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HARRISON, N. Jordy Nelson .J. -- With replacement referees handling the games, there was bound to be some controversy in Major League Soccer this season. It happened in Week 2. Vicente Sanchez scored on a penalty kick in the 72rd minute after a questionable decision by the substitute referee and the Colorado Rapids and new coach Pablo Mastroeni opened their season with a 1-1 tie with the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Substitute referee Alan Kelly awarded the penalty kick after defender Jamison Olave used his chest to knock a much smaller Marvin Chavez to the grass as he took a pass from Sanchez. "If its against you its a tough call," Mastroeni said. "If its for you, you are OK with it. I think referees are out of our control." The substitute referees are working the games because the Professional Referee Organization, which manages on-field officials for Major League Soccer, has locked out officials from the Professional Soccer Referees Association. The two sides have failed to reach agreement on a contract after the officials formed a union last year. Kelly told a pool reporter that Olave challenged Chavez from behind and initiated the contact, a decision that brought boos from the crowd of 20,542 at Red Bull Arena who earlier had thought that Thierry Henrys 57th-minute goal would be the winner. "I dont mean to be blunt, but in terms of the questions thats the straight forward answers I can give," Kelly said. Red Bulls coach Mike Petke didnt like the decision but he wasnt going to draw a fine from the league by criticizing it. "Listen, its the game," Petke said. "I mean what am I going to say about the penalty kick? Perhaps if the guy was Olaves size he would not have gone down like that. I dont know? Olave looked to step up and stand his ground and keep him in front of him and got him. The referee made a decision. Its unfortunate for us, fortunate for Colorado. You get away from it, move on from it." The 6-foot-3 and 210-pound Olave, who seemed shocked by the call, left the locker room and was not available for comment. Sanchez deposited the kick from the spot into the right corner of the net. Red Bulls keeper Luis Robles did not have a chance to stop it. "I spoke to the ref afterward and he said, He was too physical coming from behind him," Robles said. "I have to respect that." The Red Bulls, the defending Supporters Shield trophy winners, were trying to bounce back from a dismal season-opening performance in 4-1 loss at Vancouver last weekend. Henry, who did not play in the season opener because it was on an artificial surface, headed a brilliant crossing pass by Lloyd Sam under rookie goalkeeper John Berner. It was his 42nd goal for the Red Bulls, second on the career list behind Juan Pablo Angel (58). "There is no panic," Henry said about the slow start. "We have to go back to the film this week and do better because it obviously was not enough to win the game today." He had no comment on the referees decision. New York had two chances to win in the five minutes of injury time. Eric Alexander was wide with a shot in the box and Berner, who played last season at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, made a diving save on another header by Henry. "To say I wasnt on the edge of my seat of out, if not out of it, would be an understatement," said Mastroeni, who played 11-plus seasons with the Rapids and returned after last season with several club records, including most games played. "Thats the beauty of the game. It can all come down to the last minute, the last second, thats why its exciting." Robles had kept the Red Bulls in the game in the first half, making five saves, including a finger-tip stop on a 35-yard shot by Nick LaBrocca that caught the goalkeeper a little too far off his line. Mastroeni was named the Rapids head coach last week, replacing Oscar Pareja, who left in January to take the same job with his former club, FC Dallas. Mastroeni was in charge of the squad through the preseason. Authentic Packers Jersey . The International Ice Hockey Federation says Russia is looking for a new coach before the world championship in May in Belarus. The IIHF says Russian hockey federation officials agreed to Bilyaletdinovs departure after meeting with him on Wednesday. Brett Favre Packers Womens Jersey . PAUL, Minn.ORLANDO, Fla. -- At least one No. 5 stayed alive. Saint Louis, seeded fifth in the Midwest Region, worked five extra minutes Thursday night to avoid joining fellow No. 5s Cincinnati and Oklahoma in falling to 12th seeds in the NCAA tournament. The Billikens advanced by wiping out a late double-digit deficit and beating North Carolina State 83-80 in overtime. Rob Loe led the way with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Atlantic-10 Conference player of the year Jordair Jett overcame a slow start to score 18, doing most of his damage while Saint Louis (27-6) was escaping a 59-45 hole over the last five minutes of regulation. "We didnt want to end on that kind of note. We didnt want to bow out of the tournament this early," Loe said. "Were here to win, and were here to put our mark on basketball." With better free throw shooting, Saint Louis would have won without having to work overtime against a team playing its second game in three nights. No. 12 seed NC State (22-14) beat Xavier in an opening round game in Dayton, Ohio, and fatigue could have been a factor in the Wolfpack collapsing late and missing 17 attempts from the foul line. "Its heartbreaking. ... Obviously were going to always feel like we let one slip away," NC State coach Mark Gottfried said. " Its hard to explain. Were a good foul shooting team." T.J. Warren scored 28 points for NC State, but the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year made just six of his 14 free throw attempts. He missed one that could have tied it in the final minute of OT. Warren fouled out with 27.9 seconds remaining, leaving Ralston Turner to try to rescue the Wolfpack with a desperation 3-point attempt that clanked off the rim as time expired. Saint Louis, which staarts five seniors, moves on to play either fourth-seeded Louisville or No. Datone Jones Womens Jersey. 13 Manhattan Saturday. The Billikens did it despite trailing by as many as 16 and going 12 of 26 from the foul line. "They got us out of our game ... both defensively and offensively," Saint Louis coach Jim Crews said. "Early in the game Rob hit a couple threes to get us off to a good start, but we started settling for jump shots I thought maybe the first eight minutes of the game, and then we just werent getting back (defensively)." Warren scored at least 20 for the 19th consecutive game. Turner, who finished with 16, hit a jumper and three free throws during a 19-7 spurt that helped the Wolfpack open their biggest lead. Saint Louis whittled away at its deficit, eventually tying the game at 70 on Jetts driving layup with 18.8 seconds remaining. It went to overtime when point guard Tyler Lewis was unable to get the ball to Warren and missed an open 17-foot jumper at the buzzer. Saint Louis played its best basketball of the season during a 19-game winning streak, however the Billikens stumbled down the stretch and had lost four of five. North Carolina State, by contrast, surged late to earn a spot in the NCAA field. The Billikens won their opening game in the tournament each of the past two seasons before losing matchups against Michigan State in 2012 and Oregon a year ago. "We missed a ton of free throws tonight, and we missed some other opportunities both defensively and offensively, but I thought during the process it was pretty good," Crews said. "We were getting what we wanted to get, but we werent cashing in on it. I cant salute these guys enough in terms of how they just stayed with it." ' ' ' |
