hat people are saying or whats going on," said Clarkson. "As a player you go through ups and downs and its how you come out of it and how you handle it. You work hard

LONDON -- Underwhelming up front and uneasy at the back -- but England still signed off with a victory at Wembley Stadium before the World Cup. Brooklyn Nets Jerseys . Only one forward contributed a goal in the 3-0 victory over Peru on Friday, with Daniel Sturridges deft strike in the first half breaking the dreary deadlock. But coach Roy Hodgson was still encouraged that his players managed to successfully exploit Perus inability to defend set pieces to extend their lead in the second half. From two corners in a five-minute span, Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka both netted in Englands first friendly since the 23-man World Cup squad was named. "It didnt look as if it would be too comfortable in the first half, but as soon as Daniel scored that wonderful goal the game wasnt in doubt," Hodgson said. "To do it in front of 85,000 people was a great send-off, the atmosphere was a vote of confidence. "When you play against teams with 10 men behind the ball you have to be patient but I had no doubt we would win." England heads over the weekend to Miami to play friendlies against Ecuador and Honduras before flying onto Brazil. In the Florida sun, it will be Wayne Rooney in particular with a lot to prove after the striker failed to come close to scoring in north London. "We think we know where he is, how his fitness is being maintained or progressing," Hodgson said. "His attitude and commitment are first-class, even in a game of this nature. He has two more weeks to keep that going." Although England was in control in the first half, there were anxious moments due to sloppiness that provided openings for the ineffective Peruvians, who didnt qualify for Brazil. When Rooney conceded possession early on, Jean Deza was able to unleash a dipping shot that Joe Hart saved, one of several openings for the winger on his debut. And in the second half, defender Glen Johnson gave the ball away too easily inside his own half, allowing Andre Carrillo to break forward and release Deza to shoot. Peru goalkeeper Raul Fernandez at first had little to do, with the hosts taking until the 19th minute to come close to finding the target, with Sturridge dragging a shot wide. The match was so dreary that England fans made paper airplanes out of the cardboard used for a pre-match mosaic. But Sturridge produced a goal out of nowhere with Englands meaningful effort in the 32nd. A throw-in from Glen Johnson reached his Liverpool teammate, who placed the ball high into the net beyond Fernandez. That aside, throughout the first half Fernandez didnt have a save to make, while Hart was called into action just before the break, coming off his line to deny Luis Ramirez with his left boot. This wasnt the rousing send-off England fans had hoped for, with the creativity missing and anxious moments. But the pair of goals from defenders added gloss to the win. Cahill first met Jagielkas corner in the crowded penalty area, planting a header into the net in the 65th. Then Fernandez raced off the line to catch Leighton Baines corner but dropped the ball, which fell onto Cahills head and dropped for Jagielka to dispatch into the net. The victory was secure, but it will be far tougher on June 14 for the World Cup opener against Italy. "There wasnt the match sharpness as much as we would have liked," Sturridge said. "But it was great to be out there and we are happy with the result." DAngelo Russell Jersey . The 26-year-old Sobotka injured his left leg playing for the St. Louis Blues in a 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The Blues said he would not recover from the injury in time for the Olympic tournament. Sean Kilpatrick Jersey . - Jesse Shynkaruk scored a hat trick as the Moose Jaw Warriors snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 8-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders in Western Hockey League action on Saturday. http://www.nbanetsauthority.com/trevor-booker-nets-jersey-c-25/ . Coaches are now allowed to challenge both called and potential defensive pass interference fouls under certain conditions.TORONTO - As many of his teammates departed for warm, sunny destinations over the Olympic break, David Clarkson decided to spend the majority of his time at home in Toronto, working to get himself in a position to finish what otherwise has been a forgettable season on the right foot. "Just at home with my daughter dressing up as a princess and bossing me around but I was home with the family, went away quickly, but was mainly just home with my wife and daughter," said Clarkson. Having already missed 21 of 60 games this season being in and out of the lineup due to two suspensions and two different injuries (foot and elbow), additional time off was the last thing Clarkson felt he needed. "I think Ive had enough of a break this year," he laughed, "but Im ready to go here to finish this season the right way." Instead of time off, Clarkson dedicated himself to a workout schedule in an effort to sustain the improvement in his play in the week leading up to the Olympic break. "Especially with the year, the way its gone for me, when you go through a tough time, sometimes youve got to dig deep and find a way to get back to work and try to stay healthy." So far, Clarksons off-ice work over the break has paid off, at least in the eyes of his head coach. "He worked out and maintained a high level of conditioning and its shown here during this mini camp," Randy Carlyle praised, singling Clarkson out after putting his team through another high tempo practice with a heavy emphasis on battle drills designed to ensure the team hits the ground running when they resume their schedule on Thursday night against the New York Islanders. Reunited with Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul on a line in the second last game before the Olympic break in Tampa Bay, Carlyle was impressed with the trios performance against the Lightning and the following game against the Vancouver Canucks. The three had played together most recently for a couple of games at the end of November before various injuries and suspensions kept them apart. Jarrett Allen Jersey. "We think the combination of Kadri, Lupul and Clarkson have been a real strong force for us over the last little while and theres no reason to change that," said Carlyle. "We think they should be challenging the Bozak, Kessel and van Riemsdyk lines for minutes, offensive minutes." Likely more of a challenge than an expectation given the tear that the JVR-Bozak-Kessel unit was on heading into the break, an element of consistent production from that group would be welcomed to take some of the onus off the top line. Clarkson seems to be pleased with the chemistry developing among his linemates so far. "I think playing with those two, we made a lot of good plays," he said. "We were in the other teams zone, we were doing a lot and I think it was the healthiest Ive felt since coming back off the elbow (injury)." Signing a seven-year, $36.75 million deal to play in his hometown last summer, the expectations were high, probably too high to legitimately expect them to be met. At that price, production is expected in the range of 20 to 30 goals and 55-65 points. But Clarkson is not a player who will consistently reach those targets. He knows the criticism has been abundant. "In sports, I think you have to blank some stuff out whether its what people are saying or whats going on," said Clarkson. "As a player you go through ups and downs and its how you come out of it and how you handle it. You work hard through those times to get stronger and better." Finally healthy, a strong performance down the stretch could go a long way in helping to silence some of his critics and erase the disappointment of the first three quarters of the season. It promises to be tough, hard sprint to the finish and its type of hockey Clarkson wouldnt want any other way. "This is playoff hockey," he said, "the rest of the season is what its all about." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '