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CHESTER, Pa. Justin Britt . -- The Vancouver Whitecaps hoped to hit the World Cup break on a high note. It didnt go quite as planned as the Whitecaps conceded a two goal halftime lead to finish 3-3 with the Philadelphia Union in a thrilling game at PPL Park. Vancouver showed fight with the late equalizer, pushing their unbeaten streak to seven games and finishing the first half of the season with road points in back-to-back weeks. "We managed to take our chances," said Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson. "I think the two goals we scored in the first half were from some excellent football, which is something Im trying to instill in the club. The second half, I think we went away from what we were doing very well in the first half." Robinson made three changes to the side that beat Portland 4-3 last week, starting Russell Teibert and Nicolas Mezquida in place of Kekutah Manneh and Sebastian Fernandez. Andy OBrien was given a rest as Johnny Leveron took his place at centre back. The first good chance of the game fell to Philadelphia in the 10th minute. Cristian Maidanas in-swinging cornerkick met the head of Conor Casey, who flicked on to captain Amobi Okugo. The ball was slightly behind and the centre back could only head over the crossbar. It was the Whitecaps, though, who started the scoring. Collecting the ball with space from 30 yards out, Teibert found Nigel Reo-Coker streaking forward from his right back position. The Englishmans one-touch cross found the head of Erik Hurtado, who placed a perfect header downward and into the corner for his fifth consecutive goal in all competitions. But the Whitecaps were forced to make a change in the 24th minute, with OBrien coming in for the injured Jay Demerit. The Vancouver captain felt soreness in his previously-injured left foot and was forced out of the game. He walked to the team bus on crutches. The Whitecaps then got a second goal in 42nd minute, this one from a counterattack. Sequential passing from Pedro Morales to Reo-Coker got Hurtado into space on the right. Cutting to his right, he was able to play a short diagonal for Mezquida, who slammed it home from point-blank range. In the second half, Vancouver survived a scare in the 51st minute when Philadelphia hit the post. Looping a loose ball back into the box, Vincent Nogueiras pass went over Danny Cruzs head, bounced in front of OBrien, and fell to Maurice Edu. The Union midfielder was turned around, and the ball somehow caromed off the woodwork and out of the danger zone. Philadelphia would then score three goals in eight minutes. The Union got a goal back in the 63rd minute through the active Casey. It was Fabinhos ball that put Maidana into space on the left side, and the Argentines cross was met by a diving header that hit the post and rolled into the back of the net. It didnt take long for substitute Sebastien Le Toux to make an impact, as he found the next goal in the 68th minute. Again the attack came down the left, with Maidana pushing the ball into space for Nogueira to collect. The midfielder got his head up and played a left footed square ball for the oncoming Le Toux, who finished calmly into the back of the net. The Union went ahead just two minutes later, on Caseys second goal of the game. This time the forward got the ball outside the penalty area, was left unchallenged, and hit a low drive into the bottom right corner. Vancouver countered with a 74th minute substitution, bringing Darren Mattocks in for Matias Laba. That sub would pay off, when the Jamaican forward earned a penalty kick for the Whitecaps just six minutes later. Latching onto a deep ball in the left channel, Mattocks charged into the penalty area and was brought down by goalkeeper Zac MacMath. Morales stepped up and converted the spot kick to level the game 3-3. "Its a good point away from home," said Reo-Coker. "That game had everything in it. We were fantastic in the first half and played some great football. Second half, they were the better team. To go down 3-2 away from home and get it to 3-3, its a good result. "Were disappointed in the way we conceded some goals and weve let teams back (into games), but overall weve got to say its a good point away from home." Vancouver enters the 18-day World Cup break with 21 points and a 5-2-6 record. "We do feel happy with where we are going (into the break)," Hurtado said. "Obviously were disappointed with (giving up the lead), but it just shows the character of our team. We want to win away, just as much as we want to win at home. Were going to look at that when we come back from our break. Were not going to take a physical break, just a little mental break. Were going to come back fit and ready to go." Max Unger . So on Friday, they went to work. The two-time Eastern Conference runner-ups announced they had signed three free agents -- backup big man Lavoy Allen, swingman C. Terrelle Pryor Jerseys . - The Oakland Raiders have signed quarterback Trent Edwards and defensive tackles David Carter and Torell Troup to reserve/future contracts.AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Indiana Pacers lost six of their first nine games last season -- and they seem intent on making up for that in 2013. "We just want play well and get out of the gates," centre Roy Hibbert said. "Were an experienced team and we know every wins important." Paul George scored 31 points, and the Pacers remained the NBAs only unbeaten team with a 99-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. Indiana matched its best start in franchise history. The Pacers are 4-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 season. Indiana blew a 15-point lead in the first half but took control again with a strong third quarter. C.J. Watson had 15 points and David West finished with 12 for the Pacers. Hibbert had eight points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks. Indiana will try to extend its unbeaten run Wednesday night against Chicago. "It would be a big win, a huge confidence booster," George said. "But its no statement. The seasons still early." Brandon Jennings scored 17 points for the Pistons, who were done in by their 5-for-25 shooting from 3-point range. Detroit led 44-40 early in the third quarter before the Pacers went on a 15-2 run capped by an alley-oop to George. He scored 14 points in the quarter, and Indiana led 74-63 entering the fourth. "Our starters disposition and attitude and energy took the game back over," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "We were able to ride it out." Detroit cut the deficit to four early in the final period, but Indiana responded with six straight points to lead 82-72. The Pacers stretched the lead to 19 at 94-75 before the Pistons rallied in the final minutes to make the final score more respectable. It was 96-91 after Detroits Kyle Singler made two free throws with 32.6 seconds left, but the Pacers broke Detroits pressure and the Pistons didnt foul. West made a layup with 16.6 seconds left. The Pacers have won six straight over the Pistons, and the previous three wins had been lopsided, by 19, 32 and 18 poiints. Shaun Alexander. The Pacers were without George Hill (sore left hip) for a second straight game, and Danny Granger is still out with a strained left calf, but they havent allowed an opponent to shoot better than 40 per cent from the field. Detroit finished at 38 per cent and could not overcome its poor showing from the perimeter. "They were aggressive, and we didnt respond," Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks said. "The paint was packed in, but we still have to attack the basket and either make shots or get to the line. Its a lot easier to do that when you are hitting shots from the perimeter, but you still have to do it." Greg Monroe had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons. "They have monster size and great guards -- very proud of the effort," Vogel said. "Paul George did everything I asked him to do -- everything you could possibly ask a player to do tonight." George made his first five shots and finished the first quarter with 12 points, helping the Pacers to a 29-14 lead. Then they were outscored 27-9 in the second. "We had to just get back to sharing the ball," George said. "We were making a lot of one-on-one plays. We were getting really pressured out up top and just not getting into our offence." Jennings, acquired in an off-season trade, made his first start for the Pistons in his second game with his new team. He was injured for the first two games of the season, and Detroit looked out of sorts offensively Tuesday. Josh Smith, another new acquisition this season for Detroit, scored 16 points but shot 5 of 16. He went 1 of 6 from beyond the arc. "Thats a team that has been together for a number of years, and were still getting to know each other," Smith said. "Thats important, but we still have to do a better job than we did." NOTES: Indiana also started 4-0 in 1989-90, according to STATS. ... Detroits starting backcourt of Jennings and Chauncey Billups went 8 for 25, including 1 of 9 from 3-point range. ' ' ' |
