VANCOUVER -- John Herdman says that every game tells a story. Nate Solder Jersey . The head coach of the Canadas womens soccer team learned more about his players Sunday, and for long stretches, he didnt like what he saw. The Canadians were sloppy and plodding for long periods while also failing to capitalize on their numerous scoring chances in settling for a 0-0 draw with Mexico in an international friendly. Ranked seventh in the world, Canada won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics and is the host country of the 2015 FIFA Womens World Cup. Mexico, meanwhile, is in rebuild mode and sits 24th in the FIFA rankings. "You expect to beat Mexico, no disrespect," said Herdman. "(Canada) is the seventh-ranked team in the world, bronze medallists. I still think were three or four players (away from being) that team again. Hopefully we can either find those players or get those players back. "I think the Mexicans were worth the score today. They werent miles away from Canada." Herdman was especially displeased with the tail end of the opening 45 minutes. "We just ran out of ideas. That first half, I felt sorry for people watching at home or in the stands. It just wasnt an inspirational or exciting performance," he said. "I think the players knew at halftime that people had paid some money to watch them play, given their Sundays up, and they had to give a bit more. "Its almost like we thought this was going to be easy for some reason." The fact that Mexico wasnt far off will be troubling for Herdman, who has been experimenting with new tactics while giving younger players a chance to show they belong. Some failed to impress. "I just know how much that shirt is worth to people," said Herdman. "If you get a chance to play in front of 20,000 people ... I just expect players to give everything theyve physically got, mentally got. "If youre going to play for Canada, you better be bloody good ... and be good every game." One of the players who caught Herdmans eye was 16-year-old defender Sura Yekka, who won her second cap. "She brought a real bright spot," he said. "If anything, she pretty much showed the way in terms of a positive attitude to really take it to Mexico and I think a couple players fed off her energy." Herdman has brought Kara Lang back into the fold after she retired nearly three years ago because of two serious knee injuries. While the 27-year-old is still a long way off from seeing game action, its clear that outside of captain Christine Sinclair, Canada is still starving for goals. "It tells you a bit of a story of what we need to add to this team," said Herdman of the 0-0 scoreline. Canada had a chance to grab the lead in the 48th minute, but Sophie Schmidt sliced a cross from Brittany Baxter over the Mexican goal. Kaylyn Kyle then had a golden opportunity in alone in the 53rd, only to have Mexican goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago make a save before stopping Emily Zurrers effort on the ensuing corner. Santiago came up huge for her team again on Sinclair in the 78th minute before a Mexican defender blocked Lauren Sesselmanns rebound chance. Santiago had Sinclairs number once more in the 87th, stopping her effort with a diving save as Canada failed to find the elusive goal. "It was a big challenge to come here and close the year with a good performance," said Mexican head coach Leonardo Cuellar. "Obviously were still far away from where we would like to be." Sundays crowd was vocal, with pockets of Mexican supporters scattered across B.C. Place Stadium, which will be the site of the final in 2015. Coming off a drab 3-0 victory over South Korea in Edmonton last month, Canada had some early chances before goalkeeper Erin McLeod was forced to make a sprawling save in the 10th minute off Mexicos Guadalupe Worbis. Baxter, formerly Britanny Timko prior to her marriage this summer, put the ball in the back of the Mexican goal behind Santiago in the 13th minute, but she was ruled offside. McLeod had to be sharp again in the 15th when Worbis, far and away Mexicos most dangerous threat in the first half, stepped around a Canadian defender and fired another shot on target. Sinclair then rounded the Mexican keeper a minute later, but couldnt get her shot past an on-rushing defender. Wilkinson limped off in the 28th minute and made way for Yekka, whose energy down the right side gave Canada some life. Mexico had a dangerous cross in the 29th minute, but Zurrer did well to head the ball behind for a corner that Canada would deal with to end the threat. Despite Sundays performance, Herdman has 18 months until the start of the World Cup to figure out his best lineup and formation. "Today told us about players. Thats what the game constantly does," he said. "Every time we play its a story. You read into that what you want." Notes: Sundays game marked Canadas first in Vancouver since a 3-1 victory over Mexico in the CONCACAF qualifying tournament that secured a spot at the 2012 London Olympics. The Canadians would eventually go on to win bronze following a memorable extra-time loss to the United States in the semifinals. ... Canadas next game is Jan. 31 against the U.S. in friendly to be played in Frisco, Texas. Stephon Gilmore Jersey . According to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the Maple Leafs have trade offers on the table for the 26-year-old, but none have been deemed acceptable by the team. Cameron Fleming Jersey . Louis Blues have returned to the top spot in the TSN. http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/Elite-Chris-Hogan-Patriots-Jersey/ . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr.Gordie Howe scored 801 NHL goals and they called him Mr. Hockey. Wayne Gretzky came along and scored 894 NHL goals and they called him The Great One. John Tavares, a superstar in Canadas other officially designated national sport, joined them in an elite echelon of athletic achievement by scoring his 800th pro indoor goal on Saturday. "Hes the epitome of lacrosse as a player and as a person," says Buffalo Bandits teammate Anthony Cosmo, who has been reunited with Tavares after sharing Mann Cup triumphs while keeping in shape with him in summer amateur play. "Hes Mr. Lacrosse to me. Hes an amazing leader, an amazing lacrosse player. Its been an absolute pleasure playing with him." Tavares is 45 and in his 23rd season with the Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. Hes originally from Toronto, hes in a classroom weekdays teaching high school math in Mississauga, and he is an uncle of the NHL player of the same name. He scored his 800th goal in Buffalo on Saturday at 13:49 of the third quarter. Tavares scored his 800th on a power play at the 13:49 mark of the third quarter in Buffalos 16-13 loss to Calgary on Saturday. He had the ball to the left of Roughnecks goalie Mike Poulin, stepped towards the middle of the floor, and bounced a ball into the net from just outside the crease late in the third quarter, lifting most of the 16,606 spectators out of their First Niagara Center seats. "The nice thing about scoring the 800th is that theres no pressure for the next 99," he quipped afterwards. Hes also amassed in excess of 1,700 points. All of his numbers are NLL career scoring records. "I really dont care for milestones but, obviously, its a huge achievement to score 800 in the league for the number of games (293) that Ive played," he says. Buffalos Memorial Auditorium, where he scored his first two goals in a 1992 game against the defunct New York Saints, was razed long ago but Tavares is playing as if he could be around for a while yet. His 2014 season has been inspiring to everybody who has watched. Hes scoring as frequently as he was 10 years ago. "Im not trying to beat Gordie Howes record," he replies when asked if he could play until hes 52, like Howe. "No way. I have to run. Im not wearing skates out there." Tavares has been a key contributor this season. The Bandits are 8-6 so far in their 18-game schedule. "It makes it a lot more fun when youre winning," he says. Edmonton GM-coach Derek Keenan was a teammate of Tavares on that first-year Bandits outfit back in 92. Tavares showed exceptional talent right from the start of his rookie season as he was helped along by veteran teammates such as Kevin Alexander. "It was jaw-dropping how talented he was," says Keenan. Still is. The other night, he leapt with one hand on his stick in an attempt to score from behind the net and just missed. "John always morphed his game to suit his age or injuries," says Keenan. "He was an exciting inside player who dove the crease 10 times a game and played in the dirty areas. He rarely missed around the net when he had a chance in tight. He did that for a long time. Now his outside shooting is just unbelievable. "Thats been going on for 10 years. That started in his late 20s." The intensity level has never diminished. "Hes a competitor," says Keenan. "He can be nasty. Hes as tough as nails, and fearless. You wont come across a tougher competitor." Tavares pondered quitting after the disappointments of 2013 but opted to forge ahead. "My kids are always telling me, Daddy, one more year, one more year," he explains. The brass urged him to continue, too. "People like (GM) Steve Dietrich still felt I had something left in me so I came back." New coach Troy Cordingley gives him plenty of mminutes on the green carpets of the NLL. Donta Hightower Jersey. "Hes the ultimate team player," says Cordingley. "Hes not worried about his goals or assists, hes worried about wins. "Hes unbelievable. Hes a great leader in our dressing room. He is not one bit worried about any individual stats. Hes just concerned about wins and thats the best kind of leader to have on your team." Cordingley was an assistant coach with the Bandits when they last won the NLL championship in 2008, he was a defenceman in Buffalo during his playing days, and he coached against him when he stood behind benches in Calgary and Toronto, so he knows Tavares well. "Hes a smart player," says Cordingley. "You have to try to outsmart him, which is pretty difficult. He knows where to go in open spaces. Hes a little bit slower than he was but hes so smart. He does other things off ball, too, to create space for other guys." Jim Veltman was a pro teammate of Tavares from 1992 through 1996, when they won a third title together. Veltman then captained the Toronto Rock to five championships in seven years through 2005. Meanwhile, they were summer teammates winning Canadian amateur titles with teams in Brampton, Ont., and in Victoria, when they last played together in 2003. "It was a thrill Ill never forget," Veltman says of hoisting the Mann Cup with Tavares in 03. "Just to be able to play with John again was a big reason why I played that year in Victoria." They shared a lot of laughs. "He makes the game fun," says Veltman, who retired in 2008. "He sees the game in a whole different light than most players. "Hes one of those guys you play with and you see him do something special and you think, Wow, Ive never seen anything like that before. Hes like a kid in a playground. Most guys never tried some of the stuff he tried because theyd be afraid the coach would yell at you, but not John." Veltman recalled a trick Tavares used early in his career. A teammate would carry the ball behind the opposing teams net. Tavares would manoeuvre to the front of the crease and fall to his knees as if hed been hit. Hed hold his stick up in front of his chest. The teammate behind the net would hit the target with a pass and Tavares would score from his knees. Some of his antics off the floor were hilarious. During that 03 Mann Cup series, "Wed lost one of the games and everybody was feeling the pressure," Veltman recalls. "Guys were saying, Weve got to win, weve got to win and John came to the rink in womens underwear or whatever it was to loosen things up." It worked. Longtime NLL coach Bob Hamley was another 92 teammate. "He has been able to do what he has done because of his lacrosse IQ and his compete level," says Hamley. "I consider lacrosse players to be competitive people but John was and is at another level when it comes to competing. You combine this with his on-floor intelligence and it made him what he is today. His drive and intelligence are unmatched." Paul Day was on that 92 Buffalo team too. Day grew up in Peterborough and played against Tavares in his youth. "John already had an unbelievable stick when he was 12 years old," recalls Day, who is an assistant coach with the Rochester Knighthawks. "I remember slashing him a few times in junior, trying to get under his skin, and he wouldnt even look at you because you couldnt rattle him." There is much more to Tavares game than piling up scoring points. Day remembers a game when they had just turned pro in which Tavares laid out an opponent. "He hit a guy at centre, an open-floor hit that was one of the best ones Ive ever seen in lacrosse," he recalls. "What can you say about him now? Hes the best of all time, the best Ive ever seen." Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Authentic Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '