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LEVERKUSEN, Germany -- Manchester United routed Bayer Leverkusen 5-0 on Wednesday to cruise into the knockout stage of the Champions League. Wayne Rooney did not score but played a role in four of Uniteds goals. Antonio Valencia put United ahead in the 22ndminute, Emir Spahics own goal in the 30th doubled Uniteds lead and Jonny Evans got the third in the 65th. Chris Smalling steered home the fourth in the 77th and Nani completed the rout in the 88th. United won 4-2 at home and scored a total of nine goals against a team that sits second in the Bundesliga, but was outplayed on Wednesday. The victory gave United 11 points in Group A before its final match against second-place Shakhtar Donetsk, which beat Real Sociedad 4-0 to move onto eight points. Cheap Shoes Online Australia . Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist stood tall with 41 saves between the pipes, but it was defenceman Ryan McDonagh who got the first star of the game as he had a goal and an assist and now has two goals and four assists for six points in two games. Cheap Sneakers Online Australia . A day after FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said three stadiums would not be ready in time for the Dec. 31 deadline, Brazilian officials said they actually plan to deliver all six remaining venues after that date. They claim only three are delayed, with the other three being handed over after the expected date only because of problems accommodating the schedule of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who wants to be present for the ceremonies. http://www.wholesalesneakersaustralia.com/. As each game passes (each has played close with the exception of last night) it becomes clearer just how evenly matched these two teams are and how one mistake, or one bad inning, is likely to sway the result. Wholesale Sneakers Australia .com) - Guard Greivis Vasquez and forward Patrick Patterson, two key pieces to the Toronto Raptors run to an Atlantic Division title in 2013-14, were both given qualifying offers by the team on Saturday. Cheap Sneakers Australia . "If we could score a six in every game, obviously I would be pretty excited," Jones said. "Its a long week but a short week. Its a pretty short round robin from what were used to so you dont want to get behind the eight ball early.Almost once a game, an NFL player absorbs an illegal blow to the head or neck that could put his career — or worse — at risk. The NFL has been trying to prevent such blows over the past four years, targeting improper technique and making a point to penalize and fine players for hits that leave them and their opponents vulnerable. Yet an Associated Press review of penalties through the first 11 weeks of the season found those hits are still prevalent. The AP reviewed 549 penalties, 491 of which fell under the category of major infractions: unnecessary roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct, roughing the passer, face masks and roughing the quarterback. Of the penalties charted over the first 162 games of the season, the AP identified 156 involving contact with the head and neck — an average of .962 per game. Of those, 38 were for head-wrenching face masks, 25 were for horse collars and 93 were for hits to the head. Quarterbacks (40) and receivers (38) shared the brunt of those hits almost equally, with players at other positions absorbing the other 15 blows. The numbers can be interpreted a variety of ways. The league declined comment, though it made a statement of sorts in the off-season when it decided against the 5 per cent hike in minimum fines, as allowed for in the union contract, after determining players were adjusting to the rules. A sentiment among the players the AP spoke to on offence was that they appreciate all the NFL has done to protect them. But, in the words of Titans running back Chris Johnson, they know that "sometimes you just cant control where you hit somebody." Defensive players acknowledged they have to do their part to make the game safer. "The face mask, thats going to happen. The pass interference, those things are going to happen. The stupid fouls, hitting the quarterbacks late and doing all the other stuff weve done, we have to eliminate it," said Titans safety Bernard Pollard, who has been fined $62,000 this season. But the defenders also reiterated a long-held belief that theyre held to a different standard than their offensive counterparts. "No doubt," Packers cornerback Tramon Williams said. "Guys are still getting penalized for clean shots, getting fined for clean shots, and theres no other explanation to it. Just like theyre holding us accountable for trying to make that right hit, theyve got to hold themselves accountable for making the right calls on the field, and making the right decision on who to fine and how much to fine." True to the defenders complaints, the AP review tallied 224 major infractions against the defence, with only 69 going against the offence. Similarly, penalties for low hits, which many thought would rise when defenders were forced to focus away from the head and neck, were relatively low — only 35. That small number included illegal cuts, chop and peelback blocks against the offence for hits on defenders — penalties the defensive players argue are called far too rarely and put their careers at as much risk as the above-the-shoulder hits. "Thhe way offences are playing now and the way running backs block now, I think its almost every play," Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said when asked how often a defensive players legs get targeted.dddddddddddd New England tight end Rob Gronkowskis season ended abruptly Sunday with a knee injury when he took a low hit from Cleveland safety T.J. Ward. No penalty was called. Ward said he knows he cant go for the high hit. "But we have to play this game," Ward said. "We have to play it the way that they force us to, and unfortunately, it incurred an injury for him." Of the 35 penalties for low hits, 10 came against the defence for hits to the quarterbacks. The leagues propensity for protecting the passer continues at almost every spot on the field. Over the first 11 weeks, there were 32 flags for infractions against quarterbacks that didnt involve hits to the head or legs — for example, a late hit on a sliding quarterback. The NFL still makes a big splash out of suspensions and fines levied under the umbrella of protecting players. Ndamukong Suh, a multiple offender, got a $100,000 fine — largest in league history for on-field conduct — for his Week 2 low block on John Sullivan of the Vikings during an interception return. More recently, Titans safety Michael Griffin served a one-game suspension for a low hit on Oakland tight end Mychal Rivera. When asked what he could have done differently, Griffin said a league official "told me theres no clear black-and-white answer." "You have to start thinking about how youre going to hit the guy when you get there," Titans coach Mike Munchak said. "I think its very, very hard, very difficult. It definitely is necessary. I think it has helped the game in that way. But I think youve got to be careful in how these guys are fined and things like that going forward." Whatever the mixed messages, the NFL appears satisfied with the way players are adjusting to the rules, given the leagues decision not to raise fine amounts. Total fines issued by the NFL have declined by 32 per cent from 2009 to 2012 (668 to 451) and also decreased 4.5 per cent between 2011 and 2012 (472 to 451). Fines for illegal hits on quarterbacks have declined 46.4 per cent since 2009 (114 to 61). All of which points to a safer game — but a game that nevertheless, at least on average, puts at least one player in jeopardy in every game in every stadium every Thursday, Sunday and Monday. "Its a warrior game," said Broncos defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson, on injured reserve after suffering a dislocated hip on a play in which four players took turns blocking him, both high and low. "Youre going to have collisions. Youre going to have those injuries. You just try to do the best you can with them and play within the rules they set." ___ AP Sports Writers Genaro Armas in Green Bay, Wisc., Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tenn., Tom Withers in Cleveland, Joe Kay in Cincinnati and Joseph White in Washington contributed to this report. ' ' '