09-02-2019, 02:59 AM
MONTREAL - Without suspended scoring star Marco Di Vaio, the Montreal Impacts disappointing start to the MLS season may have been predictable. Ozzie Smith Padres Jersey . Montreal (0-3-0) directed 25 shots toward the Seattle goal on Sunday, but couldnt find the net. And then the Impact fell victim to defensive lapses as the Sounders spoiled its home opener at Olympic Stadium with a 2-0 victory on Sunday. An own goal off a Lamar Neagles header only eight minutes in and a goal from Obafemi Martins early in the second half was all Seattle (2-1-0) needed against a punchless Montreal attack. "When you look at the game in terms of possession and our ability to get in good spots and get quality crosses in, to come away with nothing — it just seems were not getting any little breaks," said the Impacts still-winless new coach Frank Klopas. "The guys worked hard and nothings going for us right now. Thats the frustrating part." Di Vaio, a 20-goal scorer last season, and midfielder Andres Romero finished serving the three-game suspensions they incurred in a skirmish at the end of a playoff game in October. Both will be back for Montreals game Saturday in Philadelphia. Without their 38-year-old Italian striker, they have managed only two goals in three games. But the hard part for Klopas, whose mandate was to tighten the defence, was that they have conceded six. Defender Matteo Ferrari said it would be unfair to expect Di Vaio to step in and solve all the teams problems right away as he hasnt played a real game in five months. He hopes to see better all-around play from the team. "We have to work hard on the defensive part — not just the four on the defence but the attitude of the team," said Ferrari. "We took six goals. Its too much. "But I want to stay positive. Its the beginning of the season and the coach knows what to do, so forget about the standings right now and just keep working." Still, it should help to have an experienced finisher. The Impact had a 25-9 edge in attempts on goal and 6-4 lead in shots on target. What was missing was someone to bury the chances as forward Andrew Wenger and midfielder Felipe Martins fired blanks for a second game in a row. Down 2-0 in the second half, the Impact went on full attack. Substitute Blake Smith nearly had one in the 84th minute, but his shot was swept off the line by Djimi Traore. "Two factors (Di Vaio) brings — fear to the other team because maybe theyre more on their heels, and maybe more confidence to our team knowing that we have a guy that can change a game on the spur of the moment," said Impact midfielder Patrice Bernier, who played his first home game since he was named team captain. "Thats a benefit, but still, as a team, we have to be a unit. We create chances, but maybe give a little to much to the other team. Maybe his fresh legs that can give us a spark in Philly so we come out with some points." The Sounders, coming off a 2-1 defeat last week to Toronto FC, could easily have been up by three goals in the first half. Neagle, who spent the 2012 season with Montreal before being traded back to the Sounders, headed a Gonzalo Pineda free kick out of a crowd and saw it hit the crossbar and deflect off goalkeeper Troy Perkins and into the net in the eighth minute. "It comes off the bottom of the crossbar, hits me in the arm and goes in," said Perkins. "You can sit there and say hed have been better off just watching it, but I tried to make a play and was a little unlucky." Seattle nearly had another in the 17th minute, but Perkins reached back to get a hand on Martins header. And in the 32nd minute, Neagles long low shot went off a goalpost. The Sounders struck again in the 58th minute, when Neagle passed across the front of the goal and Kenny Copper chipped it back for Martins to head into an open side with the Impact defence standing still in front of Perkins. "I knew wed absorb some pressure," said Seattle coach Sigi Schmid. "We wanted to get forward on the counter and I figured we could create some chances off that. "Its been a long road trip with the extra day, but I thought we did a good job. Perkins makes an unbelievable save on Obafemis header and Lamars unlucky when he hits the inside of the post and it goes across in the first half. But I thought we did what we needed to do." The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but was postponed a day due to fears of an accumulation of snow on the domed stadiums roof, which is slated for replacement. Montreal is 4-2-3 in games played at the Big O. "When we trained on Saturday we had a little more of a fun training session,"said Schmid. "The guys had a bit of fun with it. We just told them it was Groundhog Day and well repeat everything again." Notes: It was Montreals first loss to Seattle in three MLS meetings. . . The Sounders were without their big off-season signing Clint Dempsey due to a two-game suspension for hitting Toronto FC defender Mike Bloom in the groin last week. ... Montreal has two more games at Olympic Stadium, April 5 against New York and April 12 against Chicago before moving outdoors to Saputo Stadium. Ian Kinsler Jersey . Im very excited about the playoffs, particularly in the Western Conference with amazing match-ups, as well as the wonderful local story in the Toronto Raptors. It should be a blast. Here are my predictions, but based upon my lousy prognostications during the NCAA Tournament, you might be better off going the other way on some of mine - particularly with the Raptors, who I hope and pray are able to win an incredibly difficult match-up. Fernando Tatis Jr. Jersey .TV Series: Duck Dynasty. http://www.padressale.com/padres-randy-jones-jersey/ .com) - Real Madrid claimed its 20th consecutive win across all competitions by cruising to a 4-1 victory at Almeria on Friday.The Jamaican bobsled team may be headed to another Olympics. The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Olympic organizers said Saturday that Jamaica has qualified for the two-man competition at next months Sochi Games, though it remains unclear if the fledgling squad will get a chance to race. Funding is a serious problem and sled driver Winston Watts told The Associated Press on Saturday that hes trying to raise as much as $80,000 in the next couple weeks to cover travel and equipment costs. "Right now," Watts said, "were at zero." They are certainly among the worlds most storied bobsled teams, and that has little to do with results. Jamaica first competed in Olympic bobsledding in 1988 at the Calgary Games, a story that inspired the "Cool Runnings" film. For a nation lacking bobsled tradition, or snowy winters, Jamaica has often fared quite well on the international circuits. Its been 12 years since Jamaica has had a sled in the Olympics, with Watts finishing 28th at the Salt Lake City Games with Calgarys Lascelles Brown -- now a key part of Canadas national team. Brown won a medal at the 2010 Vancouver Games, one where the Jamaicans were hoping to compete but were again thwarrted by funding issues. Garrett Richards Jersey. Still, the 46-year-old Watts -- who called himself "retired" from sliding for nearly a decade -- has held on to hope of sliding again on the sports biggest stage. "Were pretty good," Watts said. "Were not there with the rest of the world, of course. But we if had some more sources for funding, wed have a better chance." He started the season thinking he could get a four-man sled ready for Sochi, before quickly realizing that was too expensive. His focus then shifted to the two-man sled and by racing in a number of lower-tier events at tracks in Park City, Lake Placid and Calgary in recent months, Watts and brakeman Marvin Dixon piled up enough points to get into the Olympic mix. Sochi officials tweeted word Saturday that the Jamaicans were in, but the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation -- the sports governing body -- is not expected to confirm before Sunday at the earliest how many nations qualified for the Olympic fields. Watts said hes confident that Jamaica is qualified. "Im not a person who likes to quit," Watts said. "I put my heart into it and I know for a fact that people are going to help this team." ' ' '