CARSON, Calif. -- Laurent Courtois scored an early goal and the Los Angeles Galaxy beat El Salvadors Isidro Metapan 1-0 Wednesday night to take command of their group in the CONCACAF Champions League. Courtois scored in the sixth minute from a Jose Villarreal pass. The Galaxy (2-0-0) -- playing in a rare 4-3-3 formation, at least when on attack -- posted their second shutout in the competition to pull ahead of Costa Ricas Cartagines (1-1-1) atop Group 8. Los Angeles will reach next years quarterfinals with a draw or victory next week at Cartagines. Metapan (0-2-1), which will be home against Los Angeles on Oct. 24, was eliminated from contention. "Weve played much better this year as a team and lost games," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "And this competition, its about advancing, and tonight the most important aspect of this game was getting three points, and that was accomplished. So were in good position to advance -- we still have to earn a point, at least, to advance, so weve got a lot of work ahead." Arena, looking ahead to Saturdays MLS showdown with the Seattle Sounders, included only a half-dozen regular starters on his 18-man game roster, and all began the game on the bench. The Galaxy were sloppy and Metapans lack of precision up top was helpful. "Were leaving here satisfied with the result, because our players did everything they could on the field," Metapan manager Jorge Rodriguez said. "Not everybody can create chances against the Galaxy." Courtois, a 35-year-old Frenchman that Los Angeles picked up in July from cross-stadium rival Chivas USA, scored his first Galaxy goal in the sixth minute. Villarreal took a throw-in from Greg Cochrane on the left wing next to Metapans box and dropped the ball back and into the box for Courtois, who curled a shot just inside the far post. Metapan goalkeeper Henry Hernandez made leaping saves on Courtois in the 19th minute, Chandler Hoffman in the 32nd and Villarreal in the 53rd. Los Caleros had several opportunities, but Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe made a diving stop on a Jose Peraza shot in the 17th minute and defender Kofi Opare halted a Nicolas Munoz breakaway just inside Los Angeles box in the 83rd. . The 42-ranked Czech saved seven break points while converting his one chance, and defeated the No. 3 seed in 1 hour 46 minutes. Rosol, who lost in the final in Stuttgart against Roberto Bautista Agut on Sunday, awaits the winner between Philipp Kohlschreiber or 2011 champion Gilles Simon. .C. -- Jackson Whistle made 26 saves for his first shutout of the season as the Kelowna Rockets blanked the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-0 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action.
http://www.49ersofficialfanshop.com/mit ... sey.html.K. Subban and Matt Duchene will be the two skaters sitting out the teams opening game. . New York Red Bulls. TSN primes Vancouver fans for the start of the 2014 season with MLS on TSN: Season Preview Special airing tonight at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt on TSN2 (encore Friday at 3:30pm et/12:30pm pt on TSN2). . LeBron James leads the Miami Heat in a quest for three consecutive championship titles, while Tim Duncan looks to add his fifth ring with the San Antonio Spurs when the series tips off with Game 1: Miami @ San Antonio on Thursday, June 5 at 9 p.(SportsNetwork.com) - After going winless in October, the Carolina Hurricanes are hoping to find more success in the second month of the 2014-15 season. The Hurricanes will shoot for the win column once again when they host the Arizona Coyotes in Saturdays battle at PNC Arena. Carolina has opened the season on an 0-6-2 slide and recently ended a five- game road trip with four consecutive regulation losses. The Canes were outscored by a 20-6 margin over the course of the road trip and picked up their lone point of the swing in a 2-1 shootout loss to the New York Rangers on Oct. 16. The good news is Carolina should be well-rested for tonights tilt, having been idle since dropping Tuesdays 4-1 decision in Vancouver. The time off will allow forwards Patrick Dwyer and Nathan Gerbe to return from lower-body injuries. Dwyer has been out since Oct. 11, while Gerbe hasnt played since Oct. 16. The return of Dwyer and Gerbe, however, is not good news for Canes forward Alexander Semin, who expects to be a healthy scratch on Saturday. Semin, a 22- goal scorer last season, has two assists through eight games this season and he was benched for a large part of the third period on Tuesday after taking an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Hed played enough, coach Bill Peters told NHL.com after the game. I dont think we need to take undisciplined penalties when we are trying to dig out of a hole, right? Youre in a hole. Quit digging. Jiri Tlusty scored the only goaal in Tuesdays loss against the Canucks, while Cam Ward was tagged for three goals on 24 shots.dddddddddddd We werent good enough in any area, and the result is a 4-1 loss, Peters said. Arizona gives the Hurricanes a good opportunity to pick up win No. 1, as the Coyotes enter Saturday with losses in five of their last six games. Dave Tippetts club also has yet to win in four road games this season and is 0-2 at the start of a four-game trek. The Coyotes were slammed 7-3 by the Tampa Bay Lightning to open the trip on Tuesday and then dropped a 2-1 decision two nights later against Florida. Former Coyotes forward Scottie Upshall notched the game-winning goal on Thursday, as he came out of the penalty box with 9:04 remaining in regulation and beat Mike Smith on the ensuing breakaway. It was Arizonas first regulation loss to the Panthers since Feb. 10, 2007. Smith made 24 saves for an Arizona club that fell to 1-4-1 over its past six games. Martin Hanzal scored his teams lone goal Thursday, converting on the power play late in the first period. Our execution has to improve, Tippett said. Carolina has won four of the last seven overall meetings versus the Coyotes, but Arizona has won three straight and five of the past six encounters at PNC Arena. Smith has started seven of Arizonas nine games this season, but he could get a breather this weekend from backup Devan Dubnyk. The Coyotes are also playing Sunday against Washington. ' ' '
