Forenregeln » hort time in Toronto ahead

TORONTO -- Just two games into the 2014 MLS season, Toronto FC is experiencing new heights. England star Jermain Defoe is scoring goals as befitting his monster salary. American international Michael Bradley is pulling the strings in midfield. And everyone else is playing their part. Its early days yet but Toronto, once the MLS doormat, is off to its best start ever at 2-0-0 and drawing a crowd on and off the pitch. On Saturday, the TFC dressing room was crammed with reporters eager to tell the story of Torontos 1-0 win over D.C. United in the home opener before an announced -- and enthusiastic -- sellout crowd of 22,591 at BMO Field. Defoe emerged from the shower in a towel and flip-flops to find a mass of humanity in front of his stall. "Id forgotten about this," he said with a smile. The 31-year-old forward, used to reporter-free dressing rooms in England, must have felt like he was starring in "Magic Mike" as he dressed in front of some three dozen members of the media. Canadian midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who dresses two stalls down, had to scale his locker like he was climbing Everest just to get to his gear. Toronto loves a winner. Its just never seen one wearing Toronto FC gear. Still manager Ryan Nelsen is preaching caution at this early stage of the franchises eighth season. "I dont think were a top team right now," he said. "Were very well organized but I dont think weve seen the best of us. And you wont see the best of us because were still new." "I think we still have a long way to go as a team," he added. "Well play better than that probably and lose games." Toronto started six players Saturday who werent with the club last year. Defoe, who scored twice in his MLS debut last week in Seattle, could have had four goals Saturday before he finally scored in the 60th minute after Brazilian strike partner Gilberto was sent in alone by a beautiful through ball from Bradley. Goalie Bill Hamid made the save but the ball was cleared only as far as Defoe, who got the ball out from under his feet and hammered home a right-footed shot. The goal, which featured all three of TFCs designated players, was a model of efficiency. Brazilian international goalie Julio Cesar started the play, booting the ball up field. A D.C. United player headed it back towards the Toronto end but TFC captain Steven Caldwell nipped in and sent it to Osorio. The 21-year-old Canadian quickly gave it to Bradley, who lofted a pass over the defence to Gilberto. The day offered thin gruel for D.C. United (0-2-0), which has yet to score this season after being beaten 3-0 by the Columbus Crew in its season opener two weeks ago. "I dont think D.C. broke us down very often at all," said Nelsen. "And you look at our chances we had to score." Defoes three goals in two games would have tied him for third overall in Toronto FC scoring over the entire 2013 season. After a brutal winter that included one last snowfall overnight, the ravaged grass at BMO Field made for a choppy game. It might as well have been played on a cowpatch. "The field was not conducive to playing any sport of football," Nelsen said by way of understatement. "But thats no fault of the groundskeeper," he added with a smile. "I blame God for that at the moment for the winter hes given Toronto." In addition to having a predator up front, Toronto is also looking a lot harder this season. Caldwell has added to the spine of the club since his arrival last season but the presence of Bradley has helped. The American literally ran over referee Silviu Petrescu in the first half, knocking the official down as he steamed towards the visitors penalty box. And he kept playing after a nasty clash of heads in the second half knocked Davy Arnaud out of the game. The shaven-headed Bradley, who returned to the fray with a bandage, was sporting an ugly array of staples to close the head wound after the game. "You can see now theres a bit of hardness to us, to tell you the truth," said Nelsen, who was tough as nails himself as a player. "That, no disrespect to the past, I dont think weve had." D.C. United coach Ben Olsen, while noting both teams had to play on the surface, called the pitch "as bad as Ive ever seen in the MLS." Be it artificial turf (last week in Seattle) or just bad turf, Toronto is winning. Just two games into the 2014 schedule, TFC has already one-third of the victories it collected last season when the team went 6-17-11. Torontos previous best opening was a 1-0-1 start in 2009. In 2012, it took the team 14 games to record two victories. Nelsens team will no doubt face a stiffer test next weekend at Real Salt Lake (1-0-2). While the overnight snowfall had dissipated by kickoff, fans had to contend with a partial shutdown of the subway system as well as an AHL game and the National Home Show on the Exhibition grounds Saturday. The crowd was announced as a sellout, but there were some empty seats. Defoe called the atmosphere "unbelievable." "From Minute One, the stadium was rocking." It was two degrees at kickoff although a stiff wind did little to make it a pleasant afternoon. Neither did the pitch, which started cutting up in the first half. Torontos Brazilian midfielder Jackson received a yellow card in the 50th minute for what looked like an elbow off the ball. "It looked pretty bad," D.C. defender Bobby Boswell said. Said Nelsen: "I think the referee saw it and he gave him a yellow card. So its been dealt with, isnt it?" D.C. United was the worst team in the league last season at 3-24-7 but made wholesale changes during the off-season. "Its a loss but I