Regeln » g pitch.After also criticizing Barkley this season for

RIO DE JANEIRO -- There was no question coming into the Olympics that the U.S. womens basketball team could score.With the offense struggling at points Friday for the first time, the Americans turned up their defensive effort to dispatch Canada.Maya Moore scored 12 points and the U.S. clinched the top seed in the group with an 81-51 win over its northern neighbors.I think we played really hard today on defense, guard Sue Bird said. Everyones been talking about our offense, but its been our defense that has been the most consistent. Tonight was a good example of that. It wasnt that we couldnt score, but we just werent scoring at the rate you saw in the first three games. It was our defense that was there for us to rely on.The Americans (4-0) had been scoring at a record pace, topping 100 points in each of their first three contests -- the first time a teams done that at the Olympics. But they couldnt get into an offensive rhythm for the first 20 minutes against Canada.The U.S. was out of sync, throwing the ball away on fast breaks and missing open shots. Canada, which already had sealed a berth in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Olympics, wasnt intimidated. The teams had played an exhibition game before the Olympics started and Canada lost by 40, never recovering from a slow start.It was the U.S. that struggled early in this one. The Americans only scored 18 points in the first quarter, their lowest scoring output in any period in Rio. Canada only trailed 18-16. Thats when the U.S. turned up its defense. For nearly 10 minutes, the Americans held Canada without a basket and slowly extended their advantage.Canada got its only bucket in the second quarter on a three-point play by Nirra Fields with 39 seconds left in the period and the U.S. led 36-22 at the half. Coach Geno Auriemma said the team did nothing special during that stretch other than just play hard defensively.Our defensive effort was great, said Moore, who scored all of her points in the first half.Diana Taurasi helped the U.S. get some separation against Canada. She hit two 3-pointers in a row to start an 8-0 run that gave the Americans their first 20-point lead of the contest. She now has 18 in the Olympics, breaking her own team record of 15 set in 2012.Canada could only get within 15 the rest of the way. Miranda Ayim scored eight to lead the Canadians.Despite the loss, Canada (3-1) has already won more games than in any other Olympics. The Canadians hope to win the countrys first medal in the sport. They finish pool play Sunday against Spain, trying to secure second place in the group.Its huge, were here to make history, Fields said. We already made history and our goal is to really just medal. Finish the highest we can. Playing against Spain is a very important game and well be ready for it.The victory was the Americans 45th straight in the Olympics. They are halfway to a sixth consecutive gold medal.While the U.S. roster is stacked with some of the greatest players in UConns storied history, including Moore, Canada has its own Husky in Nurse, who will begin her junior year at Connecticut this fall. Nurse came into the game leading the team in scoring, but had a rough contest against the U.S. and her college coach Auriemma. She scored just three points, missing eight of her nine shots.Nurses game probably could be summed up in one play: She had the ball stripped by Moore near the top of the key and then chased the former UConn great down the court as Moore converted a layup.We all have those moments, kind of welcome to the next level moments. I had them, shell have them, Moore said. And then when shes in my position, shell be giving it to the next generation. So, its one play. We all have to get our pockets picked. But I was trying to be aggressive. Im sure itll be something she uses for the next game.In other games on Friday, Serbia won its first contest ever in the Olympics, beating China 80-72. A victory over Senegal on Sunday would advance Serbia to the knockout round. Spain routed Senegal 97-43 in the late game Friday, setting up a pivotal game against Canada on Sunday.---Online:AP Summer Games website: http://summergames.ap.org/---Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitterAir Max 97 Silver Bullet For Sale . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. New Air Max 97 2019 . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. http://www.outletairmax97.com/air-max-97-womens-clearance.html .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Cheap Air Max 97 Mens . Self was acquired from the Buffalo Bandits in a trade for Alex Hill midway through last season, and made his debut in Rochester on March 16, 2013. Air Max 97 Have a Nike Day For Sale . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game.LIVERPOOL, England -- It was natural to put Ross Barkleys nasty challenge on Jordan Henderson down to emotions running high in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.Look deeper, though, and it might just have been the moment when months of pent-up frustration inside the Everton midfielder came to a head.Compared by many to England great Paul Gascoigne because of his technique, build and playing style, Barkley has long been viewed as one of English soccers most talented players. Much is expected of him by Everton fans desperate for Barkley -- a local lad attached to the club since the age of 11 -- to help the northwest club revive its glory years of the 1980s, when the Merseyside rivals were the countrys dominant forces.Barkley is 23 now and should no longer just be regarded as one for the future. It is all about the here and now for Everton manager Ronald Koeman and the teams supporters, and Barkley hasnt developed as many would have hoped.Go to a game at Goodison Park and what quickly becomes apparent is the heightened sense of expectation when Barkley gets the ball -- and the loud groans of disappointment when something he tries doesnt work. Everton supporters can be among the most passionate in England but they can also be among the most demanding, and Barkley appears to be lacking confidence and struggling under the weight of pressure.Hence the ugly lunge on Hendersons right ankle in the second half of Evertons 1-0 loss against Liverpool on Monday that earned him a yellow card -- a red probably would have been merited -- and sparked a melee on the field.Maybe over-praised by Roberto Martinez in his time as Everton manager from 2013-16, Barkley has found Koeman to be a harsher judge.Sometimes I expect more from Ross Barkley, Koeman said this month after dropping the playmakerr from the team for a match against Manchester United.dddddddddddd He needs to accept it. He needs to show it on the training pitch.After also criticizing Barkley this season for his tactical indiscipline, Koeman has dropped the player for games against Manchester City and Watford, too. In the final months of last year, Barkley was in the form of his career but now he is in and out of the Everton team at a time when his future is up for debate, with 18 months left on his contract.Barkley is also being overlooked by Englands national team, with Dele Alli, Adam Lallana and Wayne Rooney preferred as options in the No. 10 position behind the striker. Barkley played at the 2014 World Cup, went to this years European Championship -- albeit, without playing a single minute -- and now is out of the squad completely.At a time when Barkley should be growing in stature, hes in decline as far as appearances for club and country is concerned.He is young, but he is not because he has been playing four years in the first team, Koeman said. It means you are not a talent anymore, and need to show what you can do.Barkley is well-built, impressively two-footed and can worry opposition defenses with his powerful, driving runs. Much of his time off the field is spent watching footage on YouTube of Zinedine Zidane and Gascoigne, his favorite players growing up, as well as contemporary stars in his position such as Mesut Ozil.To be at the level of those kinds of players, Barkley needs to start being more consistent, more prolific -- he has two Premier League goals this season -- and less error-prone.That might even require a move away from Everton to kick-start his career. ' ' '