01-15-2020, 09:21 AM
SEATTLE -- Everything that Clint Dempsey hoped would happen last year after his splashy signing with the Seattle Sounders is happening now. Aaron Jones Super Bowl Jersey . Dempsey scored twice in a five-minute span early in the second half and set up Lamar Neagles first-half goal to help the Seattle Sounders beat the Colorado Rapids 4-1 on Saturday. Dempsey leads MLS with eight goals. He has at least a goal or an assist in each of Seattles last six games. It is the second time in his career that Dempsey has had a six-game scoring streak in MLS, having done it previously in 2005 while with the New England Revolution. "The year I scored 23 with Fulham, I was on a pretty good run there, but it feels good," Dempsey said. "Were in a good rhythm as a team, we have a good locker room, and it think that shows on the field in our play." After Dempsey joined the Sounders last August, expectations for him and the team soared. But in nine games, he scored only one goal, and Seattles late-season swoon ended with another early playoff exit. Now, the Sounders have won three straight to improve to 5-2-1, thanks in large part to Dempsey. "When I first came, I felt like there werent too many games where I could look back and say, You know what? I had a lot of chances, I should have scored," Dempsey said. "I feel like in games now, Im getting good looks and looks that are allowing me to put the ball into the back of the net. I have to compliment my teammates on that. I feel like were playing better right now than we were toward the end of last season." Added Sounders coach Sigi Schmid, "I dont know what the records are for so many goals in so many games, but he might be setting some of those." Obafemi Martins added a 75th-minute goal for Seattle. Dillon Serna scored in the 62nd minute for the Rapids (3-2-2). Dempsey and Martins (who tallied his third) have accounted for 11 of the Sounders 17 goals. "Whether it six against six or eight against eight in practice, we try to put them on the same team where they look for each other and find each other," Schmid said, "and you see it showing now in games." Neagles blast 2 yards in front of a wide-open net gave the Sounders a 1-0 lead 15 seconds into the only minute of first-half stoppage time, and was his third goal of the year. Dempsey made it 2-0 at the outset of the 47th minute, running onto a loose ball at the top of 6-yard box that Colorado goalkeeper Clint Irwin had slapped away, but couldnt latch onto. Early in the 52nd minute, Chad Marshall headed Gonzalo Pinedas corner kick toward Dempsey, and Dempsey headed it in just over Irwins reach. Neagle assisted on the goal by Martins, which was his third goal of the season. Colorado came in with back-to-back shutouts and had allowed just five goals all season until yielding the four on Saturday. The Sounders outshot the Rapids, 20-10. "The two guys up top (Dempsey and Martins) really made a difference," Rapids coach Pablo Mastoeni said. "Dempsey caused us a bit of grief. And again, if youre not good with the ball, youre going to end up defending. Against a team like this, you definitely dont want to be defending deep in your half as we found ourselves for the majority of the game. "With the type of players they have, it just puts a lot of pressure on our defence and forced a lot of errors that led to the dismantling of the team," Mastoeni added. Ray Nitschke Super Bowl Jersey . One out away from finishing off an impressive shutout, they let a must-win game slip away. Clay Matthews Super Bowl Jersey . The game got off to a less-than-ideal start for the Jets as Oliver Ekman-Larsson found a wide open net from the slot and opened the scoring for the Coyotes a lead in the first period, but Olli Jokinen answered back just over half a minute later. http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/El...rs-Jersey/ . Alfredo Simon lowered his ERA to 0.86, and the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Friday for their 16th win in their last 17 games at the Friendly Confines.World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi expects to see a surge in popularity in the women’s game after sevens rugby makes its Olympic debut at Rio 2016. Sevens rugby and golf are sports that have been added to the Olympic roster, with kitesurfing also debuting at the Games in place of windsurfing.Former Saracens and England flanker, Alphonsi, believes there will be a boom in rugby, following the growth in womens football in this country after Team GB entered a team at London 2012. The best thing about the rugby sevens is that it is now going to be on the world stage where people can watch it and we saw something similar happen with the womens football at the last Olympics, she told Tuesdays Sportswomen show on Sky Sports News HQ. Skipper Emily Scarratt scored a try in a 26-14 win over Canada in Atlanta Ever since then the profile has grown and I think the same thing will happen with rugby sevens. It will help grow the game and I think it will benefit the XVs game as well as the sevens.A number of Alphonsis former team-mates, including skipper Emily Scarratt, will take part in the latest leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series in Canada this weekend, after England finished third in the Atlanta leg last weekend.England topped their pool on day one after winning all of their matchess, including an impressive 21-7 win over Australia, ranked No 1 in the world. Packers Super Bowl Jerseys. .I think England were the most impressive of all the teams over in Atlanta, Alphonsi said.They started very well, had a flying start over Australia and to beat the number 1 seeds is very impressive because Australia are looking very good at the moment. Alphonsi was part of the England side that won the World Cup in 2014 To win all of their games on day one and finish top of their pool was very positive. They were pushed very hard on day two by Russia who are a very good side but England are showing their potential.They are starting to play with confidence and I think that is a big thing for them going into the next leg in Canada. Playing back-to-back, going from Atlanta straight to Canada, allows them to keep that momentum and confidence going. Its not just about winning and doing well in the series, the priority now is to make sure they peak at the right time going in to Rio. England are looking good and playing the rugby that we know they can and I think they will get even better. Also See: SportsWomen Latest Show News Latest News SportsWomen Video ' ' '