Vorstellungsrunde » was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Oswaldo

VANCOUVER -- John Herdman says Canada is getting closer. After watching his team fall 2-1 to Germany in an international friendly on Wednesday night, the Canadian head coach was adamant the gap is shrinking between his side and the top teams in the womens game ahead of next summers home World Cup. Canadas starting roster included four teenagers, including 16-year-old midfielder Jessie Fleming, and while there were rough patches Herdman was buoyed by the performance against the No. 2-ranked team in the world. "A year out, 2-1 away from the European champions, a goal away?" said Herdman. "Ya Ill take that." Herdman is trying to implement a more free-flowing system ahead of the World Cup as opposed to the more direct, long-ball style of past Canadian teams. It has taken some time for the players to grasp the concepts, and fitness remains a concern, but they were right with the imposing Germans for long stretches on Wednesday. "Weve said this World Cups about two things," said Herdman. "Its about making the country proud, but also trying to inspire a generation of coaches and players at the youth level that theres another way of going about things other than the blunt instrument." Wednesdays lineup included Fleming, along with a trio of young defenders -- 17-year-old Sura Yekka, along with Kadeisha Buchanan and Rebecca Quinn, who are both 18. "These games, we said, this year will tell us what the gap is," said Herdman. "We improved. Im clear on that. "Were producing more crosses, more final acts, more final third entries than we ever did." However, the game was decided on a mistake by one of those youngsters as Simone Laudehr scored from the penalty spot in the 66th minute after Buchanan brought down Lena Lotzen. Laudehr stepped up with the score tied 1-1 and calmly blasted a shot into the roof of the past a helpless Erin McLeod for a lead the visitors would never relinquish. "Youre dealing against a different type of player," Herdman said of the German attack. "Youre not dealing against one individual player that you can mark out of a game. Youre dealing against three or four players that move with one mind at the same time, and thats a different challenge. It takes communication, it takes earlier adjustments." Lotzen had Germanys other goal on the night, while Sophie Schmidt replied for Canada. "Germany, theyre so organized," said Canadian captain Christine Sinclair. "Any little mistake you make theyre going to punish you and they punished us on a couple tonight. "Overall, just in terms of the style of play we were trying to produce, I think weve made a lot of progress. Its just cleaning those little things up." The German winner came after Schmidt woke up a sleepy crowd of 15,618 at B.C. Place Stadium in the 53rd minute with a bizarre game-tying goal. The Canadian midfielder completely scuffed her shot after taking a pass in the box from Diana Matheson, but the ball scooped up and over German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer for an unlikely equalizer. Trailing 1-0 at the half, Canada gave up two glorious chances to Germanys Anja Mittag that she couldnt finish just after the break. The striker was stopped by McLeod -- who came on for Karina LeBlanc at halftime -- in the 47th minute, and then again in the 49th after a sloppy pass by Fleming and a timid challenge from Quinn. "Theyll learn from that. If thats the biggest issue I think thats going to be cleaned up pretty quickly," said Herdman said of his teenagers. "Those mistakes are not going to happen as frequently and this is a great learning (experience) for some of those younger players." After Schmidt tied the score, McLeod stopped Alexandra Popp on another breakaway in the 58th minute as Germany continued to probe No. 7 Canada for a weakness that would eventually come in the 65th. McLeod made a number of big saves as second half wore down, keeping the score respectable in a game where Germany took a while to get going before showing its class. The Germans came close on two golden opportunities in the first half and finally struck in the 29th minute when Laudehr crossed a ball from the left that glanced off Mittag and right to Lotzen, who poked a shot home past LeBlanc. Sinclair had the games first opportunity when she was sent in alone in the 12th minute, but she was stopped Angerer. Popp then nearly caught LeBlanc off her line six minutes later, but saw her effort 40 yards out rattle off the crossbar. Canadian defender Rhian Wilkinson then nearly gifted the Germans the lead in the 24th when her ill-advised pass was intercepted by Mittag, but her shot in alone went over the bar. Buchanan scored her first goal for Canada in last months 1-1 draw with the United States, and nearly had her second in as many games two minutes later, only to be thwarted by Angerer. After Germany took the lead, the visitors almost got another goal moments later, but Bianca Schmidt missed a golden opportunity from six yards out. Canada, which has never beaten Germany, lost 1-0 to the European giants last year in a game where Herdmans team barely had the ball over the halfway line. He said that despite the scoreline and the chances surrendered in the final 30 minutes on Wednesday, the performance is reason for optimism with the start of the World Cup less than a year away. "We didnt get dominated. They didnt pen us into our half for 90 minutes," said Herdman. "I think thats a really positive performance. "The futures pretty bright." Notes: Sinclair and Angerer, who was named FIFA womens world player of the year for 2013, are teammates with the Portland Thorns of the NWSL. ... Canada will play Japan in an international friendly on Oct. 25 in Edmonton before the two teams meet again on Oct. 28 in Vancouver. ... Germany won the womens World Cup in both 2003 and 2007. ... Sinclair played her 210th game for Canada. She has 148 career goals for her country. ... The womens World Cup final will be played at B.C. Place on July 5, 2015. Nike Tanjun Shoes On Sale . A police inspector told The Associated Press the crane operator is not yet suspected of any wrongdoing but is considered a key witness to the accident at the Arena Corinthians. Cheap Nike Tanjun Online . