raising his average to .600 (12 for 20) in his last six games | Forum

OLIVA, Spain -- In a game that had tackles flying in from start to finish, Canada picked up a scoreless draw against Mauritania on Sunday in what was the debut for new national team coach Benito Floro. Valtteri Filppula Jersey . "At the moment we are teaching how to play collectively," said Floro, who is tasked with rebuilding the program in the build up to qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in two years time. "Its necessary to play a lot between us and to test with the friendly matches. But I understand its very difficult to get a result against a very good national team like Mauritania, who press very excellently." The game started under hot, but windy conditions, but grew more comfortable as the afternoon progressed. Mauritania pressured Canada relentlessly in the opening few minutes, many times getting overly physical. "It was a friendly but definitely very physical," said midfielder Atiba Hutchinson, who was captain for this game. "I think we expected that a little bit but maybe at times it was a little out of hand but no excuses. I think we need to look at the video after the game and we have to play them in another game and its important that we can come back and get a result in the next game." With more than 30 players in camp, Canada dressed 18 for the game, and save for their teammates that didnt play, a delegation from the Mauritanian embassy in Spain, and a few curious locals, there werent many people there to take in the game at the resort where both teams are camped. A young Canadian team looked shaky early as the quick Mauritanian side pressured the ball. "I think we just needed to be a little bit more calm and maybe read the game at times," said Hutchinson. "I think at halftime the coaches said we need to play in behind them and find the pockets and create space. In the second half I thought we did that a bit better." On more than one occasion, the West Africans got a bit carried away as midfielders Kyle Bekker and Kyle Porter went down under heavy challenges just past the 10-minute mark. The rest of the game was defined by lots of shirt-pulling and hard tackles as words were exchanged between both sets of players on numerous occasions. The best chance of the game came in the 21st minute. Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio collected a pass from club teammate Ashtone Morgan before cutting inside and unleashing a fiercely struck right-footed curling effort that had to be tipped over for a corner kick. "They made it difficult to develop our attack. But its a good test for us," said Floro. "For us, the best was our good intention to combine the play even if the opponent pressed very hard. So we need some good behaviour to start to understand perfectly to combine the attack." Making his debut on the bench, Floro was mostly silent, only rising once or twice to direct his new team. It was a stark contrast to his counterpart, Frenchman Patrice Neveu, who barely took time to draw breath as he barked orders for almost the entire 90 minutes. Canada controlled the possession for much of the second half and in the early few moments looked like they could get a goal. But apart from a Dwayne De Rosario effort that was easily saved three minutes into the second half, there wasnt much offence on either end. "In the second half I thought we did that a bit better," said Hutchinson. "We were just missing the chances. We needed to create more chances and get some shots on target and possibly goals. Well have a couple training sessions and its important we get a result next time." The two teams play again on Tuesday. Vincent Lecavalier Jersey . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. Ondrej Palat Jersey . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. http://www.lightninghockeyshop.us/Ben-Bishop-Jersey/ .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. PHILADELPHIA -- The music is blasting and the Philadelphia Phillies are having fun again. Theres plenty to celebrate these days. Chase Utley walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting Philadelphia to a 4-3 comeback victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. It was the fifth win in six games for the Phillies, who have won four of those contests in their last at-bat, including the last three. "Anytime you have walk-off (wins), it creates excitement and right now its carrying over to the next day," Phillies interim manager Ryne Sandberg said. The music blared in the Philadelphia clubhouse following the game - something that hasnt been the case for most of this disappointing season. "Were playing together and having fun in here, being able to go out on the field believing in each other," Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels said. "Were taking that direction and have to keep pushing in that direction as long as we possibly can." Cody Asche led off the ninth with a single and went to third on Jimmy Rollins single. Heath Bell (4-2) intentionally walked Michael Young to load the bases for Kevin Frandsen. After striking out Frandsen, Bell was lifted for left-hander Eury De La Rosa. De La Rosa ran the count to 3-2 and Utley walked when the final pitch appeared to be a bit inside. "We were trying to work both sides of the plate," Diamondbacks catcher Tuffy Gosewisch said. "The last pitch started out, then came in and barely missed." Darin Ruf homered for the second straight game for Philadelphia, which improved to 5-3 under Sandberg. Ruf has eight homers and 12 RBIs in 21 games this month. Matt Davidson had two hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who have dropped four of five, damaging their fleeting playoff hopes. They stayed seven games back of the Reds for the second NL wild-card spot. "They just got it done in the ninth," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. Jonathan Papelbon (4-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win. The Phillies jumped to a 1-0 lead on Rufs two-out hommer in the second. Nikita Kucherov Lightning Jersey. The Diamondbacks answered with three runs in the fourth off hard-luck Hamels. Paul Goldschmidt was credited with a double after left fielder Domonic Brown lost his routine fly ball in the lights as twilight fell. Martin Prado drove in Goldschmidt and Adam Eaton with a two-run double, and Davidsons RBI single put Arizona ahead 3-1. "We got a big break on the ball lost in the lights, but we couldnt tack on," Gibson said. That was it for the Diamondbacks against Hamels, who allowed six hits and walked one in seven innings. The left-hander has a 1.89 ERA in his last five starts but just one win and four no-decisions over that stretch. Hamels, who entered with the fifth-lowest run support average among starters in the majors (3.30), remained 5-13 on the season. "Ultimately, you dont want it to come down to the last at-bat, but winning is winning," Hamels said. "Im glad were able to battle and stay with it. Its a good feeling to have something going the right way." The Phillies tied it when Carlos Ruiz hit a two-run double off Wade Miley in the sixth. That was the last inning for Miley, who yielded five hits and two walks. The Phillies threatened in the eighth against Bell, putting runners on first and second with two outs. But Bell struck out John Mayberry Jr. swinging to end the inning. The Diamondbacks got a runner to second with two outs in the ninth off Papelbon, but Cliff Pennington flew out to centre to end the threat. NOTES: Arizonas J.J. Putz dislocated his pinky finger in the seventh inning trying to field Rollins grounder to shortstop. Putz will be placed on the disabled list on Saturday. . Ruiz went 2 for 4, raising his average to .600 (12 for 20) in his last six games. . The three-game series resumes Saturday night when Phillies RHP Ethan Martin (2-2, 5.23 ERA) opposes RHP Randall Delgado (4-4, 3.82 ERA). ... The Phillies wore maroon and white pinstriped uniforms similar to what the club wore in the 1990s on 90s night. ... Frandsen snapped an 0-for-17 skid with a sixth-inning single. Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '