Einsteigerforum » the refs. Brooklyn got within 14 with 2 minutes lef

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Erik Hurtado wanted to make sure his first start of the season for Vancouver wasnt his last, and he came through with the lone goal in the Whitecaps 1-0 victory against the Columbus Crew on Saturday. Not only was the 37th-minute strike the difference, it was also the second-year midfielders first Major League Soccer goal. "I dont know if it changes my confidence," Hurtado said. "Its a weight off my shoulder getting my first MLS goal. I know the team has faith in me. The coach has faith in me." The Whitecaps (4-2-4) have won two straight and extended their unbeaten streak to four games while also winning for the first time on the road this season. "It was a super match of football," Vancouver coach Carl Robinson said. "It was two teams that wanted to play." Robinson praised the effort of the struggling Crew (3-4-3) under first-year coach Gregg Berhalter. "Columbus plays the right way," he said. "I told Gregg that before the match. Columbus at home playing an attacking style, theyre not getting the breaks at the moment, as youve seen the last couple of games." While Columbus had 12 shots, Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted needed to make only two saves for his second shutout of the season. The Crew, who have not scored in 321 minutes, are 0-4-3 after winning its first three games. They were shutout for the third time in seven days after road losses to Sporting Kansas City and Houston. "The guys were running on fumes," Berhalter said. "You could see the difference, it was clear. (Vancouver) had a bunch of players running around that were fresh. We didnt have it physically." Hurtado, making in his fifth career start while appearing in his 22nd game, scored off a long ball by Ousted, who earned an assist. "I just tried to put it on his chest and luckily he made some magic out it," Ousted said. After taking the pass from Ousted, Hurtado dribbled left between three Crew players then unleashed a rising shot from 21 yards that settled in the upper left corner past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Steve Clark. "I chested it toward the goal," Hurtado said. "I got a little touch that set me up for the shot and kept my eye on the ball. I connected with it smoothly. "It hit my sweet spot right on my left foot. It felt good. When I saw it go past the keeper, I knew it was going under the crossbar." Columbus pushed for the equalizer at the onset of the second half only to see Ousted come up big, diving to his right to get a hand on a shot by Jimenez in the 48th minute. "The guys in front of me did really well, especially in the second half, blocking a lot of shots and clearing a lot of things," Ousted said. "It got hectic like it always does when you only have a one-goal lead. We handled it pretty well." Striker Omar Salgado, the Whitecaps first-ever draft pick in 2011, returned to the club after being loaned to the Charleston Battery (USL Pro) in March. He replaced Hurtado in the 74th minute for his first MLS game since October 2012, and nearly scored in the 88th minute. His breakaway chip shot over Clark rolled past the right post, however. The Whitecaps next play Wednesday at home against Toronto FC in the second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal. TFC won 2-1 on May 7. Air Jordan 1 Shoes From China . -- James Harden scored 31 points, including 25 in the second half, and the Houston Rockets dug out of a double-digit, first-half hole to beat the Orlando Magic 101-89 on Wednesday night. Discount Air Jordan 1 . - On the night Dirk Nowitzki overtook Dominique Wilkins on the career scoring list, Brandan Wright was a human highlight film all by himself. http://www.cheapairjordan1forsale.com/ . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Latvia won a four-man World Cup bobsled race Sunday, while the U. Real Air Jordan 1 Shoes Outlet .m. on Friday. Granger was acquired from the Indiana Pacers last Thursday for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen, but never played a minute for Philadelphia. The 76ers also received a 2015 second-round draft pick in the deal. Cheap Air Jordan 1 Shoes For Sale . The 31-year-old, a two-time CFL lineman of the year, was among the most coveted free agents on the market. The Windsor, Ont., native will be especially important to a team that has lost veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo to retirement and is expected to go with the less experienced Troy Smith and Tanner Marsh this season. NEW YORK -- New Yorks once faint, nearly unrealistic playoff hopes have become a real possibility. The Knicks intend to seize the opportunity and run with it. "We know what we want," Carmelo Anthony said. J.R. Smith had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Anthony added 23 points and 10 rebounds, and the Knicks beat the city rival Brooklyn Nets 110-81 Wednesday night to move percentage points ahead of Atlanta for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Knicks were 21-40 on March 3 after a seven-game skid and are still just 33-43. But they know that record gets wiped away if they can finish off this turnaround. "We want to get there. Thats the goal," Anthony said. "Despite this emotional season, this up-and-down season, I think it would be a big deal to get in that spot." Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 17 points a game after spraining his right ankle to help the Knicks win for the 12th time in 15 games, dominating a team that had the best record in the Eastern Conference since the new year. New York won its third straight. The Knicks made 24 of 36 shots in taking a 63-38 halftime lead in front of new president Phil Jackson, who wouldnt have much to fix if they looked like this more often. They finished at a season-high 60 per cent and outrebounded Brooklyn 41-23. "Our guys are hungry," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "Normally anybody that comes off the West Coast, when youve been out there for a while, that game coming back is normally a tough game, but our guys came out with energy and came out ready to play." Joe Johnson scored 16 points for the Nets, who had won three straight. A night after clinching a playoff berth by beating Houston, they were out of the game by the opening minutes of the second quarter. "It was very frustrating the way we got blown out," Johnson said. "For whatever reason, we had a few guys fighting and a few guys who wasnt fighting. If were not all on the same page, you get a lopsided score like that." In a game that both clubs need for different reasons, the Knicks were the more desperate team, taking a 2-1 lead in the season series. None of the games has been close, but botth have bigger concerns than city bragging rights, anyway.dddddddddddd The Knicks have almost no margin for error in a final seven-game stretch against playoff-bound opponents. They had no problem with the first one and will face the Nets one more time on April 15 on the second-to-last night of the season. Brooklyn is hoping for home-court advantage in the first round, but fell 2 1/2 games behind Toronto and Chicago for a spot. The Nets led 20-19 late in the first quarter, but Anthony had two baskets, Smith made a 3-pointer and found Hardaway for another at the buzzer as the Knicks scored the final 10 points for a 29-20 lead. Hardaway made another 3 to open the second and Iman Shumpert scored to make it a 15-0 run and give the Knicks a 34-20 advantage. Anthony had the first six points of an 8-0 burst that pushed it to 58-34 with 1:36 remaining in the half, and it was 63-38 at the break. The Nets were angry with the officiating, with Johnson picking up a technical foul at halftime and coach Jason Kidds assistants stepped in front of him as he tried to yell toward the refs. Brooklyn got within 14 with 2 minutes left in the third, but the Knicks, unveiling a small lineup that had Anthony as its centre, stretched their lead to 82-61 heading to the fourth. "They were the better team tonight," Kidd said. "Lose by one, lose by 100, its just a loss. We move on." Knicks guard Raymond Felton went the locker room early in the third quarter with bruised ribs and back after a hard landing while trying to grab an offensive rebound, but was able to return early in the fourth. NOTES: The Nets had won two in a row at Madison Square Garden. ... On World Autism Awareness Day, the Knicks honoured Tarrytown, N.Y., educator Virginia Campbell with this months Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award for her more than 18 years teaching and helping more than 100 autistic children. The award is named for Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, the first African-American to play for the Knicks. ... Referee Dick Bavetta was honoured before working his 2,633rd consecutive game assignment, an ironman streak even longer than the one compiled by baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. ' ' '