01-17-2020, 06:14 AM
MONTREAL -- It looks like the Montreal Impact have chosen the hard road to the Major League Soccer playoffs. Jose Goncalves scored the only goal in the 31st minute as the New England Revolution downed the listless Impact 1-0 on Saturday afternoon, extending Montreals winless run to five games. The Impact (13-11-7), who were on top of the league in June with a 9-3-2 record, began the day in a playoff position in fourth place, but the race got tighter after losing a third home game in a row. They have three games remaining in the regular season, including a match Wednesday night in Los Angeles and a must-win game at home next Saturday against Philadelphia. A victory against the Revolution would have greatly strengthened the Impacts hopes of reaching the post-season in only their second year in MLS, but they came out flat. New England (12-11-9) had the lions share of scoring chances and allowed Montreal few opportunities. "I think were all a little bit shocked," said Montreal captain Davy Arnaud. "Considering how big the game was, something was missing. "We werent ourselves. We just didnt have our normal urgency going forward to get chances. We lost some duels we normally win at home. I cant put my finger on it." Montreal will play in Los Angeles without Arnaud or defender Matteo Ferrari, who each will serve one-game suspensions for picking up their fifth yellow card. Coach Marco Schallibaum and the players spoke all week of the importance of beating New England, but they werent in the game from the opening kick-off. "We werent good today," said Schallibaum, whose team has one of a possible 15 points from its last five matches. "We didnt get much penetration in the box. "It was more in the head than in the legs. Now we have to pick ourselves up and get ready for the next game." Arnaud was at the centre of a grim moment in the 19th minute when New England forward Sene Sene was wheeled off the field on a stretcher and taken to hospital with what the Revolution later said was a dislocated left ankle and broken left fibula. The less than sellout crowd of 18,917 went silent when Sene went down after going for a ball in the Montreal penalty area. His foot got caught between Arnauds legs and appeared to snap. It was pointing the wrong way as he lay on the pitch in agony. "I feel really bad about what happened," said Arnaud. "It looks like its a really bad injury. "I think it was a good tackle. I won the ball clean, but his foot might have got caught underneath me. You never want to see that happen. I still feel bad about it. I hope hes OK." No foul was called as Arnaud got to the ball first. "You run into situations on the field that are bigger than the game," said Revolution coach Jay Heaps. "Everyones heart went out to him. "Its devastating for both teams. But the response from our guys -- you just felt there would be a moment when our guys had a chance to make a play. We got that goal almost 10 minutes after that incident, so I was really happy with that." Juan Agudelo just missed heading in a free kick, but New England got the ball back for Diego Fagundez to slip it across the area for Goncalves to score his second of the season. The New England defence did the rest as they clogged up the middle of the field and allowed league scoring leader Marco Di Vaio and his Impact teammates few looks at goal. The win stretched the Revolutions unbeaten string to four games and kept their playoff hopes alive. "It was crucial," said Heaps. "We knew these three (points) were the most important because they were pulling away. "Now its anyones ball game here for the last two (playoff) spots. Thats all you can ask for." The Impact got some life after bringing in three substitutes early in the second half but New England still got the best chance on a Chris Tierney free kick that went off the crossbar. The Impact have a handful of players playing through minor injuries, including Di Vaio, Patrice Bernier and Justin Mapp. But Arnaud dismissed the notion that the Impact, an older than average team, is wearing down at the end of the season. He feels they just need a spark to feel young again. "You need a positive result to get you back on track," he said. "When youre so close and you feel youre almost there in the post-season and things arent going well, you just need a bounce, something to go your way. "Maybe scrape out a win you dont deserve. Something that can turn things around." Notes: Alessandro Nesta returned to Montreals lineup after missing two games with a groin injury and Hernan Bernardello was back after sitting out five contests with a sprained ankle. Sanna Nyassi moved into the starting 11 in place of Felipe Martins. Maxim Tissot replaced injured fullback Jeb Brovsky. Greg Bird Jersey . -- Even as Chris Paul remained evasive about his future, he did what team leaders are expected to do. Gio Urshela Jersey . The 23-year-old Woods, Tiger Woods niece, closed with a 4-under 69 at Royal Pines to finish at 16-under 276. Lee also shot 69 in the event sanctioned by the European and Australian tours. Woods birdied the par-5 15th to open a two-stroke lead, hitting a wedge from about 120 yards to 4 