AMSTERDAM - Lionel Messi equaled Raul Gonzalezs Champions League scoring record of 71 goals on Wednesday with his second strike for Barcelona in a 2-0 victory over against Ajax.
[b]Lou Gehrig Jersey[/b] .Messi notched his 70th and 71st goals in his 90th match in Europes top club competition. Former Real Madrid and Schalke striker Raul took 142 matches to reach his tally.Messis record-equaling effort came a night after Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 70 Champions League goals, failed to find the net in Real Madrids 1-0 victory over Liverpool.Messi opened his and Barcelonas account in the 36th minute with a header and doubled his tally to make it 2-0 in the 76th minute after a one-two with substitute Pedro Rodriguez.The victory sealed Barcelonas place in the last 16 from Group F.Messi is also on the cusp of equaling the Spanish leagues all-time scorer, needing only one goal to match Telmo Zarras milestone of 251 goals that has gone untouched since 1955 when Barcelona visits Almeria on Saturday.
[b]Miguel Yajure Jersey[/b] . -- The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed cornerback Perrish Cox to a one-year contract.
[b]Domingo German Jersey[/b] . -- Jimmie Johnson has a sixth NASCAR championship in hand and two legends within reach.David Poile earned a chance to be general manager of the U.S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey.Since last summer, he spent countless hours trying to shape a roster that would give the Americans a shot to win Olympic gold for the first time since he witnessed whats known as the "Miracle on Ice," in 1980.Poile, though, wont be at the Sochi Games to see the team he helped set up.The Nashville Predators GM and former Washington Capitals executive was hit in the face by a deflected puck during an NHL game last week, a freak accident that will force him to watch the U.S. go for gold on TV from his home in Tennessee."Serving as GM of the U.S. Olympic Team has been the opportunity of a lifetime and I am forever grateful to USA Hockey," Poile said Monday in a statement from the Predators. "However, it is not possible for me to travel at this time, but I will remain in contact with Ray Shero, Brian Burke, Jim Johansson and our coaching staff during the games."Team USA is in great hands and I will be there in spirit. I wish all the best for our players, coaches and entire group as they begin play in the 2014 Olympics and go for the gold."Poile is recovering from surgery and stitches he needed after the puuck hit him while he was standing in a tunnel behind the Predators bench in Minnesota.
[b]Nick Swisher Jersey[/b]. "I first want to thank everyone who has reached out to me since suffering this injury," Poile said. "The outpouring of support and comfort has been overwhelming."He led a selection committee that picked the Olympic team after months of work, and his role during the 12-day tournament would have been largely behind the scenes in a supporting role."To hear that he had been hurt and to know that hes not going to be coming over is a huge disappointment," U.S. coach Dan Bylsma said.Shero, who is general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, will be acting GM in Sochi."Having worked with Dave for eight years in Nashville, and knowing, as I told the team, how much passion, time and effort he has put into putting this team together, its disappointing," Shero said.Poile won the Lester Patrick award in 2001 for his contributions to hockey in the U.S., and is a three-time finalist for NHL GM of the year. He has also filled various roles with USA Hockey.He was the associate GM for the U.S. at the Olympics four years ago, when he assisted Burke after he dealt with tragedy. Burkes 21-year-old son, Brendan, died Feb. 5, 2010, in a car accident, and he skipped the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Games. ' ' '
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