导出博客文章RIO DE JANEIRO -- For a few hours Thursday evening, Argentina seemed to have annexed an acre of blue turf on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Vans Shoes Clearance .Attracted by the prospect of seeing the mens field hockey team win a first Olympic field hockey gold medal, hundreds of Argentines flocked to Deodoro Park and turned it into a raucous downtown Buenos Aires-like scene.Vastly outnumbering fans of Belgium, another first-time finalist, in a nearly packed stadium, Argentinas supporters tirelessly sang and chanted from long before the matchs start -- giving Leones (Lions) the home advantage.Leones rewarded their fans with a 4-2 victory in a gripping final.Really, I cant believe it. I felt more excited when we got to the semifinals, Argentina captain Pedro Ibarra said. We are finished and we are happy, but I dont think we realize we are (Olympic champions).The disbelief was understandable. Los Leones have always been the sideshow to the acclaimed womens side, Las Leonas, who medaled at the previous four Olympics. But the Leonas never won Olympic gold.Carlos Retegui, a defender for 17 years on so-so mens teams, coached the women to the London silver, then regained the mens job in 2013. The Leones found almost immediate success, including a first World Cup medal.But in Rio, the team had a modest pool round, needing to beat unheralded Ireland 3-2 in the last minutes to confirm a spot in the quarterfinals, where it beat Spain 2-1 on a late penalty stroke.In the semifinals, however, they routed defending two-time champion Germany 5-2. But two key players broke bones, striker Matias Paredes (right foot) and playmaker Matias Rey (left hand), 400-plus caps of experience sidelined for the final.Argentina got its goals early then dug in for defense.Belgium scored just three minutes in; Arthur van Dorens pass up the middle was expertly deflected in by Tanguy Cosyns. Argentine fans were silent only briefly.At its first penalty corner, Gonzalo Peillat, who scored a hat trick against Germany, faked and fed Ibarra, whose shot ricocheted in off two Belgians. Ignacio Ortiz blasted in his first goal of the competition, and by halftime it was 3-1 as Peillat had another short corner score, going low left for his tournament-leading 11th goal.Argentina didnt earn another corner. After Ortizs goal, right on the end of the first quarter, it didnt have another shot on goal for almost three quarters until the waning seconds.The Leones stacked their defense, and dared Belgium to score.The Belgians got only one, seconds from the end of the third quarter, through defender Gauthier Boccard. That brought the tension back, but Belgium was frustrated by Argentine goalie Juan Vivaldi, the deep defense, and mistakes on its own short corners.Belgium pulled its goalie with three minutes left, and it backfired. Argentinas Agustin Mazzilli intercepted a cross-field pass in enemy territory, left behind two defenders and walked the goal in with 16 seconds left, and sat on the backboard enjoying the view of teammates embracing, the Argentine fans going wild, and the Belgians collapsing to the turf.This gold medal is important, its going to help mens hockey a lot in Argentina, Mazzilli said. The girls have been really, really good for a long time. We need to improve the mens level so we will have more players at home.Belgiums silver was its first medal since it won bronze in its debut on home turf at the 1920 Antwerp Games.Germany came away with the bronze after beating the Netherlands 4-3 in a shootout. Goalkeeper Nicolas Jacobi starred, forcing Billy Bakker to shoot too late and stripping Sander de Wijn to secure Germanys 10th mens medal, second only to Indias 11.Two-time gold medalist and captain Moritz Furste, grateful to Jacobi for not having to go in the shootout, retired.The womens final is on Friday, matching defending two-time champion the Netherlands and Britain. Discount Vans Shoes . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Buy Vans Shoes Wholesale . The scientists believe the small earthquake during a Marshawn Lynch touchdown was likely greater than Lynchs famous "beast quake" touchdown run three years ago, which also came against New Orleans during a playoff game. http://www.vansoutletcheap.com/ . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. LUCERNE, Switzerland -- Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice and missed a penalty in Portugals 4-1 win over Latvia in World Cup qualifying on Sunday, but the European champion still trails group leader Switzerland.Switzerland kept its 100 percent record with a fourth straight win but was often labored in beating the Faeroe Islands 2-0.Goals in each half from recalled forward Eren Derdiyok and captain Stephan Lichtsteiner were enough on a rain-swept evening.The Swiss stay three points ahead of Portugal, due to its victory when the teams played in September to open the qualifying program.Ronaldo, who missed that game in Switzerland, has scored seven of Portugals 16 goals in three games since.Against Latvia, Ronaldo opened the scoring with a 28th-minute spot kick, then saw his penalty in the 59th hit the left-hand post and bounce away off the goalkeepers legs.Latvia levelled through substitute Arturs Zjuzins in the 67th before Portugal substitute Ricardo Quaresmas crosses let William Carvalho restore the lead with a header and Ronaldo make the win safe with a volley. Defender Bruno Alves added a fourth in stoppage time.Earlier, third-placed Hungary beat Andorra 4-0.Switzerland has seemed to ease off against the group outsiders since startiing with impressive wins against its two closest rivals. Cheap Vans Shoes Outlet. Still, the Swiss were seldom threatened and also struck the frame of the goal in each half against the Faeroe Islands, who lost 6-0 at home to Portugal last month.Derdiyok showed high-class technique to open the scoring in the 27th minute, taking a long lofted ball from Valon Behrami with a controlling first touch. He then struck a low left-foot shot past goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen.It was the 11th goal of Derdiyoks 56-match international career which has only rarely fulfilled the 28-year-old forwards early promise.Admir Mehmedis shot struck a post in the 78th five minutes before Lichtsteiner sealed the three points. The veteran right-back advanced deep into the penalty area to meet left-back Ricardo Rodriguezs cross with a bouncing header.In Budapest, Hungary captain Balazs Dzudzsak created first-half goals for 37-year-old Zoltan Gera and Adam Lang. Adam Gyursco and Adam Szalai added late goals.Hungary has seven points from four matches, and next travels to play Portugal in March. Then, Switzerland will be favored to beat Latvia at home. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '