miaowang123: start against the Twins snapped at 30 after he went 0 fo

miaowang123

NATAL, Brazil -- Greece promised goals that didnt come. Joonas Korpisalo Jersey . Japan pressed for a victory that eluded it yet again. The ultimate result of what has turned out to be a rarity at this World Cup -- a 0-0 draw -- is that Colombia is guaranteed to move on to the knockout rounds and Greece and Japan are still clinging to life in Group C. Reduced to 10 men after captain Costas Katsouranis was sent off in the 38th minute with his second booking, Greece held on for a critical result in the group by returning to the rock-solid defence that Colombia had blistered for three goals in an opening loss. "My players were brilliant," said Greece coach Fernando Santos. "They worked hard after the red card. Without the red card we probably would have won the game." Both teams inserted new strikers in search of goals and a first victory, but ultimately the main objective was survival and both achieved that with one match left in group play. Japan would have been eliminated with a loss. Once Katsouranis was sent off after a rough challenge on Makoto Hasebe, Greece withdrew into a defensive setup and held firm. Even short-handed, Greece was better organized against Japan and avoided any critical mistakes. Japan defender Atsuto Uchida said he could sense Greece building a wall around the goal as soon as Katsouranis was sent off. "I had a bad feeling about it. It happens a lot in soccer, when a team goes down to 10, they know exactly what they need to do. And that also happens to be exactly Greeces way to fighting -- to fight by defending," Uchida said. Japan pressed forward after halftime and had several chances to score. The best came in the 68th minute when Shinji Kagawa played a long pass over the top to Uchida, who sent it back across the middle to Yoshito Okubo, who blasted the volley over the net. Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis also was forced to make a diving save in injury time to preserve the draw and the point for Greece. Greece came in determined to turn around its dismal scoring history in the World Cup -- 18 goals conceded against just two scored -- inserting Kostas Mitroglou up front. Greek players had even promised goals against Japan. But Mitroglous best effort was an early volley that spun off his foot and he didnt even make it to halftime. After taking an elbow in the side in the 30th minute, Mitroglou collapsed to the ground. He got up and walked off under his own power but soon determined he couldnt continue and was taken off for Theofanis Gekas in the 35th minute. Things got worse for Greece just moments later when Katsouranis was sent off. Greece retreated into its half of the field for most of the second half. Japan had 68 per cent of ball possession. Katsouranis will be suspended for Greeces final group match against Ivory Coast. "It was a terrible start, losing a man," Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos said. "But we have a point and we have hope ... if things go well, let us get four points with a win in the next game -- and if God decides that we are eliminated because of the other result, so be it." Japan, which had been beaten up in a physical matchup with Ivory Coast in a 2-1 opening loss, once again had to deal with a bigger, stronger and much taller opponent. Coach Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni dropped Kagawa from the starting lineup in surprise move, putting veteran striker Okubo up front with Europe-based star Keisuke Honda. Okubo had one of Japans best chances to score in the first half but sent his header over the crossbar in the 33rd minute Zaccheroni was frustrated Japan didnt use its speed to exploit the spaces left by Greece being short a player. A win over Colombia wont guarantee Japans moves on to the next round. If Ivory Coast beats Greece, Japan will go home. "We played too slowly," Zaccheroni said. "This is not a positive result. We absolutely needed to win." ------ Japan: Japan: Eiji Kawashima, Atsuto Uchida, Keisuke Honda, Yuto Nagamoto, Shinji Okazaki, Yoshito Okubo, Yasuyuki Konno, Hotaru Yamaguchi, Makoto Hasebe (Yasuhito Endo, 46), Yuya Osako (Shinji Kagawa, 57) and Maya Yoshida. Greece: Orestis Karnezis; Yiannis Maniatis , Kostas Manolas; Georgios Samaras, Panagiotis Kone (Dimitrios Salpingidis, 81), Kostas Mitroglou (Theofanis Gekas, 35), Vasilis Torosidis, Yiannis Fetfatzidis (Georgios Karagounis, 41), Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Jose Holebas and Costas Katsouranis. Boone Jenner Jersey .J. -- The New York Jets have promoted Tony Sparano Jr. Gabriel Carlsson Jersey . Cilic cruised to victory, beating the seventh-seeded Seppi 6-1, 6-3 in just 72 minutes. He faced only one break point, winning 24 out of 29 points played on the first serve. BOSTON -- David Ortiz went from gesturing up at an official scorer one at-bat earlier to pumping his fist toward his teammates after his game-tying homer. Three pitches later, he was hugging Mike Napoli at home plate after his teammates winning home run. Napoli and Ortiz hit consecutive homers with one out in the 10th inning and the