Die Macht » rise of the Bulldogs should give hop

MADRID -- The frustration keeps piling up for Valencia in the Spanish league.Cesare Prandellis team conceded an equalizer in the final minute of stoppage time in a 2-2 draw against Malaga. That extended its winless streak in the league to six games, prompting more jeers from disappointed home fans at Mestalla Stadium.We have to stay optimistic, Prandelli said. We have to find ways to overcome these obstacles. I know its hard, but we have to keep our heads high.The hosts appeared in position to finally win for the second time in the league under the former Italy coach, but the defense faltered and Malaga midfielder Pablo Fornals scored from inside the area right at the end of the match.Fornals had scored Malagas first goal three minutes into the game, but striker Rodrigo and midfielder Alvaro Medran each netted in the first half to give Valencia a chance to snap the winless streak.Prandelli won in his first match in charge of Valencia in October, but since then the team lost three times and drew another three in the league, dropping to 16th in the 20-team standings.Its a pity, we played well enough to win this game but we let it escape again, Rodrigo said. We have to stay united and keep working hard.Valencia won 3-1 at Leganes on Tuesday in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.Malaga, unbeaten in four league games, is in 11th place with 20 points.Leader Real Madrid drew with Barcelona 1-1 in Saturdays clasico at Camp Nou to reach 34 points and maintain a six-point advantage over its Catalan rival.Sevilla is third with 27 points and Atletico Madrid fourth with 25.---ATHLETIC BILBAO 3, EIBAR 1Playmaker Benat Etxebarria scored with a superb free kick just before halftime to lead Athletic Bilbao to victory over Eibar, getting his team back in the fight for a Europa League spot.Etxebarria perfectly curled a right-footed shot over the wall from near the left corner of the penalty area in the 42nd minute. The powerful strike went into the top left corner, leaving no chance for Eibar goalkeeper Asier Riesgo.Forward Inaki Williams added to Athletics lead in the 55th at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao with a great run from his own half. Williams sped past a couple of defenders before entering the area and sending a low shot between the legs of Riesgo.Eibar pulled one back with a header by forward Sergi Enrich in the 70th, but Iker Muniain sealed Athletics victory after a counterattack in second-half injury time.It was Athletics second win in its last three matches, leaving it seventh in the standings with 23 points, the same as fifth-placed Villarreal and sixth-placed Real Sociedad. The top four teams play in the Champions League next season, while Nos. 5 and 6 participate in the Europa League.Athletic is in the second-tier European competition this season.Eibar, coming off two straight wins, stayed on 21 points and dropped to eighth place.Eibar was one of the clubs whose players wore rainbow-colored arm bands on Sunday to promote the fight against homophobia.---REAL BETIS 3, CELTA VIGO 3Spain striker Iago Aspas scored a goal in each half and Argentine defender Facundo Roncaglia netted an 85th-minute equalizer for Celta Vigo in its thrilling draw against Real Betis in Seville.Betis twice had the lead with goals by striker Ruben Castro, Paraguay forward Antonio Sanabria and Argentine defender German Pezzella. But Celta kept coming back to secure the away draw that left the visitors in ninth place with 21 points.Real Betis is 14th with 15 points, five away from the relegation zone.Betis had Brazilian midfielder Petros sent off in second-half stoppage time.---OTHER GAMESAlaves drew with visiting Las Palmas 1-1, while host Sporting Gijon defeated Osasuna 3-1 to snap a 10-match winless streak.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoniMarcelo Grohe Brazil Jersey . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Ganso Jersey . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. http://www.soccerbrazilonline.com/Philippe-Coutinho-Copa-America-Jersey/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Casemiro Brazil Jersey . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. Blank Jersey . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday.Fifty-five years is a heck of a long time.Things were a lot different back in 1961 -- the last time the Western Bulldogs, or Footscray as they were known, played in a grand final.Australias population was just a tick over 10 million, while the average weekly wage was a measly ￡15. Yeah, thats right; Australias legal currency was the British Pound.Rodney Eade was the only AFL coach alive and the Hawks had just one premiership to their name. Oh, how things change.But on Saturday, the 20,097-day drought will be broken and for some Bulldogs faithful, its a dream they never expected would turn into reality.Its truly surreal and quite honestly one of the most exciting and unexpected weeks of my life, lifelong member and jubilant Footscray fanatic Margaret Graham told ESPN.Every year, you watch on with envy during grand final week and think why cant that be my side?. Finally, its our time, and after 47 years my dream has come true and I can see my boys playing in the big one.Of course wed love to win it, but just to make [the grand final], thats something I never thought Id see in my lifetime.For the fourth time in as many finals, the Bulldogs will start as outsiders, but it wont bother them. Neither will the fact that they will become the first side in two decades to field 22 first-time grand finalists.Why should it? After all, they have thrived on the underdog status in 2016 and repeatedly excelled when written off.The enviable hunger and tenacity Luke Beveridge has instilled into his side has been a major driver behind reaching footballs grandest stage, and surely this will go some distance in making up for their lack of big-game experience.But Beveridges impact doesnt stop there.Hes managed to rejuvenate the likes of Liam Picken -- whos been just about the player of the finals series, and Matthew Boyd --- a 2016 All-Australian in his own right.dddddddddddd. Beveridge also didnt hesitate in sending a message to his side earlier in the year by dropping an out-of-form Jake Stringer to the reserves, only for him to return a match-winner.Its no wonder he has been voted the AFLs best coach two years in succession.You can see that they want to win and win for Luke, Graham said. Its clear how much respect they have for him, but most importantly the amount of respect he has for each and every player.He has inspired a young group to perform at a level very few, if any, ever would have thought possible. Its a credit to his coaching ability, but it also speaks volumes for him as a person.The rise of the Bulldogs should give hope to fans of other struggling clubs. Many seem to forget that two years ago, the Dogs were languishing near the bottom of the ladder, but some aggressive trading and success at the draft has catapulted them into premiership contention.For the red, white and blue faithful like Graham, a grand final berth is a reward for the decades of pain and hardship.At the end of the day, its only football and life does go on, but [Bulldogs members] have been starved of success for decades. We have stuck by this club through the toughest of times and to now see grown men in tears after [last weeks preliminary final win over GWS] shows just how important this all is,?she said.Its been a remarkable ride and we all have our fingers and toes crossed that it can continue one more week.Whatever the outcome on Saturday, these spirited Dogs will forever be remembered and lauded for bringing joy to Melbournes west, once more.After all, 55 years is a heck of a long time between drinks. ' ' '