think when I look back, I think we will see that we really took some steps forward." said Olsen. Cheap Cleveland Browns Gear . Sixteen teams have moved on. Sixteen teams have gone home. Custom Browns Jerseys . A last-minute leveler ensured the two-time defending champion remained nine points ahead of Roma, which drew 0-0 at bitter rival Lazio in the capital derby. http://www.cheapbrowns.com/ . Vonn "reopened" the idea of competing in the season-opening World Cup event on Oct. 26-27 in Soelden, Austria after returning to the slopes last month in Portillo, Chile. Cleveland Browns Sheldrick Redwine Jersey .com) - It appears both the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls will reach the playoffs, but the two squads are coming off losing efforts. Cleveland Browns Sione Takitaki Jersey . Its been two seasons in one for both parties and neither will look back on the first 18 games fondly. "I think I took the fall for a lot of things," said Gay, reflecting on his short time in Toronto ahead of Wednesdays game against his former club.SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- In the giddy moments after South Korea won the Little League World Series, outfielder Don Wan Sin realized how he wanted to celebrate. "I want to go to the Blue House -- the White House of Korea -- and meet the President," Sin said, breaking up his teammates. Just maybe Sin, who scored twice and hit a solo homer, will indeed get his wish to meet Park Geun-hye. Hes famous back in his homeland -- along with all of his teammates. Jae Yeong Hwang drove in two runs and combined with Hae Chan Choi, who weathered a late Chicago rally, to lead the Asia-Pacific Region champions to an 8-4 win in Sundays LLWS championship game. Hwang, who was removed because he wasnt feeling well, gave up one hit in two-plus innings while striking out four. He also drove in his teams first two runs as they built an 8-1 lead before Jackie Robinson West made it close. "Im very joyful. Its a wonderful feeling," Hwang said. "I dont know why Im even here; I didnt play very good today." Choi, who had a homer and scored twice, pitched the last four innings for South Korea, which won its third title after back-to-back championships in 1984 and 85. But even he got a little nervous at the end after Chicago collected four of its six hits and scored three times. "I knew I could allow some runs," he said. "After I got the second out, I thought I could do it. But after I gave up the three runs I was (worried)." International teams have won the last three and four of the last five titles. Brandon Green went 5 2-3 innings for Chicago, which had survived four straight knockout games before the final. After the final out, a force play, the Seoul teams bench emptied and the players dumped cups of water on their teammates near the mound. The players took a victory lap, waving and laughing. The win meant a lot to the people of South Korea, who had to watch it or get updates in the middle of the night. "We know the time difference and that a lot of people were cheering for us," said manager Jong Wook Park. "We appreciate the people back in Korea. I told the kids that in a speech." The game was played in bright sunshine and temperatures in the high 70s before a crowd of 28,671 at Lamade Stadium. South Korean fans, brightly dressed inn flowing satin robes of yellow and electric blue, danced with large fans in the latter innings.dddddddddddd Chicago, the Great Lakes Region champions, came back from 3-0 and 5-4 deficits to beat favoured West champ Las Vegas Mountain Ridge 7-5 in the U.S. title game on Saturday. Earlier, South Korea, the Asia-Pacific Region winner, rolled over Japan, 12-3. But they couldnt come back against the powerful South Koreans, who asserted themselves early. Leadoff hitter Choi drilled the very first pitch over the wall in right, but a few feet foul. He then flied out deep to right. Sin followed by smacking a screaming liner to centre that slipped out of the glove of DJ Butler for a two-base error. Hwangs double brought in the first run. With one out in the third, Choi walked and Sin singled sharply up the middle. After a double steal, Choi came home on Hwangs ground-out to third. Hwang set down the first six Chicago hitters, four on strikeouts. Butler broke up Hwangs no-hitter with a spinning cue shot to short that he beat out leading off the third. That was all for Hwang after he had mentioned to his coaches that he was sick between innings. He traded places with first baseman Choi, who was greeted by shortstop Ed Howards bouncer to the mound that was scored a single, prompting the first prolonged chants of "U-S-A!" for the day. Choi then fanned Cameron Bufford before leadoff hitter Pierce Jones -- who had three homers in the LLWS opener but was just 1 for 12 since -- walked to load the bases with one out. That brought up Trey Hondras, who had a homer and three RBIs in the U.S. final, and his high hopper to second on a nice grab by Jin Woo Jeon scored Butler. The rally died when Marquis Jackson bounced out sharply to third on the next pitch. Ji Ho Park doubled and came around on pinch-hitter Jun Ha Yoos single in the fourth. After Sin pounded the ball over the wall near the camera bay in left centre in the fifth, a U.S. fan threw the ball back on the field. Then the Seoul team added three runs in the sixth on an RBI double by Shane Jaemin Kim and Jin Woo Jeons two-run single. "(We) felt like we had a chance even when we were down 8-1," Chicago manager Darold Butler said. "(South Korea) had a pretty good game. They were the better team today." 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