only his second hit in 27 at-bats this season. Jose

NEW YORK -- In a sign of just how much American soccer has grown up, U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann was fired after a pair of losses in the final round World Cup qualifying.Six days after a 4-0 loss at Costa Rica dropped the Americans to 0-2, Klinsmann was terminated after nearly 5 1/2 years during a meeting Monday at a Los Angeles hotel with U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati and Secretary General Dan Flynn.Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is the favorite to succeed Klinsmann, and his hiring could be announced as early as Tuesday. Arena coached the national team from 1998 to 2006.Gone are the days when U.S. coaches were immune to the win-now mentality that permeates soccer. Qualifying resumes when the U.S. hosts Honduras on March 24 and plays four days later at Panama, and the USSF is expecting a quick turnaround.While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction, Gulati said in a statement. With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup.A former star forward for Germany who has lived mostly in Orange County with his American wife since his retirement as a player in 1998, Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley in July 2011. He led the team to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup title and the second round of the 2014 World Cup, where the Americans lost to Belgium in extra time.The USSF announced in December 2013 a four-year contract extension through 2018, but the successful World Cup was followed by poor performances. The U.S. was knocked out by Jamaica in last years Gold Cup semifinals and lost to Mexico in a playoff for a Confederations Cup berth. The team rebounded to reach this years Copa America semifinals before losing to Argentina 4-0.But this month Mexico beat the Americans 2-1 at Columbus, Ohio, in the first home qualifying loss for the U.S. since 2001.And last week in Costa Rica, the Americans were stunned by their largest margin of defeat in qualifying since 1980. They dropped to 0-2 for the first time in the hexagonal, as the final round of qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean is known.While there is time to recover, given the top three teams qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia and the fourth-place finisher advances to a playoff against Asias No. 5 team, players seemed confused by Klinsmanns tactics, such as a 3-4-1-2 formation used at the start against the Mexicans.Today we made the difficult decision of parting ways with Jurgen Klinsmann, Gulati said. There were considerable achievements along the way ... but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes. He challenged everyone in the U.S. Soccer community to think about things in new ways, and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come.Gulati planned a Tuesday telephone news conference to discuss the switch. The U.S. had not changed coaches in the middle of qualifying since the USSF made the position a full-time job and hired Bob Gansler in 1989 to replace Lothar Osiander, who also at the time was a waiter at a San Francisco restaurant.Klinsmann made controversial decisions, such as dropping Landon Donovan from the 2014 World Cup roster while taking along relatively inexperienced players such as John Brooks, Julian Green and DeAndre Yedlin. Brooks and Green were among five German-Americans on the 23-man U.S. World Cup roster, which drew criticism from some in the American soccer community.He went 55-27-16, including a U.S.-record 12-game winning streak and victories in exhibitions at Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. He has worked in the past year to integrate more young players into the lineup, such as teen midfield sensation Christian Pulisic, Bobby Wood and Jordan Morris.Arena, a 65-year-old wisecracking Brooklynite known for blunt talk and sarcasm, was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010. He coached the University of Virginia from 1978-95, then coached D.C. United to titles in Major League Soccers first two seasons before losing in the 1998 final. As U.S. coach, he led the Americans to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals in the teams best finish since 1930.He was let go after the teams first-round elimination in 2006. Gulati unsuccessfully courted Klinsmann, who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany and the 1996 European Championship with Germany, then coached his nation to the 2006 World Cup semifinals.When Gulati and Klinsmann couldnt reach an agreement, the USSF hired Bradley, who coached the team to the second round of the 2010 World Cup. A year later, the Americans stumbled in the Gold Cup, and Klinsmann replaced Bradley.Arena coached the New York Red Bulls of MLS from July 2006 to November 2007, then was hired the following August by the Galaxy. He led the team to MLS titles in 2011, `12 and `14. Wholesale Air Max .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Cheap Nike Shoes China . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. http://www.chinaairmaxcheap.com/ . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Cheap Air Max . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. PHILADELPHIA -- Zach Eflin shouldve given his teammates some hitting tips.Jacob deGrom tossed a one-hitter, Curtis Granderson and Asdrubal Cabrera homered and the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 on Sunday.DeGrom (6-4) allowed only a third-inning single to pitcher Eflin and retired 27 of 29 batters. The lanky right-hander struck out seven, walked one and went the distance for the first time in 68 career starts.DeGrom retired the first eight batters before Eflin hit a sharp single up the middle.I went up to the plate just trying to get a hit, trying to put the bat on the ball just like every other time I go up there, said Eflin, who was 2 for 12 before the hit.No one else came close to reaching safely until Ryan Howard walked in the eighth.We dont seem to hit as well as we should in this park, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. If you look at the numbers, we have to hit a little better at this ballpark.Eflin (2-3) allowed five hits and three runs in six innings.I didnt have my best stuff today, but I was able to battle and limit the damage, he said.Granderson drove his 16th homer way out to right-center for a 2-0 lead in the third. Cabreras two-run shot off Andrew Bailey in the eighth was his 13th homer and gave the Mets a 5-0 lead.Juan Lagares gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the second when he lined a triple to right.dddddddddddd DeGrom helped himself with a two-out single in the fifth -- only his second hit in 27 at-bats this season. Jose Reyes followed with an RBI double to left-center to make it 3-0.DeGrom dominated the Phillies and continued his mastery in day games. He is 15-3 with a 1.63 ERA without the bright lights and 14-15 with a 3.19 ERA at night.Hes got deception. Hes got everything you need to be a successful pitcher, Mackanin said. Throws strikes, changes speed, has great location. You look at what he did today with his location and changing speed.STATSDeGrom is 4-0 vs. the Phillies and the Mets have won all seven of his starts against them. .... The Mets have 16 homers in six games in Philadelphia. ... Theyre 31-13 in Citizens Bank Park since 2012. ... Phillies 2B Cesar Hernandez is hitless in his last 14 at-bats.STANDINGSThe defending NL champion Mets (49-42) took two of three and maintain hold of a wild-card spot. The Phillies (43-50) are seven games behind.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Aaron Nola (5-8, 4.69) starts the opener of a four-game series vs. the Marlins. All-Star RHP Jose Fernandez (11-4, 2.52) pitches for Miami. ' ' '