ITPV » nerney. "The team last year might have crumbled

VANCOUVER - Anxiety filled the room as members of the Canadian womens soccer team gathered to watch the World Cup draw on TV.All that unease was washed away as soon as they were matched against a familiar opponent.Players clapped and cheered Saturday when Canada was drawn into a group that includes New Zealand, a country that head coach John Herdman led to the last two World Cups before assuming his current post.It just adds that little bit of bite to the game, said midfielder Sophie Schmidt. Theres so much more pressure associated with it. I think for John it will be that extra challenge. It drives us to want to perform because it means so much to him.Its nice to have that added little bonus backstory.The players burst into laughter when cameras immediately panned to Herdman, who was in attendance for the draw in Gatineau, Que.I think its exiting for everyone, not only John, said midfielder Kaylyn Kyle. Were just really looking forward to it.Canada will meet New Zealand on June 11 in Edmonton after opening the tournament versus China in the Alberta capital five days earlier. Canadas other group game is against the Netherlands on June 15 in Montreal.Herdman said his only regret was that Canada and New Zealand wont meet in the first game of the tournament.Theres only two groups of women Ive coached in my career and its that New Zealand team and that Canadian team, said the Englishman. New Zealand, I know those players, I know that team, Ive watched them evolve.Their teams peaking in their average age. Theyre actually at their peak now, so if any tournament theyre going to be successful it will be this one — but not at our expense.Herdman has been in charge of Canada since 2011 following a miserable performance at the World Cup, and led the team to a memorable bronze-medal finish at the London Olympics just a year later.New Zealand head coach Tony Readings knows Herdman from their time together with that countrys national program and said they shared a chuckle about the draw.We spoke about it before, said Readings, who was also in Gatineau. We said it was meant to be that we would play against each other in the group. He said, I told you so. Were looking forward to it. It will be a great game.I know him well. I know some of his tactics. Im sure I dont know them all, but he doesnt know all of ours.Canada is currently ranked eighth in the world, followed by China (No. 14), the Netherlands (No. 15) and New Zealand (No. 19).While there was a lot of talk about the game against Herdmans old team, Canadian defender Rhian Wilkinson said the focus has to be on all three matches in Group A.I think it will be a bit of an emotional game for (Herdman), she said. For us its just the second team well be playing.Added Kyle: There will be just as much prep for the New Zealand game as there will be for China and the Netherlands.For the Canadian players, Saturdays draw came as somewhat of a relief, as well as another big step towards a tournament that is now only six months away.Im just excited to have it done with. Its exciting to know who we have now, said Wilkinson. Weve talked about Canada 2015. Weve talked about this tournament coming and now all of a sudden its right around the corner and this draw is really what cements it.Its game on.———Follow @JClipperton_CP on Twitter. Air Max 90 Clearance Sale .C. -- The Carolina Panthers announced Thursday theyve signed free agent wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery to a two-year contract, helping rebuild a depleted wide receiving corps. Air Max 90 Clearance . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. http://www.airmax90clearance.com/ . The 18-time champions, who havent won the title since 1990, moved two points behind Arsenal after the leaders were stunned 6-3 at Manchester City on Saturday. Defending champion Manchester United trails Arsenal by 10 points after winning 3-0 at Aston Villa to avoid a third successive league loss. Cheap Air Max 90 . -- Each time the Utah Jazz threatened Memphis lead, the Grizzlies responded with defensive stops. Cheap Air Max 90 Wholesale . The Missouri Tigers Defensive End and SEC Defensive player of the year is eligible for the upcoming NFL draft in May.COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus Crew midfielder Bernardo Anor said his first goal off a set piece was one that had been run over and over again in practice. His second wasnt the kind that can be duplicated in training. Anors brilliant 35-yard strike at the end of the first half proved to be the difference in Columbus 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union Saturday in the Crews home opener. "Thats what the games all about," he said of the score that gave him his first multi-goal game of his career. "Its something you dont practice very often. I was fortunate to score the goal." Anor previously had six goals in 45 games, including four in 20 games last season. Columbus won the first two games of the season for the first time in its 19-year history while the Union fell to 1-1-1. Leonardo Fernandes scored in the 62nd minute for Philadelphia to cut the deficit, but the first-half struggles were too much to overcome and Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark made late saves on Fernandes and Jack McInerney. "The team last year might have crumbled a bit,," Union goalkeeper Zac McMath said.dddddddddddd"We came back and deserved a tie, if not a win." Anor gave the Crew a 2-0 lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. The goal was set up when Wil Trapp created a turnover at midfield and poked the ball ahead to Anor for the quick strike. "Our philosophy is to try and win the ball back as soon as possible," Trapp said. "I stepped into the lane and Bernardo had a beautiful strike. I was lucky to get an assist. He was the one that did all the work." Columbus used its first corner kick to take the lead. Federico Higuain whipped the ball from the right to Anor, who was unmarked at the edge of the goal box. Anor had waited for several of his teammates to make runs through the box to draw attention. Anor was the trailer and Higuain laced a perfect ball that Anor headed down into the goal. "We lost our man," Union coach John Hackworth said. "We should have had an easy clearance on the goal, too. Neither one of those should have happened." ' ' '