliant." The No. 7-ranked Canadians were drawn into Group F with World Cup winner and No. 3-ranked Japan, fifth-ranked Sweden, and South Africa (65) on Tuesday, a group Herdman said "could have been worse, could have been better." Their toughest test will come two days before the Games even open. Canada faces Japan on July 25 at Coventrys Ricoh Arena, two days before the opening ceremonies. "Theyre in a bit of a league of their own at the minute, quite the special team, theyre playing a style of football that Im sure has taken womens football to another level," Herdman said of Japan. The Canadians take on South Africa on July 28 in Coventry, then wrap up the preliminary round versus the Swedes on July 31. Reigning Olympic champion United States was drawn into Group G -- what Herdman believes is the "group of death" -- with France, Colombia and North Korea. The 2012 host team was drawn in Group E to face New Zealand as well as Cameroon and Brazil. The top two teams from each group plus two of the three third-place teams advance to the quarter-finals. Herdman, who attended Tuesdays draw at Wembley Stadium, has had some success against Japan. His New Zealand womens team played the Japanese to a 1-1 draw until the 65th minute in the opening round of last summers World Cup. Japan scored on a free kick to beat the Kiwis 2-1, en route to winning the Cup. "The biggest thing against a team like Japan is you have to impose yourself physically, you have to press them, its about having an ability to be fit enough to press them for the 90 minutes of game," Herdman said. "As soon as you stop putting pressure on them higher up the pitch they get the players on the ball that can really create things, which is their midfield unit." Herdman called the game against Sweden the "tournament-breaker. . . the real do-or-die game." Its a game he believes the Canadians can win despite the fact the Swedes are perennial top-four finishers in any major tournament. The Canadians played the Swedes, bronze medallists at the 2011 World Cup, in a pair of friendlies over the past few months, beating them 2-1 in November and then losing 3-1 late last month. "Sweden gives you a chance to possess the ball, and thats what we have to work on," Herdman said. "If were to beat Sweden, we have to be comfortable possessing the ball and breaking down their deep defensive unit and I think thats the next level for this team." Herdman laughed when asked if his presence at St. James Park for that game will have Newcastle fans cheering for Canada. "Im hoping it can be something special for the locals that they can get behind a team and have some connection there and with any chance the Canadian team will be the darlings of the northeast," Herdman said. "Well do everything we can to try and get the black and white behind this team." Herdman has talked about winning a medal in London, and said after Tuesdays draw he still believes that could happen. "I think were not too far away from these big Tier 1 teams," the coach said. "Its not just being able to pass the ball, its about tactical flexibility in the game, its about being able to get (striker) Christine Sinclair on the ball in the right areas. . . I think if were able to put that together, then this teams got a big chance. "On our day, with the right mindset, and if we tactically get it right, and the players have done all the work they needed to do in these three months, I think weve got a chance." Canada lost 2-1 to the U.S. in the quarter-finals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Canadians are in the middle of a three-week training camp in Vancouver. Theyll get a week off to go home and see family "and switch off from football." Theyll train for three more weeks in Vancouver in May then travel to Moncton, N.B., to host China on May 30. Theyll take another weeks break then head back to Vancouver for another three weeks training before playing the U.S. on June 30. Theyll travel to Switzerland on July 5 for a pre-Olympic tournament before arriving in London. The Olympic quarter-finals are scheduled for Aug. 3, the semis are Aug 6, and the medal games Aug. 9. The game for bronze will be played in Coventry, with the gold-medal match scheduled for Londons Wembley Stadium. Nike Free Günstig. -- The Europeans got a much-needed bailout from a most unlikely source. Nike Free Run Damen Weiß. The Argos announced Wednesday their June 19 contest against the Montreal Alouettes will kick off at noon at Rogers Centre. http://www.nikefreeschuheshop.de/. Ludwig posted a total score of 376 in the qualification round and did not advance to the final. Nike Free Schuhe Günstig.C. -- Krys Kolanos has had a tough go of it this season but Saturday he showed he still has his offensive flare. Nike Free. Richard Nieuwenhuizen collapsed and was rushed to the hospital hours after players from Amsterdam club Nieuw Sloten punched and kicked him. Nieuwenhuizens club, Buitenboys, said the 41-year-old linesman died Monday night but did not announce the exact cause of death. SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez walked off the mound in the ninth inning knowing the gem he just tossed was one of the best outings of his career. Yet he still stood on the top step of the Seattle Mariners dugout in the ninth inning begging for a run to make sure this brilliant effort came in a win. "Just score one run. One run is all I need," Hernandez thought as the bottom of the ninth started. Thanks to John Jaso and Casper Wells, Hernandez got his deserved victory. Hernandez matched his career high with 13 strikeouts in a brilliant five-hitter and Jasos pinch-hit single in the bottom of the ninth scored Wells to give the Mariners a 1-0 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night. Hernandez (6-5) tossed his fifth career shutout and was one of the first out of the Mariners dugout after Wells belly-flopped onto home plate with the only run. "Tonight is as good as Ive ever seen him," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "Against a lot of veteran hitters, a lot of good hitters, and a 0-0 ballgame like that, you couldnt ask for anything more." It was the third straight start where Hernandez looked more like the Cy Young winner he was in 2010. It was his 19th career 10-strikeout game and the first time hes ever struck out at least 10 in consecutive starts. The last Mariners pitcher to accomplish that was Freddy Garcia back in 1999. His fastball was moving late and his breaking balls had bite. It was the third time in his career Hernandez struck out 13, the most recent coming on May 22, 2011, at San Diego. "Thats the best weve seen. He was unreal. His stuff was moving all over the place," Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. "He kept the ball out of the middle of the plate. He was pretty special tonight." The only time Hernandez was tested came in the ninth. It was quite the challenge. Hernandez struck out Pedroia on a 3-2 pitch to open the ninth inning. David Ortiz responded with a line drive back up the middle on a hanging curveball that sent Hernandez sprawling to avoid the shot. He got ahead of Saltalamacchia 1-2, but missed on the edges and walked him on a 3-2 pitch, allowing a runner to second base for just the third time in the game. Newly acquired Brent Lillibridge pinch-ran for Ortiz, with Adrian Gonzalez coming to the plate. Hernandez almost instantly fell behind Gonzalez 3-0, but fought back to 3-2 before Gonzalez fouled off the next four pitches. On the ninth pitch, Gonzalez hit a shot to deep left-ceentre that Michael Saunders chased down just before the wall. Nike Free Schwarz Will Middlebrooks then popped out and Hernandez was left waiting to see if the Mariners offence could get him a run. "Thats one of the only parks that holds that ball," Boston manager Bobby Valentine said of Gonzalezs shot. Seattles ninth-inning rally started after Jesus Montero weakly flied out to open the inning. Wells lined a double into the gap in left-centre and Boston followed by surprisingly issuing an intentional walk to Justin Smoak, who had just one hit in his previous 13 at-bats. That decision also allowed Wedge to use Jaso instead of Miguel Olivo with the Red Sox out of left-handers in the bullpen. Jaso, who already led the team in game-winning RBIs didnt waste time. Jasos hard single into right field gave Ross enough time to field the ball and make a strong throw to the plate. Saltalamacchia appeared to have plenty of time to apply the tag, but reacted with disgust when he saw the ball on the ground. "I think its just having a calm approach, you can really start to come out of your shoes and try to do more than what you normally do, what your normal approach is," Jaso said. "I think treat it like a first or second AB of the game, just looking for a pitch you can hit." Wells double and winning run capped a night where he was a star both at the plate and in the field. Boston batters tested Wells twice in the eighth inning. He took away a hit from Mike Aviles with a sliding catch for the second out of the inning. Moments later, Wells was racing toward the left-field corner and made an even better backhanded sliding catch while crashing into the padded wall for the final out of the inning. Aviles was the only batter in the Red Sox lineup that Hernandez did not strike out at least once. "This year, this is the best game that Ive thrown," Hernandez said. "I was throwing a lot of strikes and all the pitches were working." NOTES: Seattle CF Franklin Gutierrez left after a single in the fourth inning when he was hit in the face on a pick-off attempt. ... Boston OF Jacoby Ellsbury and OF Scott Podsednik will both begin rehab assignments Friday. Ellsbury will be with the Red Soxs rookie league club in the Gulf Coast League, while Podsednik will begin his rehab at Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Seattles first-round draft pick, Mike Zunino, won the Johnny Bench award on Thursday night as the top catcher in college baseball. ' ' '

Posted by iertioy on Sun, 06/30/2013 - 11:12pm