Dein erstes Forum » ast month is long gone. "The group is more solid

MONTREAL - After a devastating start to the season, Patrice Bernier would love to see the Montreal Impact head into the World Cup break on a high note. The Impact (2-6-4) host D.C. United tonight before a two-week respite from Major League Soccer, and Bernier says a tough defeat against third-place United (6-4-4) could hurt the teams morale, and undo much of their recent success. Watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. "You want to finish on a high, with positive emotions," the Impact midfielder said after practice this week. "We want to start the second half of the season with good energy, so its important to take points from a conference rival. We havent quite reached our full potential yet. We have to use everything weve done over the last few weeks, use that intensity, and finish with something to build on before the two-week break." After stumbling out to a horrible start, the tide may be turning for the Impact. While still at the bottom of the MLS standings, with only 10 points from 12 games, Montreal has strung together a few convincing performances in the last four weeks. The team has only lost once in its last six games (3-1-2) in all competitions, has posted consecutive clean sheets, and is unbeaten at home in its last three. The Impact havent conceded at Saputo Stadium in the last 206 minutes. Whats more, the Impact are flying high after taking home the Amway Canadian Championship last week, beating their Toronto FC rivals in the second leg of the final on home soil. "Its good to walk with your chest up a little, with broad shoulders and with more confidence," Impact coach Frank Klopas said of the teams newfound optimism. "But you have to stay level-headed and continue to work. We cant let anything get to our head. The attitude and the mentality have to be right — and then we can enjoy the break." Montreal is facing a consistent D.C. United club on a good stretch of their own. Ben Olsens men have only lost twice in their last 12 contests — both defeats coming in one-goal decisions on the road. D.C. is stingy at the back. Theyve conceded an MLS third-best 14 goals on the season — only Toronto (13) and Los Angeles (11) have surrendered less. Goalie Bill Hamid has only been beaten three times in his last six games. And like the Impact, United have recorded back-to-back clean sheets. At the other end of the pitch, Fabian Espindola is playing equally well. The Argentine striker, who has scored in three consecutive contests, leads the team in almost every offensive category. He has seven goals, five assists, 34 shots, and 14 shots on target so far this season. "They have a team where if we lose our concentration or focus at any moment, it can hurt you," said Klopas. "They have a lot of talented players in the final third that can create problems. We cannot lose our focus. "Its a tricky game because you cant be thinking about the break. Weve worked so hard that we cannot relax right now. The attitude has to be the way its been in the last couple of games. If we dont, were going to make it very difficult on ourselves." Klopass men seemed to lose their focus the last time these two teams met on May 17, settling for the 1-1 draw after conceding late to DCUs Eddie Johnson. The Impact took the lead in the 56th minute courtesy of Jack McInerney, but coughed it up five minutes from time. Montreals lax defending allowed Espindola to send a cross in the penalty box to a loosely-covered Johnson, who headed it home. Wary of a similar outcome, Klopas made sure his team focused on their box defending in training on Monday. Bernier says the Impact squad that blew the lead at RFK Stadium last month is long gone. "The group is more solid in defence," he said. "We arent giving up many chances. Up front, were creating chances and were winning tight games. Were more confident and better organized now. Were working better as a team. Were giving up fewer freebies than we did at the start of the season." The Impact could be without the services of midfielder Justin Mapp, who hurt his groin in the Canadian Championship final. Mapp, who played three games with D.C. United in 2002, didnt practise with his teammates on Monday, instead doing various strength exercises along the sidelines. Officially match fit for the first time in more than six months, Spanish defender Adrian Lopez was on the pitch practising with the team. Lopez tore his right ACL in September and underwent surgery the following month. Although he is cleared by the team doctors, he will likely make his first appearance for the club after the two-week break. Notes: D.C. United are one point off the Eastern Conference lead. … Montreal and D.C. have split their six all-time meetings (2-2-2). … Newly-acquired Mamadou Danso could make his Impact debut on Wednesday. … Espindola missed a penalty kick deep into stoppage time against Columbus on Saturday. The goal would surely have given D.C. a 1-0 victory. … McInerney has four career goals versus DCU. … The two teams meet up one final time when they wrap up their MLS seasons on Oct. 25. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jersey . TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie tweeted on Monday that Hemsky will be going to market as an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys . -- Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer, Colby Rasmus drove in two runs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Detroit Tigers 9-4 on Saturday. http://www.nbabucksproshop.com/Authentic...n-Bucks-Jersey/. -- Theres something about playing on Orlandos floor lately that seems to bring out the best in the Dallas Mavericks. D. J. Wilson Jersey . Raonic, the No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., had 18 aces in the match. He needed one hour 39 minutes to complete the victory. Thon Maker Jersey . Dallas also Monday recalled defenceman Aaron Rome from his conditioning assignment with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League and assigned goaltender Jack Campbell to the AHL squad.WASHINGTON -- With an emphasis on defence, Paul George, Roy Hibbert and the rest of the Indiana Pacers are suddenly performing the way they did at the start of the season. And they dont care how ugly the product might look. Playing precisely the way they did to earn the No. 1 seed -- before a late-season swoon -- the Pacers held the Wizards to a franchise-low scoring total Friday night to win 85-63 and take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series. "Listen, we dont worry about if were looking good for TV. The other teams can do that, can fill that void with fancy basketball. We dont worry about that," Indiana forward David West said. "Were OK with this. We can win games in the 80s." Set aside Georges 23 points, and neither team looked good on offence. Not at all. It was 17-all after the first quarter, and the Pacers led 34-33 at halftime, only the 13th time teams combined for 67 or fewer points in a playoff game in the shot-clock era, according to STATS. After allowing 102 points in Washingtons Game 1 victory, Indiana has won two in a row, including holding the Wizards to 82 in Game 2. Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Sunday night in Washington. "This was probably the ugliest game of the post-season thus far. This is our style of basketball," said George, who helped limit Bradley Beal to 6-for-19 shooting. "Thats what we do. Whether you like it or not, are a fan of watching our games or not, defence is what we hang our hats on." Washington made only 24 field goals, a team post-season worst, on 73 attempts, 32.9 per cent. That included 4 of 16 on 3s, and it didnt get much better on free throws, where the Wizards were 11 of 21. "A clunker," Wizards coach Randy Wittman called it. The Wizards never had scored fewer than 75 points in a playoff game -- the previous low came in a first-round series-ending victory against Chicago 1 1/2 weeks ago -- or fewer than 64 in a regular-season game. The 63 points also matched the fourth-lowest total by any club since 1954-55, according to STATS. "They took us out of our comfort zone offensively," Wizards forward Drew Gooden said. "We were overly confident. ... This is a humbling expperience for us.dddddddddddd" So much for the bandwagon-hopping in Washington. There were boos on occasion, and most of the fans started heading to the exits after Georges 3 with 3 1/2 minutes left made it 75-58. The 7-foot-2 Hibbert was again a factor for Indiana at both ends, coming up with three blocks and forcing Washingtons players to alter other shots. He also contributed 14 points and five rebounds. Before tip-off Friday, Pacers coach Frank Vogel was asked if he sensed which version of Hibbert would show up -- the zero-point, zero-rebound disaster of Game 1 or the 28-point, nine-rebound dominator of Game 2. Vogels reply, offered with a smile: "Probably somewhere in the middle of Game 1 and Game 2." Turned out to be exactly right. "In the past two games," George said about the All-Star centre, "hes been great at just defending our basket." Beals perspective? "Im 6-3, 6-4. Hes 7-2," Beal said. "So you do the math." John Wall, Washingtons point guard, had five turnovers in his previous four games, but he had seven Friday, to go along with 15 points and six assists. Trevor Ariza had 12 points, but zero in the second half. Marcin Gortat scored four points one game after having 21. And Nene had eight points on 3-of-14 shooting and only three rebounds. "Johns got to go out and play aggressive," Wittman said. "I thought he had some indecision in transition -- Do I go? Do I dont go? -- which gets you caught up in the air and some turnovers that way." Washingtons woes shouldnt have been too surprising, given that the Pacers ranked No. 2 in the 30-team NBA in team defence during the regular season, allowing only 92.3 points per game. Not only that, but Washingtons two lowest-scoring games all season -- 66 points in one, 73 in the other -- came in losses to Indiana. And now that version of the Pacers might be back. "It feels like it," George said. "Gradually, were taking baby steps." NOTES: Pacers F Luis Scola was called for a technical foul for shoving Martell Webster in the back as the ball went out of bounds early in the second quarter. ... NBA Commissioner Adam Silver attended the game. 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