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. http://www.cheapniketanjun.net/ . The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. Nike Tanjun Outlet . Joining him in this years class were Switzerlands Patrick Huerlimann and Norways Eigil Ramsfjell. The announcement was made at the world mens curling championship at Capital Indoor Stadium in China. Nike Tanjun Clearance Sale . -- David Ortiz saved his only hit for a key moment for the Boston Red Sox. MINNEAPOLIS -- Adam Lind has shown the Toronto Blue Jays what he can do for the last eight seasons. With the team already looking ahead to next year thanks to a disappointing record, Lind may be sending general manager Alex Anthopolous a reminder as he prepares for an off-season of tough decisions. Lind hit a pair of three-run homers as the Blue Jays topped the Minnesota Twins 11-2 on Saturday, his second multi-homer game this season and 10th of his career. Hes hit three home runs his last four games and has 19 this season to go with a .282 batting average -- his best since 2009. "Adams always been a good player for this organization," manager John Gibbons said. "I dont know how the team will stack up next year. But I dont think he needs to audition. Hes proven himself over time." His first homer highlighted a five-run first inning -- Torontos second five-run inning in two games -- and the second shot capped the scoring in the eighth. Lind has team options on his contract the next three seasons, but with a host of young outfielders potentially shifting Melky Cabrera to full-time DH duties in 2014 and Edwin Encarnacion entrenched at first base, Lind could be squeezed out. "Thats kind of a big problem," Lind said. "But its a good one to have." Linds other multi-homer game this season, Aug. 17 at Tampa Bay, also came in support of J.A. Happ, who won for the first time since then and snapped a three-game losing streak. Happ (4-5), who entered the game with a 7.71 ERA in his last three outings, allowed an unearned run on five hits while striking out four. The left-hander, who suffered a fractured skull and sprained knee on May 7 when he was hit in the head by line drive, hadnt pitched past the fifth inning in back-to-back starts. But Happ faced just two over the minimum through the first three innings before Brett Lawries throwing error in the fourth led to the unearned run. He walked two of the four batters he faced in the sixth before giving way to Neil Wagner, who struck out Chris Colabello to end the threat. "You want to finish strong, you want to remind these guys what you can do and prove to yourself what you can do," Happ said. "Obviously its kind of showing I think. Hope to continue the way weve been playing." Happs 5 2-3 innings pitched were his most since he workeed seven against Oakland on Aug.dddddddddddd 7. Hes only made it through six innings in three of his 14 starts this season. But it was enough for the Blue Jays, who jumped on Twins starter Kevin Correia (9-11) early. After Jose Reyes flew out to the warning track to start the game, Toronto connected on six consecutive hits -- including back-to-back homers from Lind and Lawrie. But Correia settled down from there, allowing just two hits in the next five innings. Correia was 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in his previous two starts, but entered 1-2 with a 6.88 ERA in three career starts against the Blue Jays -- including the Twins 4-0 loss to Toronto on July 5. Linds six RBI were his most since a career-high eight at Texas on Aug. 31, 2009, and the most by a Blue Jays player since J.P. Arencibia drove in six against the Yankees on May 18, 2012. "Hes got one of the prettiest swings you can find in baseball," Gibbons said. "When he gets hot, he gets hot. Hes starting to do that now." Lawrie finished with three hits for Toronto. Hes hitting .307 with six homers and 27 RBIs since the All Star break. Munenori Kawasaki was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Oswaldo Arcia and Josmil Pinto drove in Minnesotas only runs. The Twins started the eighth inning with three singles and a walk, but Steve Delabar relieved Kyle Drabek and retired the next three batters to keep Minnesota from getting any closer. The Twins have lost nine straight home games for the first time since April 27-May 23, 2011. The Blue Jays have won nine of their last 12 overall and 34 of their previous 44 against Minnesota. NOTES: Twins C Joe Mauer took group batting practice Saturday for the first time as he continues to make progress from a concussion he suffered Aug. 19. There still is no timetable for his return. ... Toronto OF Moises Sierra left the game with lower back tightness after striking out to end the third inning. Rajai Davis replaced him in right field. ... Esmil Rogers (4-7, 4.76 ERA) will try to win back-to-back starts for the first time since June 13 and 18 as he takes the mound for Toronto on Sunday. The Twins will counter with rookie Matt Albers (2-2, 3.96), who has allowed five earned runs in three of his last four starts after starting his career with 8 1-3 shutout innings and a shutout. ' ' '