BRIDGEVIEW Zack Steffen Jersey , Ill. (AP) — C.J. Sapong recorded a pair of goals for the Chicago Fire in a 4-0 shutout win over FC Dallas Saturday.Sapong gave Chicago (9-12-10) a 1-0 advantage in the seventh minute on a shot 13 yards out from the right side of the box. Przemyslaw Frankowski put Chicago on top 2-0 in the 16th minute with a shot 13 yards out from the right side of the penalty box, assisted by Brandt Bronico.Sapong put Chicago on top 3-0 in the 29th minute on a header 14 yards out from the left side of the box, assisted by Nico Gaitan. Nemanja Nikolic sealed the 4-0 victory for Chicago in the 39th minute on a shot 14 yards away from the center of the box, assisted by Frankowski.Article continues below ...The Fire outshot FC Dallas (12-11-7) 12 to six, with six shots on goal to three for FC Dallas.Chicago drew nine corner kicks, committed nine fouls and was not carded. FC Dallas drew seven corner kicks, committed 10 fouls and was given one yellow card.The Fire visit FC Cincinnati on Saturday. FC Dallas visits the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday. MADRID (AP) — The Copa America is less than three months away and both Brazil and Argentina have shown they are far from their best.Brazil is having trouble defending and transitioning from the back to the attack. Argentina Cheap Soccer Jerseys , meanwhile, is struggling with a drop in individual skill on the ball — even with the return of Lionel Messi.The South American championship starts on June 14 and runs through July 7 in five cities around Brazil.The Brazilian national team was held to a 1-1 draw by Panama on Saturday, and then unconvincingly beat the Czech Republic 3-1 in Prague on Tuesday. Both matches were played without Neymar, who has a foot injury.Brazil coach Tite, so beloved before the World Cup in Russia, is now facing condemnation from an army of detractors.“I respect (the criticism), and I say that without any hypocrisy Cheap AC Milan Soccer Shirts ,” Tite said. “I am in the public eye and I need to know how to absorb this.”The two friendlies, both played in Europe, showed a weakness in Brazil’s defensive setup, but there were also some highlights up front.David Neres, an Ajax striker who played in the place of injured Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, excelled in Brazil’s victory against the Czechs despite only playing for only 33 minutes.Also, AC Milan forward Lucas Paqueta scored against Panama while Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus scored two goals in Prague — two more than he managed at last year’s World Cup.Brazil’s final squad for the Copa America will be announced on May 17.The pressure is also on Argentina Cheap Arsenal Soccer Jerseys , which hasn’t won the continental tournament in 26 years and lost to Chile in the last two finals.Messi’s return to the national team for the first time since Argentina lost to eventual champion France in the last 16 at the World Cup was far from glorious. The Argentines lost to Venezuela 3-1 in Madrid on Friday. They followed that with a late goal in a 1-0 win over Morocco in Tangiers — without Messi on the field.Messi never explained why he took a break following the World Cup, but the team he rejoined last week under coach Lionel Scaloni is changing day by day.Since taking over late last year, with a contract that runs through the Copa America, Scaloni has already tried eight different goalkeepers.“I think we arrive well to Copa America,” Scaloni said, drawing some amazed looks from the assembled media. “As I said in the draw, we will fight a war with everyone.”Besides having Messi in the attack www.thetopsoccer.com/as-roma , though, the rest of the team that will play in Brazil remains a mystery.
