The Original Game » ustice fed Obinna Oleka for a 3 with 1:54

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazil will look for inspiration from playing at the historic Maracana Stadium when it faces Honduras in the semifinals of the mens Olympic soccer tournament on Wednesday. cheap jerseys .The decisive game will mark the debut of many of Brazils youngsters at the famed venue, which is expected to be packed with nearly 70,000 fans hopeful of seeing Brazil stay on track for its first soccer gold medal.We know about the importance of Maracana in the history of Brazilian football, Brazil defender Marquinhos said. We grew up hearing stories about the stadium. For everything that has happened there, its a special place for us. To be playing a semifinal and a final at the Maracana is like a dream to everyone who is here.The Maracana is Brazils most famous football stadium, having hosted two World Cup finals -- 1950 and 2014 -- and being home to some of the nations most important moments in club competitions.Brazil coach Rogerio Micale, who will be making his coaching debut at the Maracana, took the time to walk onto the pitch of the empty venue after his pre-match press conference on Monday.Its a great pleasure to be in a stadium like the Maracana, which represents so much to Brazilian football, Micale said. It will be a privilege for me and for my team to play such an important match at a stage like this.The stadium was home to the opening ceremony at the Rio Games, and will also host the closing ceremony. The first Olympic soccer match at the Maracana will be the womens semifinal between Brazil and Sweden on Tuesday.I used to pass by the Maracana when I was just a fan and dreamed of one day playing there, said Brazil midfielder Renato Augusto, a Rio de Janeiro native.Brazil didnt play at the Maracana at the World Cup in 2014 but it won the Confederations Cup at the venue the year before, in a final against Spain. If it beats Honduras, it will be back at the stadium for Saturdays final.Led by Neymar and promising youngsters Gabriel Jesus and Gabigol, Brazil is playing in its third-straight Olympic semifinal, and seventh overall. It lost to Lionel Messis Argentina in 2008 in Beijing, and made it to the final in 2012 in London but lost the gold to Mexico. Brazil has three silver medals and two bronze. The gold is the only significant trophy the five-time World Cup champions havent won in soccer.Honduras reached the semifinals for the first time after eliminating two-time Olympic champion Argentina in the group stage and getting past South Korea in the quarterfinals.An Olympic semifinal to be played in a stadium with 80,000 people is a motivation for everyone. The world will be watching our game. Our players have to motivate with it and feel that they have to give their best in the field, Honduras coach Jorge Luis Pinto said. I am thinking a lot about Neymar and how I can control him. Im looking for that player to mark him.Neymar struggled when Brazil opened with consecutive scoreless draws against South Africa and Iraq, but he and the rest of the team are coming off convincing wins against Denmark and Colombia.In the other semifinal, which will be played in Sao Paulo later Wednesday, 1996 Olympic champion Nigeria will face Germany, which is playing in the Olympics for the first time since 1998, when U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann was on the team. Germany has the competitions best attack with 19 goals. It eliminated Portugal in the quarterfinals.Nigeria almost didnt make it to Brazil in time for its opening game because of a trip mix-up, but it finished first in its group before eliminating Denmark in the quarterfinals. In addition to the gold in Atlanta, Nigeria also won the silver in Beijing in 2008.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni nfl jerseys china .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. cheap nfl jerseys . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. http://www.cheapauthenticjerseysnflchina.net/ . -- On the field, it was business as usual for Jameis Winston and No. TEMPE, Ariz. -- Few expected Arizona State to give top-ranked Kentucky a battle in the Nov. 28 game, but the 46-point loss was humbling.The Sun Devils fired back after that defeat. From long range. Arizona State tied a school record by knocking down 18 3-pointers in a 97-73 win over UNLV Saturday night.Guard Shannon Evans II led the way with a season-high 28 points as the Sun Devils beat UNLV for the fourth straight season.You wonder about the psyche of the team, the confidence of the team after something like that, coach Bobby Hurley said. But we practiced real hard and guys got a lot of pride. I thought we might struggle some early in the game on offense. I felt that the guys would perform and outwork our opponent defensively.Evans, Torian Graham and Tra Holder combined to make 15 3s, with Graham hitting six as part of his 22 points. Holder added 20 points and Arizona State shot 49 percent from the field.ASU led by as many as 30 points.Probably the most important win of the season, Graham said. We were all in a dark place last week so it was good to just get out of that dark place.ASU used an 11-0 run to take a 20-6 lead in the first half, with Graham and Holder hitting a pair of treys during the run. The Rebels cut the lead to five, 34-29, on free throw by Jalen Poyser with 4:15 left, but the Sun Devils closed out the half on a 17-3 run and stayed in control the rest of the way.A night like this, when everybodys hitting, is always great, Evans said. When we play great defense, everybody gets easier shots and everybody scores, so its more fun for everybody.Thirteen of Arizona States 17 first-half field goals were from long distance. Maurice OField took ASUs 36th 3-point attempt with 17 seconds left, but the effort came up short of both the rim and the school record.Doown 19 points at halftime, UNLV couldnt cut the lead into single digits. cheap jerseys usa. Poysers 20 points led UNLV, with forward Tyrell Green adding 18 points and nine rebounds.The Rebels had won five of six coming into the game.TIP-INSUNLV: Uche Ofoegbu started after missing the Rebels last game due to illness ... Christian Jones (foot) missed his fifth straight game ... Cheickna Dembele (foot) played five minutes after missing the past three games.ARIZONA STATE: Rapper YG, in town for a show on Sunday, took part in the students Curtain of Distraction free throw tradition ... Kodi Justice was knocked to the floor on the final play of the first half but was able to walk off the court and returned in the second half.STAT OF THE NIGHT: Arizona States 73 points allowed wasnt a season low, but it showed defensive improvement after the Sun Devils had surrendered 110 and 115 points in their two most recent games.TURNING POINT: Justice fed Obinna Oleka for a 3 with 1:54 left in the first half, then hit his only 3 of the game 38 seconds later to give ASU a 48-32 lead. UNLV had trailed by only five moments before and was still within striking distance until that sequence.BIG PICTUREUNLV: Three of the Rebels next five games are against teams in the Top 25: No. 5 Duke on Dec. 10, No. 23 Oregon in Portland on Dec. 17 and fourth-ranked Kansas on Dec. 22.Arizona State: The Sun Devils go to New York for their next game, then fly back across the country to San Diego for a game against San Diego State on Dec. 10.UP NEXTUNLV takes on Duke at the new T-Mobile Arena Dec. 10.Arizona State plays No. 15 Purdue in the Jimmy V Classic Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. Cheap MLB Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping cheap nfl jerseys Cheap Jerseys USA China Jerseys Cheap NFL Authentic Jerseys Cheap Jerseys For Sale Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Cheap NBA Jerseys ' ' '