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PRAGUE -- After only nine matches, a provincial soccer club from eastern Czech Republic is starting to draw comparisons with Premier League champion Leicester.FC Fastav Zlin, a 900-1 shot to win the Czech league title and already dubbed Zlincester, is in the early title hunt with the countrys traditional powers.Its a nice comparison, Zlin coach Bohumil Panik said in a recent interview. It pleases me. Leicester is, for a small club like us, an example to follow.Leicester surprised just about everybody last season, starting well in the Premier League and holding on to win the English title for the first time in its history.Zlin, a town of 75,000 where in 1894 Tomas Bata founded what was to become a global shoe empire, started as a soccer team in 1919 and made its debut in Czechoslovakias first division in 1938.The team has never won the title, and did well to even stay in the top league after finishing only three points above the relegation zone last season.We hit the bottom in the spring, Panik said, referring to a winless streak in early 2016. The players well remember that and dont want to go through it again. The team has learned a lesson.This season, Zlin is five points ahead of Sparta Prague and trails leaders Mlada Bloeslav and Viktoria Plzen by only one point.With its budget estimated to be less than $2 million a year, a stadium that seats just over 6,000 spectators and no big successes in the past, Zlin is a very unlikely candidate to challenge the Czech heavyweights.Under the name Gottwaldov, it only once played in major European competition, and was eliminated in the first round of the Cup Winners Cup by PSV Eindhoven in 1970.Yet this season, the Cobblers beat defending champion Viktoria Plzen 2-0, held Sparta Prague to a 1-1 draw and so far have six wins and three draws.Similar to Leicester, Zlins unheralded players rely on a well-organized defense and fast counter-attacks, punishing any defensive mistakes. But the team has also proved it is ready to adapt, like when visiting Jablonec altered its tactics and focused on defense and counters on Saturday. Zlin trailed 2-0, but in a display of undying fighting spirit, the team rallied for two goals in the final six minutes to salvage a draw.Given the development of the game, its a victory for us that the team managed to come back, Panik said.Panik is an admirer of some great coaches, including Italian master tactician Giovanni Trapattoni and Karel Bruckner, known for his free-flowing attacking soccer as Czech national team coach.The 59-year-old Panik, who has experience from coaching several Polish clubs, including Lech Poznan, applies tactics that suit the players he has available at Zlin.For instance, attacking midfielder Vukadin Vukadinovic, one of the fastest players in the league, has become a lethal weapon under Panik by creating chances from his runs down the right flank. Vukadinovics previous club, Slavia Prague, failed to find use for his speed.Itll take a team effort to win the title, but Zlin is on the right track so far -- just like that team from England last year.Leicester is a story that reminds me of a fairytale, Panik said. I like fairytales. Custom Rangers Jersey China . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. Cheap Custom Rangers Jersey . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. http://www.customnhlrangersjersey.com/ . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. 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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants are going into the second half of the season without arguably their best offensive lineman.Coach Ben McAdoo announced Monday that left guard Justin Pugh will be sidelined indefinitely with a sprained right knee.Hes going to miss a little bit of time, McAdoo said without saying how long Pugh might be out.The teams first-round draft choice in 2013, Pugh was hurt early in the second quarter of Sundays 28-23 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.The first-year coach also had no further information on the severity of an ankle injury to wide receiver Victor Cruz, who was also injured in the game. An MRI was planned.Brett Jones, the former CFL player signed in 2015, replaced Pugh and helped the Giants (5-3) win their third straight game.I thought Jonesie did a nice job when he went in there, McAdoo said. He played physical. Hes been playing more center for us but was ready to go in the ballgame at guard.McAdoo would not say whether Jones will continue at the position. His other option would be to move Bobby Hart from right tackle to left guard and return Marshall Newhouse to right tackle.Newhouse was the starting right tackle until injuring a calf in the second game of the season. He returned Sunday, playing as a sixth lineman to help in running situations.The running game continued struggling Sunday, gaining 54 yards on 24 carries, a 2.3 yard average. New York entered the game last in the league in rushing, averaging roughly 70 yards.Despite all the negativity out there in the run game, we made some progress there late in the second half, McAdoo said Monday after looking at the videotape of the game.The bright spot was the play of rookie Paul Perkins, who had 32 yards on 11 carries. He gained 17 yards on four rushes late in the fourth quarteer as the Giants tried to run out the clock.ddddddddddddPerkins had as many carries as veteran Rashad Jennings, who finished with 26 yards.We balanced up the touches there a little bit, McAdoo said. Its tough to give one guy, feature one guy in the running game these days. You need a couple of guys that can carry the ball for you. He (Perkins) had some good opportunities in there. Some clean looks. On the toss crack, he did a nice job finding the seam. He kept his balance and had a nice run there at the end.Besides Perkins, McAdoo also used two other rookies, receiver Roger Lewis Jr. and tight end Jerrel Adams, with the team coming out of the break.Lewis caught a 30-yard touchdown and had drops on two others. Adams had three catches for 24 yards and was called for a procedure penalty.I think it does a lot for your team, McAdoo said. It gives 46 guys an opportunity to play. I think it helps the veterans and breathes some life in the veterans in the long season. They have young guys that are champing at the bit. They bring excitement and energy. Its fun to see the young guys have success.Game notes McAdoo benched first-round draft pick Eli Apple for poor play Sunday. Were going to dust Eli off, put him back out there, McAdoo said of the cornerback. Hes going to get better and learn from it. ... McAdoo said the Giants were planning to ask the league about an interception by the Eagles Nolan Carroll in the fourth quarter. McAdoo felt Beckham had the ball going to the ground. .... Backup QB Ryan Nassib is going to be limited this week with an elbow injury, McAdoo said.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '