Spiele (alles andere) » acquired to start in place of Clemmings or sim

SALVADOR, Brazil -- Neymar and Mario Balotelli will be attracting most of the attention when Brazil and Italy play to decide the Group A winner at the Confederations Cup on Saturday. The strikers are two of the tournaments biggest stars and have played up to expectations so far, scoring two goals each in the first two matches. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said Friday it will be "nice to see them together" when the teams play in the northeastern city of Salvador. Brazil and Italy have already secured a spot in the next round. The group winner will probably avoid Spain in the semifinals of the warm-up tournament, although both coaches are downplaying the significance of delaying a matchup against the World Cup champions. There was a lot of hype surrounding Neymar and Balotelli ahead of the Confederations Cup, and they have been decisive for their national teams so far. Balotelli scored a remarkable winner when Italy defeated Mexico 2-1 in its opener last Sunday, then converted a penalty kick that helped the Italians edge Japan 4-3 on Wednesday. "Balotelli is a great player and he has been showing his qualities when plays for the Italian national team," Brazil defender Daniel Alves said. "We will need to stay on alert the entire match to be able to defend well against him." Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari also loudly praised the Italian striker. "He is a very good player, very good," Scolari said. "We are preparing ourselves to play against him, we need our defenders to be on alert. He is extraordinary, I would love to have him playing with us here in Brazil." Neymar netted an outstanding goal from outside the area to open the scoring in Brazils 3-0 rout of Japan in the tournaments opening match last Saturday, then had another remarkable strike to put the hosts on the board first in the 2-0 victory over Mexico on Wednesday. The newly signed Barcelona forward also set up the second goal against Mexico after a nifty move past two Mexican defenders inside the area. "The problem with Neymar, as with all great players, is that you cant stop him just by marking well," Prandelli said. "You need to do a good job limiting the spaces." Neymar said he became friends with Balotelli after Brazil played Italy to a 2-2 draw in a friendly in Geneva earlier this year. Brazilian media even reported that the players are planning to travel together in Brazil after the end of the competition. "Im a fan of Balotelli," Neymar said recently. "He is one of the greatest in the world. Ive always watched him play. He is a great person and Ive always admired his moves." Brazil and Italy have won nine World Cup titles together. Two of the five Brazilian titles came in finals against the Italians -- in 1970 and 1994. Friday marked 43 years of the 1970 World Cup title. "Its a classic in world football," Brazil midfielder Hernanes said. "These are two of the most traditional national teams in the world. Its always a match with a lot involved, with a lot of tradition." Brazil and Italy are tied with six points atop Group A, but the hosts are ahead on goal difference and can secure first place with a draw on Saturday. Italy has to beat Brazil to likely avoid Spain, which is leading Group B. "We are not thinking about Spain at all," Prandelli said. "If we have to play Spain, we will talk about it later." Although Neymar and Balotelli are set to start on Saturday, both teams will be without key players for the match at the Arena Fonte Nova. Italy will miss star midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who is nursing a strained right leg muscle, adding to Prandellis problems in midfield. The coach also wont be able to count on Daniele De Rossi, who is suspended after receiving two yellow cards. Scolari will be without defensive midfielder Paulinho because of a left ankle sprain sustained in the match against Mexico. Doctors said the injury is not serious but the player will be left out so he can fully recover ahead of the semifinals. Chelsea defender David Luiz sustained what the Brazilian federation called a "minor fracture" in his nose after being hit in the face against Mexico, but he is set to play on Saturday despite the injury. Scolari said he may replace Daniel Alves and captain Thiago Silva because they already have received yellow cards, and theres also a possibility the coach will rest playmaker Oscar, who has played a lot with Chelsea this season. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. Penguins Jerseys 2019 . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. Pittsburgh Penguins Store . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Penguins Jerseys China . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Jake Long was just waiting for that call from an NFL team, confident his right knee was healthy again and thus frustrated to be out of action.The Minnesota Vikings, with both a former coach and quarterback of Longs as a bonus, finally checked in on the other end of the line.I know the type of player that I am, and Ive still got a lot of football left, Long said Tuesday after his first practice with the team, taking most of his turns at left tackle.It was frustrating, but like I said, I kept my head down, rehabbed, worked out every single day and knew a call would come eventually, and it finally did.Minnesota also placed right tackle Andre Smith on injured reserve, with surgery required on his damaged right triceps. Left tackle Matt Kalil is already on injured reserve following surgery on his right hip, and T.J. Clemmings has had his struggles filling in. Jeremiah Sirles has taken over for Smith.Right guard Brandon Fusco was held out of practice on Tuesday, too, before the players left for their bye week. He left the 31-13 victory over Houston on Sunday with a concussion and was replaced by Zac Kerin.Mike Harris, who started last season at right guard and filled in at right tackle the season before, has also been unable to play because of an unspecified medical condition, and general manager Rick Spielman said the Vikings dont anticipate hell play again.So the Vikings badly needed some help, and the 31-year-old Long was a natural fit as a four-time Pro Bowl pick and All-Pro selection in 2010.With 10 players on injured reserve, totaling almost $33 million in space under their now-tight salary cap, the Vikings had to make a few adjustments to make Longs deal fit with a little magic wand, Spielman joked.Were pretty much strapped against the cap right now, Spielman said.The first overall pick in the 2008 draft out of Miichigan, Long played his first five NFL seasons for Miami.dddddddddddd The first four were under coach Tony Sparano, who is now offensive line coach in Minnesota. Then Long signed with St. Louis, where he spent two years with quarterback Sam Bradford, whos now running the offense for the Vikings.Long and Bradford tore their ACLs in both 2013 and 2014, ruining consecutive seasons for each of them. Long was released and eventually signed with Atlanta, for whom he appeared in four games as a reserve last season. Bradford was traded to Philadelphia last season and then to Minnesota last month.My body feels great right now, Long said. Honestly, this is the best Ive felt in a long time. Im about two years out from my ACL, so really had time to heal. My whole bodys had time to heal. I feel great.Asked whether Long was acquired to start in place of Clemmings or simply add depth, Spielman declined to answer.That part takes care of itself once they get in here, and then as the coaches work with them, as they learn the offense, just like when Sam came in here, Spielman said.And then, we get to evaluate them as we go through the practices. I dont know how itll turn out. I just know that he was the best option we felt strongly about to bring and get him in the fold after we lost Andre.The concepts and terminology under offensive coordinator Norv Turner will be new, but the blocking scheme with Sparano will be familiar for Long.Luckily weve got the bye week, Long said, and I can really get in the playbook and spend some time with him and learn everything.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---AP freelance writer Brian Hall contributed to this report. ' ' '