feet. http://www.customyankeesjersey.com/ .Y. -- Syracuse guard Trevor Cooney was mired in a shooting slump, and his woes coincided with a late-season swoon by the Orange. Cheap Yankees Jerseys . Chris Heisey followed with a two-run triple and Billy Hamilton added an RBI double, all but sealing Cincinnatis fourth straight victory and seventh in eight games. Brandon Phillips, celebrating his 33rd birthday, hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth for the Reds before pinch-hitter Buster Posey tied it with an RBI double off hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman in the bottom half. Mike Mussina Jersey . Rockhold." Known as an aggressive striker, Belfort (23-10) instead paced himself as the engaged in the early going and showed restraint by not overcommitting against the larger Rockhold (10-2). But when the opportunity presented itself, Belfort delivered an incredible spinning heel kick that landed flush on Rockholds chin and sent him toppling to the floor. LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The owners of California Chrome are putting all their hopes into the chestnut colt to win the Kentucky Derby. After all, hes the only horse they own. California Chrome, based at lesser-known Los Alamitos racetrack in suburban Los Angeles, is the early 5-2 favourite for Saturdays 140th Derby with good reason. He has won four straight races by a combined 24 1/4 lengths under Victor Espinoza, who won the Derby in 2002 with War Emblem. "Hes so light on his feet," Espinoza said. "He just does things so easy and makes my job easy." California Chromes owners, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, are no Kentucky blue bloods. Theyre a couple of working stiffs who live near Reno, Nevada. A trainer called them "dumb asses" for getting into the racing game, inspiring the duo to put the letters DAP on their silks, which stands for Dumb Ass Partners. "Were going to go down in history," Coburn predicted. California Chrome is the product of an $8,000 mare and a $2,500 stallion. Hes earned more than $1 million already, making it somewhat easier for Coburn and Martin to turn down a pre-Derby offer of $6 million for a 51 per cent stake in the horse. "Weve been blessed with this colt," Coburn said. "The first time we saw him, we knew it was going to be something special." If their tale seems improbable, well, its happened before at Churchill Downs. Mine That Bird, a 50-1 shot owned and trained by two guys from New Mexico mocked as cowboys, pulled off the stunning upset in the 2009 Derby. At 77, Art Sherman, who oversees California Chrome, would be the oldest trainer to win. His colt would be the first California-bred to wear the garland of red roses in 52 years. "Hes feeling good and hes doing good," Sherman said. "Hes coming up to this race right." Rosie Napravnik wants to grab history, too. No female jockey has won the Derby, although she came closest -- fifth last year. Napravnik will ride 20-1 shot Vicars In Trouble. Her husband, Joe Sharp, works closely with the Louisiana-bred colt as assistant to trainer Mike Maker. "The story wouldd almost be too good if we won it," she said.dddddddddddd Wicked Strong is the early 6-1 second choice. The colt is named for the victims of last years Boston Marathon bombings and is trained by Jimmy Jerkens, who has his first Derby horse. Trainer Todd Pletcher has four horses in the Derby -- Danza and Intense Holiday are both 8-1 while his other two are longer shots, 30-1 Vinceremos and 50-1 We Miss Artie. Danza is named for "Taxi" actor Tony Danza, who planned to attend the Derby. Maker will saddle three horses, all long shots. Besides Vicars In Trouble, he has 15-1 General a Rod and 50-1 Harrys Holiday. "When those gates open, anything can happen," Maker said. Three-time Derby winner Bob Baffert is down to 20-1 shot Chitu after being forced to scratch early second favourite Hoppertunity because of a minor foot problem. "California Chrome has proven hes a really good horse," Baffert said, adding, "Theres a lot of parity in this field. Everybody might have a chance." Getting the ideal trip in the 1 1/4-mile Derby is important, especially with the traffic from 19 horses making a chaotic charge into the first turn. Jockeys want to avoid anything that would prevent their horse from getting into rhythm, like being bumped, cut off or blocked. Sherman believes the key is the first 70 yards. "You want to get out and get yourself some position," he said. Trainer Steve Asmussen takes a shot with Tapiture, who started three times at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old. Asmussen is under investigation by Kentucky and New York racing officials after an animal rights group alleged he and his former assistant mistreated horses in their care. The forecast calls for sunny skies and a high of 73 degrees, with a crowd of at least 140,000 expected. Keep an eye on jockey Calvin Borel. He and 15-1 shot Ride On Curlin will break from the No. 18 spot in the starting gate. Borel will try to hustle the colt over to his favourite path on the track -- the rail. The rider nicknamed "Bo-rail" for his fence-skimming rides has three Derby wins in the last seven years. ' ' '
