12-30-2019, 02:46 AM
MADRID, Spain -- Atletico Madrid will play crosstown rival Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinals after coming from behind for a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, sending the visitors through 3-1 on aggregate. Clint Capela Jersey . Bilbao had yet to be beaten in 12 games at its new San Mames Stadium, and it appeared set to turn around its 1-0 first-leg loss after Aritz Aduriz scored in the 42nd minute. But as steady rain continued to fall, defending champion Atletico resisted Bilbaos push until Raul Garcia beat goalkeeper Iago Herrerin on a second try in the 54th. Diego Costa scored on the break with four minutes to play to seal a rematch of last years final, when Atletico ended a 14-year winless run against Madrid by winning 2-1 in extra time. "At halftime we talked about being a team made of men," Garcia said. "We had to step up when things were at their worst, and thats what happened." Also, Alexis Sanchez scored twice to help Barcelona rout Levante 5-1 at home and advance 9-2 over two legs. The Catalan club will play either Real Sociedad or third-tier Racing Santander next. Andres Iniesta returned after missing four games for Barcelona. Adriano, Carles Puyol, and Cesc Fabregas added to Alexiss double after Levante went ahead through Loukas Vyntras header that hit Barcelonas Sergio Roberto before going in. The marquee matchup of the quarterfinal round between the defending champion and Bilbao, a 23-time winner, lived up to its billing as the two sides offered a flowing, up-tempo match from start to finish. And given the chances created by both sides, the final score would have been larger if it hadnt been for the superb performances by both goalkeepers. "Thats because we played against a great team," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. "Football is passion and here (in Bilbao) you can experience football in its purest form. Its incredible how the team feeds off the atmosphere." Diego Costa had the first opportunity 30 seconds into the game, but keeper Iago Herrerin denied him one-on-one. The visitors lost left back Filipe Luis to a leg injury in the 12th, but didnt miss him until the final minutes of the first half when the intense contest swung in Bilbaos favour. After Bilbaos Mikel Rico and Atleticos Garcia had both sent shots inches from the post, Aduriz rose above Diego Godin to head Mikel Balenziagas cross off the turf and into the net. Bilbao pressed to extend its lead with the overall score now level at 1-1, and Atletico goalie Thibaut Courtois had to turn away another Aduriz header and Ricos volley before the respite of halftime. After he had stopped Diego Costa again, Herrerin used a reflex save to deflect Garcias shot, but Garcia was not to be denied seconds later when he whipped in Cristian Rodriguezs cross with a similar left-footed volley. Diego Costa finally bettered Herrerin when he had plenty of time and space to size him up and round him before scoring. The semifinals start next week. Moses Malone Jersey .com) - The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings are ready to put all the talk and hype surrounding their meeting at Dodger Stadium behind them. Matt Maloney Jersey . They showered him with "MVP! MVP!" chants. In many ways, it seemed like hed never been gone. https://www.cheaprocketsonline.com/ . Minutes before the final whistle of Sporting Kansas Citys 3-0 victory over a shorthanded Montreal Impact squad on Saturday afternoon, Saputo tweeted: "Our fans deserve better.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi Kerry, What are your thoughts on the NHLs recommended rule changes from Monday? Do you think theres a way to make goaltender interference - or other on-ice rulings - more clear by going to video review? Does video review help the officials on the ice or take some of the decision making away from them? Which of the recommended rule changes do you think can really help the stripes in a game? Steve Wishie, Toronto Thank you for submitting these very important questions following the competition committee meeting that took place on Monday in New York. The General Managers will be convening sometime in the very near future to discuss these issues. Since it would appear there was little or no input from a knowledgeable officiating mind in attendance, I wish to address the General Managers directly with the following comments specifically related to implementing an expanded video review. I had the pleasure of developing a professional working relationship with each of you; in some cases that relationship began during your playing career and prior to your move into the role of general manager. While it is safe to say that we didnt or wont always agree, please know that I have great respect for the knowledge and care for the game that each of you demonstrates. Having been on that goal-line far too many times to count during my 30-plus year NHL officiating career I know, better than most, the demands, expectations and difficulties that the current crop of referees are experiencing. Goalkeeper interference is the most difficult decision that any referee has to make. The referees, like no time ever before, require your most thoughtful assistance to equip them with the necessary tools to achieve success and uphold the integrity of the game. The time has now come to step outside of any traditional comfort zone and implement video review technology that is available to the rest of us that watch the game on a television monitor, but who are not charged with making a split second decision on these potentially game changing plays. Based on Mathieu Schneiders quote below it would appear that the expectation of "certainty" must be met in order for video review to be expanded beyond the current allowances contained within the rules. "I think the underlying fundamental here is that if youre going to go to video review in a given area, there is the expectation of certainty," said Mathieu Schneider, the NHLPAs special assistant to the executive director. "And its just not there. Its very difficult. The type of things that were talking about, a possible coachs challenge, are things that we might be able to be certain on. But theres still a ton of grey area." I would respectfully submit that language contained throughout the rule book provides the referee(s) with the authority and latitude to exercise his individual judgment in the enforcement of the rules. Phrases such as "In the judgment of the Referee; There is an enormous amount of judgment involved in the application of this rule by the Referees; The Referee, "at his discretion" may assess; The Referees are provided very wide latitude in the penalties with which they may impose under this rule; The discretion provided (to the Referees) should be exercised realistically…" The referees do not apply a mathematical equation to problem solving. Mike Newlin Jersey. Instead, with your direction provided to them as to the expected standard of enforcement, the referees exercise their individual judgment to try and make the "correct call" from a position and vantage point that they occupy on the ice in that moment. This does not always achieve "certainty" and the referees perception of the play can quickly be changed if he is provided with a different angle or more precisely through video review. The current process and follow-up protocol of a conference conducted by the four on-ice officials (when utilized) does not achieve any "certainty" that the correct call is ultimately made. Gentlemen, one of the challenges that await you at your next meeting is to achieve some consensus among your group as to what actually constitutes a violation of rule 69—goalkeeper interference? Based on another quote following the competition committee meeting you have your work cut out for you. Even the Game 2 situation brought what Schneider called a "split room" on whether it should have counted or not. "Theres a lot of instances where you have two reasonable people looking at the same video and have two different interpretations, and goalie interference is certainly one of those," Schneider said. "I think the education process is whats going to be most important for the officials, for the players, and I think Colin alluded to, we want to maybe err on the side of the goalie more often. Well, thats the direction we have to give to the officials. "The education process is going to be key. And to have certain telltale signs." Your room cannot be "split" on this crucial issue of players interfering with the goaltender. The players and officials are in need of more concrete direction. Empowering the referee to take a second look at a play with a quick video review, perhaps through a coachs challenge, will help improve these game altering decisions. I also agree that "the education process is going to be "key". The officiating brotherhood can never stop learning, evolving or improving. Give them the tools they need to develop better positioning philosophies so that they consistently know where to go when a player is coming at them or where to go to find the best site line to the goal. A well officiated game is also incumbent upon the utilization of a referees sound judgment. He cannot be stripped of that yet again by a non-official making the call for him from an off-site location. The referees want to get the call right! The couple of minutes it will take for the referee to review the suspected presence of goalkeeper interference, along with some good coaching, will lead to a new age of officiating. ' ' '