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wed with groundouts. NOTES: SS Xander Bogaerts (20 yea

in Here is your first Forum Wed Oct 30, 2019 1:49 pm
by sakura698 • 1.245 Posts

LISBON, Portugal -- A half century later, Eusebios goals are still a source of wonder in the country where he stood above all others in his sport. Kansas City Royals Pro Shop . There was the European Cup final against Real Madrid in 1962, when he scored the last two goals to rally Benfica to a 5-3 victory and its second straight continental title. There was the 1966 World Cup quarterfinal against North Korea. With Portugal trailing 3-0, Eusebio inspired his team, striking for four goals that led to a 5-3 victory. Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, who was born into poverty in Africa and became one of the worlds top scorers during the 1960s, died Sunday at 71. He died at his Lisbon home of heart failure, his biographer, Jose Malheiro, said. Eusebio was admitted to the hospital several times over the past year for heart and respiratory problems. "A football genius and example of humility, an outstanding athlete and generous man, Eusebio was for all sports fans and for all Portuguese an example of professionalism, determination and devotion to the colours of the national jersey and of Benfica," Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho said in a statement. A bronze statue of Eusebio, poised to kick a ball, stands outside Benficas Stadium of Light, where fans began laying flowers after his death was announced. Eusebios coffin was to be taken to Benficas Stadium of Light so fans could pay respects. Known affectionately as the Black Panther for his athleticism and finishing touch, Eusebio was voted one of the 10 best players in soccer history. The Portuguese government declared three days of national mourning, with flags at half-staff. The Portuguese Football Federation ordered a minutes silence before Sundays Portuguese Cup games. Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugal captain who plays for Real Madrid, commented on his Facebook page, "Always eternal Eusebio, rest in peace." Former Portugal captain Luis Figo, the 2001 FIFA world player of the year, tweeted, "The king!! Great loss for us all! The greatest!!" "I prefer to look upon him as immortal," Chelseas Portuguese coach, Jose Mourinho, told public broadcaster Radiotelevisao Portuguesa. Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva made a nationally televised address to the nation to praise the "affability and humility" of a man who never let stardom go to his head. "His talent brought joy for entire generations, even those who didnt live through the most glorious moments of his career," Cavaco Silva said. Eusebios biggest accomplishment may have been his play in leading Portugal to third place at the 1966 World Cup. But his agility and speed made him one of Europes most dangerous forwards for most of a career that lasted two decades. He was awarded the Ballon dOr in 1965 as Europes player of the year and twice won the Golden Boot -- in 1968 and 1973 -- for being top scorer in Europe. According to soccers governing body, he had 679 goals in 678 official games. FIFA President Sepp Blatter tweeted, "Football has lost a legend. But Eusebios place among the greats will never be taken away." German great Franz Beckenbauer also took to Twitter: "One of the greatest football players ever has passed away." At the 1966 World Cup, where Portugal lost in the semifinals to host and eventual champion England, Eusebio became even more popular at home when he wept openly as he left the field following the defeat. He finished as the tournaments top scorer with nine goals. In 1998, a panel of 100 experts assembled by FIFA named him in its International Football Hall of Fame as one of the sports top 10 all-time greats. "Look, there are only two black people on the list: me and Pele," Eusebio said, referring to the Brazilian great who was a friend. "I regard that as a great responsibility because I am representing Africa and Portugal, my second homeland." He was a member of the 1976 Toronto Metros-Croatia team that won the NASL championship and scored the winning goal in the championship game. The team was inducted into the Canadian soccer hall of fame in 2010. Eusebio was born in Maputo, the Mozambican capital, during World War II when the southeast African country was still a Portuguese colony. He came from a poor family but sparkled for his local team and was lured by Benfica to Portugal when he was 18. His unpretentious and easy manner was complemented by his heart and skills. His popularity in Portugal was such that in 1964, when Italian clubs offered to buy Eusebio for sums that were astronomical for the time, the countrys then-dictator, Antonio Salazar, decreed the player a "national treasure" -- meaning he could not be sold abroad. Eusebio was a cornerstone of the Benfica team that won back-to-back European titles in the early 1960s. With Benfica, he won 11 Portuguese league titles and five Portuguese Cups. In the 1966 World Cup quarterfinal in Liverpool, Portugal got off to a dreadful start and was three goals down after 23 minutes. "We were taken completely by surprise," Eusebio told The Associated Press at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the Portuguese had a second meeting with the North Koreans 44 years after the first. "I remember very clearly what (teammate Antonio) Simoes said when we were 3-0 down. He kept saying, s long as we dont go four goals down, were still in with a chance," Eusebio said. "And he was right." Eusebio led Portugals astonishing comeback by repeatedly charging at the North Korean defence, scoring four goals in just more than 30 minutes. After his first two goals, he picked the ball out of the net, ran back to midfield and placed the ball on the centre spot for the restart. He completed his hat trick in the 56th minute, evening the score. His fourth goal came on a penalty kick as North Koreas defence collapsed amid the onslaught. "That was the best game of my life in a Portugal jersey," Eusebio said. "It left its mark on me." Eusebio scored 41 goals in 64 