e Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea to San Francisco. But ...
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e Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea to San Francisco. But
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wff0605,
2014/06/09 07:20AM
Latest post: 2014/06/09 07:20AM, Views: 276, Posts: 1
Latest post: 2014/06/09 07:20AM, Views: 276, Posts: 1
wff0605
BILBAO, Spain -- Athletic Bilbao advanced to the final of the Copa del Rey with a 6-2 rout of Mirandes on Tuesday, bringing an emphatic end to the third-tier clubs historic run. Goals by Iker Muniain, Markel Susaeta and defender Jon Aurtenetxe had Bilbao up 3-0 by the 22nd minute as Mirandes was finally outclassed by a topflight club after having eliminated three straight to make the semifinals. Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente and Mirandes Aitor Blanco each netted twice in a free-scoring second half. Bilbao, which won the series 8-3 on aggregate, moves on to its 36th final appearance against the winner of the other series between Barcelona and Valencia. Only Real Madrid has made more finals with 37, while Bilbaos 23 cup titles only trail Barcelonas 25. "Its incredible to return to the final again, and we are all very happy," Llorente said. "We knew we had to go out focused and that we couldnt relax. "We dont care who we play in the final, we just want to win it." As it was the first time Mirandes played in Bilbaos San Mames stadium, both team captains participated in the tradition of paying homage to Bilbaos legendary striker Rafael "Pichichi" Moreno Aranzadi by laying a floral arrangement in front of his bust moments before kickoff. Mirandes had eliminated Villarreal, Racing Santander and Espanyol to become just the third club from below the second division to ever arrive this far in the competition. But the minnows hopes of overturning a 2-1 loss in the first leg and become the first third-division team to reach the final were soon crushed. Bilbaos fast-pace passing attack implanted by coach Marcelo Bielsa proved to be way too much to handle for the semiprofessional club, whose star, Pablo Infante, works in a bank during the day. The 19-year-old Muniain got Bilbao rolling in the 11th minute when he slotted a low shot beyond goalkeeper Nauzet Perez. Three minutes later Susaeta doubled the Basques advantage by finishing off a combination of four straight one-touch passes that left the midfielder unmarked to spin and fire in a left-footed strike. Susaeta then served up Bilbaos third goal in the 22nd when he crossed to the far post for Aurtenetxe to float a header over the helpless Nauzet. Instead of folding, Mirandes came out attacking after halftime and deservedly scored a consolation goal in the 57th when Blanco flicked in the ball after fellow defender Raul Garcia had hit the post. But just when Mirandes was showing some signs of how it had gotten this far in the tournament, Llorente floated an exquisite chip shot over Nauzet in the 71st, and four minutes later the Spain striker dove to tap in Oscar de Marcos cross for his 11th goal in the last eight games. "We came here believing in our chances," said Infante. "But we have seen a very strong Athletic." With the result beyond doubt, the final minutes saw various chances for both sides as defensive discipline evaporated. Blanco scored his second goal from close range in the 86th, and teammate Cesar Caneda gifted Bilbaos its final goal in the 88th when he redirected a cross into his own net. Even though it failed to reach the final, Mirandes could still find itself playing in next seasons Europa League as all three of the other semifinalists on course for a top-six finish in the Spanish league that would send them into European play. Barcelona holds a slim away-goal advantage from a 1-1 draw heading into Wednesdays second leg against Valencia. If the Catalans move on, it will set up a rematch of the 2009 final, which Barcelona won for the first trophy of the club-record 13 secured by coach Pep Guardiola. The final will be played on May 25 in Madrid. Coach Outlet . The Ukrainian picked up a fever on Sunday and he felt worse on Mondays rest day. RadioShack lost two key riders earlier in the race when Janez Brajkovic of Slovenia and Chris Horner of the U. Coach Factory Outlet . With England leading a tight game 1-0, Ukrainian striker Marko Devic saw his deflected shot cleared from the goal line by England defender John Terry. [url=http://www.official-coach-shop.com/]http://www.official-coach-shop.com/[/ur... . Jamess lawyer said his client -- "the most hated man in hockey" -- got a fair trial, but few seemed to agree that the sentence fit the crime. A spectator in the Winnipeg