Kritik und Lob » But after beating Williams in

VANCOUVER -- Martin Rennie had things easy the past couple of weeks. But after having the luxury of keeping his lineup intact for two games, the Vancouver Whitecaps coach has no shortage of tough decisions to make heading into an important Major League Soccer game Saturday in Portland against the Timbers. Suspensions, a potential injury-induced absence and the need to kick-start a club that has lost its past two games will force the Vancouver coach to act. The fifth-place Caps (9-7-5) are seeking their first-ever MLS win over the Timbers (8-3-2), who are tied for second, as both clubs try to keep pace in a tight Western Conference. The starting goalkeeper choice ranks at, or near, the top of Rennies decisions list as the coach contemplates whether to give newcomer David Ousted his first start of the season or keep going with Brad Knighton. The second-year goaltender has lost his past two games after helping the Whitecaps go unbeaten in their previous six. But Rennie does not regard his goalkeeper pick as a difficult decision. "Its a lot better than our centre backs are doing, for example, where we dont have any choices (after several injuries)," said Rennie. "Its nice to have choices. "Not only that, but (former No. 1 and now No. 3) Joe Cannon is a great goalkeeper and (No. 4) Simon (Thomas) is a good goalkeeper, too. Its a good position for us." Ousted, a 28-year-old former Danish Superliga star, signed in June and did not become eligible until an international transfer window opened July 9. If the Greve, Denmark native gets the call, he will be the third goalkeeper to go between the posts for the Whitecaps this season after Knighton, 28, wrestled the starting job away from Cannon, 38. "I think that (Knighton) has been doing well and (Ousted) is looking really sharp now," Rennie said. Ousted spent the past three seasons with Randers FC in the Danish Superliga, earning 35 clean sheets in 103 appearances. He is eager to play after honing his craft in practice and watching games from the bench. Although he is willing to be patient and wait for his chance, the goalkeeper has found it very difficult to watch. "I hate being on the bench," Ousted said. "I always have. I think every footballer wants to play, and Im the same. I want to play every time." Portlands Weld-Jen Field is known for being a hostile environment. The Whitecaps have never beaten the Timbers there or anywhere else since the two clubs entered MLS in 2011. But the Caps earned a home tie against Portland in May. "If there was some good spectators there and a couple of boos in there, thats something I thrive on," Ousted said. "I love that. It just makes me play even better. So Im not nervous getting in there. Im just waiting for my chance to prove myself." Coach Rennie also has a potentially tough call to make up front as striker Kenny Miller battles a groin injury suffered in a 1-0 loss to Philadelphia last weekend, when the Whitecaps played down a man for all but eight minutes. Depending on Millers availability, Kekuta Manneh, 18, the clubs top draft choice (fourth overall) this year, is a candidate for his second start of the season. "It would be great to start the game," Manneh said. "Its a big game for the club, and everybodys looking forward to it, and its a really important game for us. So, if it is a matter of playing one minute or 90 minutes, I will try to add as much as I can and try to be a big part of the team." The Gambian speedster has excelled while coming off the bench, producing two goals and an assist in just 274 minutes of playing time in 12 appearances. Midfield also appears to be a concern as Jun Marques Davidson and Gershon Koffie serve one-game suspensions. Davidsons suspension stems from the red card he received for head-butting a Philadelphia player in the back last weekend. Fortunately, he avoided further punishment from the leagues disciplinary committee. Koffies ban is due to yellow-card accumulation. Despite the need for changes, Rennie still likes his clubs chances against a Portland squad that lost two of its four games in July but has suffered just a league-low three losses. "If we execute well, weve shown that weve got a good chance against any team," said Rennie. NOTES: Centre back Brad Rusin is slated to play after recovering from a hip injury that forced him out of the game against Philadelphia. Kirby Puckett Jersey . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Wholesale Twins Jerseys . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. https://www.cheaptwins.com/802t-brusdar-graterol-jersey-twins.html . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. Sean Poppen Twins Jersey . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. Nelson Cruz Twins Jersey .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Monica Puig still had goosebumps well after the biggest win of her career.The Puerto Rican tennis player routed French Open champion Garbine Muguruza 6-1, 6-1 on Tuesday to reach the Olympic quarterfinals.You just go in shock, she said.Even with the big lead, keeping it together through those last couple of games was tricky.You start getting emotional, and theres no hiding it, the 22-year-old Puig said. You start feeling those butterflies, those nerves. Its all of that coming out.You keep that all bottled up, and its like a Coca-Cola bottle -- you shake it, shake it, shake it, its going to explode. I just tried to not explode until the right moment, and it worked.Ranked 34th in the world, Puig has never reached the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam. Now shes two wins from an Olympic medal -- and playing on the half of the draw thats missing top-ranked Serena Williams, who lost later Tuesday.Puig will face a player with a similar ranking for a spot in the semifinals: No. 32 Laura Siegemund, a 28-year-old German who is having a career year. Siegemund won her first WTA title at the Swedish Open last month.Five of the top-six seeded players have already lost on the womens side.In 2013 at the French Open, Puig became the first woman representing Puerto Rico to reach the third round at a major in the Open era, which began in 1968. But at her first Ollympics, her nationality takes on much more resonance.ddddddddddddWhen Im playing in the WTA, its more like Im playing for myself -- my job, lets say, she said. Here, its not really my job. Its for my country, and I think nothing in the world can compare to that. Its the most special feeling when you put on your colors of your country and youre walking around the Olympic Village and everybody looks to see your country on the back of your shirt.Muguruza is also 22, and shes already a major champion. But after beating Williams in the final at Roland Garros for her first Grand Slam title, the Spaniard lost in the second round at Wimbledon. She had 29 unforced errors to 15 winners on Tuesday.Muguruza said shes handled that French Open win just fine, that she hasnt played enough since to draw any conclusions about the state of her game.The year is long, she said. You never know what can happen.And though she was seeded third and has won a major title this year, Muguruza insisted that I was not expecting to come here and go with the gold medal at her first Olympics.She won her second-round doubles match with Carla Suarez Navarro later in the day and will play mixed doubles with Rafael Nadal.Im over it, Muguruza said of the singles loss. ' ' '