games for Portugal. After five knee operations, he played his last game for Benfica in 1975. Eusebio then moved to North America, where he spent the last years of his career playing for the Boston Minutemen, Toronto, Las Vegas Quicksilver and Buffalo Stallions through 1980. Eusebio stayed at Benfica as an assistant coach after his retirement and travelled widely with the Portuguese national team as a paid "soccer ambassador." He is survived by his wife, Flora, two daughters and several grandchildren. Stitched Royals Jerseys . Hollis-Jefferson went 5-for-6 from the field and added six rebounds, while Stanley Jefferson contributed 14 points for the Wildcats, who used their trademark tough defense to dominate the games final 24 minutes and advance to Tuesdays winners bracket matchup with Kansas State. Royals Jerseys 2019 . The premature end left 26 players still to finish the round in the Asian Tour event. Siddikur, who shot a bogey-free first round to share the lead with five others, eagled the par-5 first hole before bogeying twice and rebounding with six birdies. https://www.cheaproyals.com/ . -- Athletics manager Bob Melvin is already starting to run out of superlatives to describe Scott Kazmir. SAN FRANCISCO -- Unable to produce a clutch hit, the San Francisco Giants still found a way to win. Brayan Villarreal walked Marco Scutaro with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, handing the Giants a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. The Giants squandered numerous opportunities early in the game, going 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position, but they tied it in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly in foul territory and used two walks and a hit batsman to win it. "We have been on the other end of these games," manager Bruce Bochy said. "You take it any way you can get it. This was a good one." Roger Kieschnick started the winning rally with a one-out single against Franklin Morales (2-1) for his third hit of the game. The Giants loaded the bases with two outs when Morales walked Andres Torres and hit pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez on the left wrist. "We started out the inning in pretty good shape and then seemingly in a matter of about seven or eight pitches it looked like Franklin lost the strike zone a little bit and leaves us in a tough spot with two outs," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. With Brandon Workman having pitched the past two days, Farrell gave Villarreal his first appearance with the Red Sox. Villarreal was acquired in a deal last month from Detroit and called up from Triple-A Pawtucket on Monday. He made a poor first impression, throwing four straight balls to Scutaro. Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens told Scutaro that Villarreal had control problems before the at-bat and that proved true. Villarreal has walked nine of 29 batters he has faced this season, including two with the bases loaded. "When he told me that, I wanted to make sure I looked for my pitch and not be too aggressive," Scutaro said. He did just that, giving the defending World Series champion Giants a rare reason to celebrate. "Its nice to win one like this because we have been on the other side of them," said starter Ryan Vogelsong, who allowed two runs in seven innings. "When you play a tough game like that and things arent going your way ... its good to come out on the winning end of it." The Red Sox couldnt hold a 2-0 lead and lost for the fifth time in seven games to fall percentage points behind Tampa Bay for the lead in the AL East. Sergio Romo (4-6) pitched a perfect ninth for the win. After twice faailing to get a runner in from third with no outs, the Giants finally delivered in the eighth inning to tie the game. Fake Royals Jerseys. Scutaro reached on a one-out single and went to third on Brandon Belts single against Junichi Tazawa. Buster Posey then hit a high fly down the right-field line that Shane Victorino caught in foul territory. Scutaro scored easily on the sacrifice fly but Tazawa escaped without any further damage to keep the score tied at 2. "No second-guessing guys. I let that ball fall and he hits a three-run homer then what are you guys going to say?" Victorino said. "When I was on the move over there I told myself catch the ball and try and get in the best position I could to make the throw." Victorino helped give Boston the lead when he hit a rare right-handed homer off a righty pitcher. The switch-hitting Victorino is unable to bat left-handed because of an injured left leg. But that did not bother him when he led off the third inning with a drive to left that made it 2-0. It was just the second time Victorino had hit a right-handed homer against a righty in his career, also doing it against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey on Sept. 24, 2010, according to STATS LLC. It looked as if that 2-0 lead would stand up when Jake Peavy escaped jams in the fourth and fifth innings. Belt, who had three hits, was stranded after a leadoff triple in the fourth when Posey grounded out and Peavy struck out Hunter Pence and Brandon Crawford. The Giants scored their first run of the series when Kieschnick led off the fifth with a single and scored on Joaquin Arias triple. But San Francisco couldnt get the equalizer when Vogelsong, Gregor Blanco and Scutaro followed with groundouts. NOTES: SS Xander Bogaerts (20 years, 323 days) became the youngest position player to appear in a game for Boston since Dwight Evans (20, 318) in 1972. He went 0 for 3 and stranded five runners. ... San Francisco 3B Pablo Sandoval was scratched because of a sore back. ... Boston RHP Clay Buchholz (neck and shoulder) threw 46 pitches in a simulated game and is set to make a rehab start Sunday. Farrell said he would like Buchholz to get three rehab starts but he might only get two depending on the minor league schedule. ... LHP Barry Zito (4-8) makes his first start of the month for the Giants in the series finale Wednesday after Chad Gaudin was placed on the DL. Felix Doubront (8-6) goes for Boston. ' ' '

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