BRASILIA, Brazil -- After a disappointing start at the Olympics, Brazil is preparing to play without the support of the home crowd.The Brazilian soccer team was loudly bed in the 0-0 draw against South Africa in the opener, and another disappointing performance against Iraq on Sunday will certainly lead to more jeers from the demanding fans in Brasilia.Brazil coach Rogerio Micale said the players will have to find a way to deal with the hostile environment if the team struggles again.If there are bs again, we will have to pretend that we are playing away from home, play as if we were playing in a stadium with rival fans, Micale said Saturday. We cant be affected by that if it happens.Brazil is favored to win the Olympic tournament thanks to a talented team led by Barcelona striker Neymar, and fans will not be satisfied with anything other than the gold medal -- the only significant trophy Brazil has never won in soccer.Micale said the best way to keep the fans from turning against the team is to get off to a strong start against Iraq at the Mane Garrincha Stadium, which again is expected to pack in more than 60,000 fans.It would be ideal to score early, Micale said. But the players cant forget that we have 90 minutes to earn the victory, which is the most important thing for us right now. We have to stay calm. The opponent knows that we are under pressure and they can use that against us.Iraq coach Abdulghani Alghazali said his team can take advantage of Brazils difficult moment.This pressure certainly is a weapon that can be used, he said through a translator.Brazil defensive midfielder Thiago Maia said its natural for the crowd to be unsatisfied with Brazils struggles.The fans come to the stadium to see goals and victories, he said. We understand them, ftball is like that. Hopefully in this next game the ball will go in and we can get the victory.Brazil created numerous scoring opportunities against South Africa but was not able to capitalize on them, even after the Africans went down a man because of a red card in the 59th minute.The first game is always complicated because of the nerves and the anxiety, Micale said. But that moment has passed. I think the team will be a bit lser on the field tomorrow and will give a positive response to the fans.Iraq and Denmark also drew 0-0 in their first game, leaving all teams tied going into Sundays matches. South Africa will play Denmark in the first game of the doubleheader.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni Jeff Teague Jersey . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Anthony Brown Jersey .ca lk back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we lk back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy. http://www.cheaptimberwolvesjerseys.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. Cole Aldrich Jersey . -- Derrick Rose shk off pr shting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Bzer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Cheap Minnesota Timberwolves Jerseys . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene Fasel said he had a gd discussion Wednesday with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players Association Executive Director Don Fehr about the worlds top hockey players participating in the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.No hitting, and no elbows, Fasel joked in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.Bettman described the meeting as constructive and candid.Still lots of issues, Bettman wrote in an email to the AP.Fasel said his job is to raise funds for the players transportation and insurance. The International Olympic Committee does not want to cover those costs as it has the previous five Olympics. Fasel hopes to persuade the IOC to financially support the NHLs participation.It is the only league that shuts down to participate in the Winter or Summer Olympics, Fasel said.Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly declined to comment on a Sportsnet report indicating the league has offered to sign off on allowing players to go for gold in South Korea in exchange for the union not opting out of the collective bargaining agreement in September 2019, which would in effect extend the deal for three years.There have been some suggestions that could be construed that that discussion would be worth having, Fehr told reporters in New York. Obviously, we discuss that with players. We have begun that process, but were a long way from done.Bettman has said a decision would need to be made by early January at the latest, giving the league time to create its 2017-18 schedule with or without a two-plus week break for the Olympics.Fasel isnt in a rush.We can wait longer because we want to do all we can to keep best-on-best hockey in the Olympics, Fasel said.NHL andd NHLPA officials recently visited the Olympic site in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and have deemed it suitable for international competition.ddddddddddddWhether the worlds best hockey players go to South Korea in about 15 months is up to the league and union, though Russian superstar Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals has said he will go even if there isnt an agreement.The IOC spent about $14 million to cover travel and insurance costs for NHL players for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Fasel has said the bill would be about $10 million for the next Olympics because it wont be necessary to charter planes to South Korea as it was to get players to Sochi.The NHL hasnt sounded eager about going to South Korea, but does appear very interested in tapping into Chinas huge market in 2022.When the IOC awarded the Beijing Games, it certainly created a bigger opportunity than we thought existed potentially before, Daly said in September. But it is also possible that you dont go to one Olympics and you do go to the other. I dont think anybody has ruled that out as a possibility.Fasel has been trying to persuade national Olympic committees and hockey federations to donate funds to keep the games best players on the biggest stage in sports. He acknowledged the IIHF could possibly use some of the $40 million it gets from the IOC every four years and make cuts from its development programs for boys and girls.Its not going to be easy to get this done, but thats my job, Fasel said.---Follow Larry Lage at www.twitter.com/larrylage and follow his work at www.bigstory.ap.org/content/larry-lage ' ' '