Boston Red Sox rallied past Minnesota 2-1 Wednesday, sending the Twins to their fifth straight loss. "We havent been able to produce. Our pitching has been outstanding lately, but we havent been able to hit," Ortiz said. "To come back and win the game, that was big." Boston was held to one hit -- a fifth-inning double by Daniel Nava -- before the homers. The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 10th on Chris Parmelees two-out home run off Red Sox closer Koji Uehara (2-1). But after Dustin Pedroia flied out to begin the Boston 10th, the Red Sox connected against Casey Fien (3-4) to complete a three-game sweep. Twins closer Glen Perkins was unavailable with a sore back. Ortiz hit his drive down the right-field line and pumped his right fist toward the dugout as he headed toward first base. Napoli hit his shot into the centre-field bleachers. Three innings earlier, Ortiz felt like he had a hit taken away when he reached on what was ruled an error by official scorer Bob Ellis after the ball deflected off first baseman Joe Mauers glove in the seventh inning. When he walked off the field following Napolis double-play grounder, Ortiz was glaring and waving his arm up at the press box. "You hope they have your back at home and it never happens," Ortiz said. "Ive been here more than a decade and the scoring, its home, man. What do you want Mauer to do? He dove for the ball. He knocked it down." "I always look like Im the bad guy, but they always end up changing it. Its not that we need to check on Papi. Check on the scorer to see what hes doing wrong," he said. Earlier this year, Major League Baseball changed a scorers ruling and later gave Ortiz a single in a game in which Yu arvish had a no-hit bid for Texas. Parmelee also had two singles as Minnesota finished a 3-6 road trip. "Were glad were going home," Parmelee said. "Its kind of tough end to the long road trip, but were headed home and were excited tto get back home. Sonny Milano Jersey. ." Uehara had a scoreless streak snapped at 21 2/3 innings when Parmelee homered into the Red Sox bullpen over the leap of right fielder Brock Holt. "Unfortunately, one extra split to Parmelee gives them the upper hand, but a dramatic finish on our part," Boston manager John Farrell said. "avid comes up big once again." Like the previous two games of the series, both one-run wins by Boston, neither team had much offence going. The Twins entered the day with seven combined hits and one run in the first two games and Boston scored just three total runs. The Red Sox were on the verge of being shut out until the improbable ending. "Its the worst feeling in the world," Fien said. "When youve got a pitching staff that threw like that and then they ask me to come up big and do my part. You come out with the L. Its not a good feeling." Bostons John Lackey and Minnesotas Kyle Gibson kept up the trend with strong pitching performances. Lackey gave up three singles over nine innings, striking out nine and walking one. Hes allowed three or fewer runs in six straight starts, and 12th of 15 this season. Gibson pitched seven shutout innings for the third consecutive start, allowing only Navas double, while striking out eight without walking anyone. Gibson retired the first 14 batters before Nava lined a double near the base of the right-field wall that bounced in Bostons bullpen for a ground-rule double. Pedroia had his streak of reaching in every career start against the Twins snapped at 30 after he went 0 for 4. NOTES: Red Sox starters held an opponent to three runs or fewer for the 12th consecutive home game. ... A day after designating him for assignment, the Red Sox released struggling OF Grady Sizemore from the roster. ... Red Sox pitcher Brandon Workman lost an appeal of his six-game suspension for throwing near the head of Tampa Bays Evan Longoria on May 30, and the right-hander began serving it Wednesday. ... RHP Yohan Pino makes his major league debut, facing Chicagos Jose Quintana (3-7, 3.98 ERA) Thursday as the Twins open a four- game series at home against the White Sox. ... Jake Peavy (1-4, 4.53 ERA) goes for Boston Thursday against Oaklands Scott Kazmir (8-2, 2.05) as the Red Sox begin a 10-game road trip. Authentic Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Tennessee Titans Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Washington Redskins Jerseys CheapAuthentic Nike Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Denver Broncos Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Green Bay Packers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Carolina Panthers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Cleveland Browns Jerseys Cheap Cheap Throwback Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Atlanta Braves Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Baltimore Orioles Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Boston Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago Cubs Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago White Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cincinnati Reds Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cleveland Indians Jerseys ' ' '