courtroom shouted "Yay!" then spat out a more colourful condemnation as James shook his lawyers hand and was led away in handcuffs to begin serving his sentence.INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts started and finished Tuesdays free agent binge by re-signing their own key players. In between, they added defensive lineman Arthur Jones -- and it may be just the start. On a busy first day of free agency for the big-spending Colts, the emphasis was clear: They need to get better on defence. "He is a rare talent at 25 years of age who is still ascending as a player," general manager Ryan Grigson said in a statement announcing the deal with Davis. "We are excited to see him reach new heights in his career and help us attain our ultimate goal." For the Colts, the splashy grand entrance into free agency is becoming an annual affair. Last year, Indianapolis signed five high-priced unrestricted free agents on Day 1. On Tuesday, they focused on keeping their own players, agreeing to a two-year deal with longtime kicker Adam Vinatieri in the morning and a four-year deal with Davis in the afternoon before re-signing running back Ahmad Bradshaw. But Indy couldnt even wait that long to get started. Last Thursday, the Colts signed former Browns linebacker DQwell Jackson to a four-year deal. The next day, they re-signed punter Pat McAfee to a new five-year deal. On Monday, the Colts announced they had re-signed two more of their own free agents, defensive end Fili Moala and linebacker Justin Hickman. Then came word of Vinatieris deal, which virtually assures the best clutch kicker in league history will remain the oldest player in the league in 2014 and 2015 and could make him a Colt for life. The 41-year-old Vinatieri said other teams were interested though the Colts were his first choice. "For me, as long as my bodys feeling healthy and I can continue to kick at a high level, I dont see why I cant continue to play on. I know Morten (Andersen) played until he was 47. I think Gary (Anderson) played until he was 46. I know Im 41 but in that sense, theres a handful of years left, not just two." Davis felt much the same way. After Miami traded Davis to Indy just before the 2012 season opener, the former first-round pick emerged as the Colts top cover cornerback. Most outsiders figured that with the price of cornerbacks rising considerably after Sam Shields signed a big deal with Green Bay and Brent Grrimes signed a big deal with Miami, Davis was as good as gone if he didnt re-sign before the free agent market opened Tuesday afternoon.dddddddddddd Not so. "My agent informed me that the Colts came in and we had an offer that we accepted," Davis said. "In reality, I didnt want to leave the Colts. I listened to other teams, but I wanted to get back (to Indy), so we made it work." Financial terms of the four deals were not immediately available. Indy also signed Jones, a 6-foot-3, 315-pound defensive end, who played his first two seasons in Baltimore when Colts coach Chuck Pagano was an assistant with the Ravens. Last season, Jones started a career high 13 games, finished with a career best 53 tackles and had four sacks. Hes big enough to play inside or outside in the Colts 3-4 front, but the Colts wanted Jones for more than just versatility. "He is an outstanding producer down after down versus the run and pass," Grigson said. "Hes a guy who plays at a championship level week after week and lays it on the line every time he steps out on the field. He is a great fit for our team." Jones is expected to undergo a team physical Wednesday. Bradshaw was off to a promising start last season after recovering from a foot injury, which led to his departure from the Giants. He rushed for 186 yards and two scores before injuring his neck in Week 3 against San Francisco in September. Bradshaw never returned from that injury and finished the season on injured reserve. Whats next for a team that started the day roughly $36 million under the $133 million salary cap is anybodys guess. The Colts are still looking to solidify their offensive line, especially after releasing starting centre Samson Satele late last week to save about $4 million. They could still use another pass rusher to help NFL sacks champion Robert Mathis; are likely still seeking a receiver to help Andrew Luck; and might now need a safety after losing two-time Pro Bowler Antoine Bethea to San Francisco. But what Indianapolis does have is stability. "If there wasnt a business side in football, I would still choose to go back to the Colts," Davis said. "When you go to the Colts, man, its something you hold with you for the rest of your life." ' ' '
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