TORONTO -- When Michael Bradley stepped off the plane in Toronto after the United States heartbreaking loss to Belgium at the World Cup, he made his intentions immediately clear. "He came up to me and said, I want to train," said Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen. The 26-year-old midfielder is expected to play Saturday night when Toronto hosts D.C. United, returning to his Major League Soccer squad with mixed feelings about the Americans World Cup run -- sad that it ended when it did but proud of his teams performance. "Theres disappointment for sure because we felt like things had come together in a good way for us, and we felt like there was more there for us," Bradley said after Fridays practice at BMO Field. "Thats sports ... you realize in those moments again how fine the margin is between going home and going on. "I think for every guy on our team there is a huge sense of pride for the way we went about it when the spotlight came on the brightest. For every guy who was there, the commitment, the determination, the willingness to leave everything on the field in every moment was incredible." He rejoins a Toronto team that has been climbing the Eastern Conference standings. TFC is fourth (6-4-3), but with four games in hand over leaders Sporting Kansas City and D.C. United. Striker Jermain Defoe, who was left off Englands roster for the World Cup, said Bradley could easily have requested a week or two off to rest and decompress. "He decided to come in and he wanted to play. Thats brilliant. He had a fantastic World Cup and hes just ready to go," Defoe said. "Great character to say to the manager, Im up for selection, I want to play, I dont need to go away and have a rest." The Americans finished second in Group G, then dropped a 2-1 decision to Belgium in extra time in their dramatic round-of-16 game. "Its always a draining experience in the World Cup, especially when you get eliminated," Nelsen said. "Theres this incredible sense of finality to it, and it can have repercussions. Id be worried if it was any other player other than Michael." Bradley said the feedback from the Belgium game has been unanimous in that it was a great game to watch. "The drama at the end, all the emotion that went into it ... when youre little, those are the games you dream of playing in," Bradley said. "Unfortunately at the end somebody has to be on the losing side but when you get a taste of playing in those kinds of games, you want more." Bradley was overwhelmed by the support the team received in Brazil. Before their opening game against Ghana in the coastal town of Natal, the local paper reported 30,000 Americans had arrived in town. "Youre thinking, maybe well have a chance to have a home crowd," Bradley said. "We walked onto the field and the national anthem starts and the entire stadium was singing. Thats a special feeling, to be playing in a World Cup representing your country, thousands of miles away from home but having the entire stadium full of Americans. "The atmosphere, the people and the support pushed us on in such a big way." The success of the Americans, and the amount of attention paid to the team in North America, was seen as a big thumbs-up to MLS. Commissioner Don Garber posted on Twitter moments after the Americans elimination: "We proved to the world we are a soccer nation!" Six starters on the U.S. team, including star striker Clint Dempsey, play in the MLS, plus several other countries boast MLS players -- TFC keeper Julio Cesar is Brazils starting keeper, Australian international Tim Cahill plays for the New York Red Bulls, to name two. "Were all realistic, we all know the MLS is not THE best league in the world yet, but its on the right path, its growing, its continuing to improve, the quality gets better and better," Bradley said. "And when you get to the World Cup and see the number of players who come out of this league and have done well, and had a big impact on whats gone on there, you cant help but have respect for what goes on here on a weekly basis." The league recently attracted a couple more big stars. Spains all-time leading goalscorer David Villa is headed to New York City FC, while Kaka, a Brazilian and former star for Real Madrid and AC Milan, recently signed with Orlando. Theyre both expansion teams that will make their league debuts next season. Defoe called the recently Kaka news a "massive signing. Such a massive name." "Someone who has achieved so much in the game, great footballer, still has a lot to offer," he said. "The names just keep coming and coming and its only going to help the league. And obviously for me, I sit back and think Im so glad that Ive come over here, and just to be a part of it all is really good." Bradley, who tried to make time to watch Torontos games online when he was in Brazil, is excited to rejoin a team that looks poised for its first playoff appearance in franchise history. Toronto marked the end of the MLS break for the World Cup by tying the Red Bulls 2-2 on the road on Wednesday night, dictating much of the play before relinquishing the lead when the Red Bulls scored in the third minute of injury time. "Credit to all the players, and obviously the manager and staff ... were just improving each day, taking small steps but really improving as a team," Defoe said. Defoe scored the lone goal of the game when TFC beat D.C. United 1-0 in their second game of the season. "Weve played them already this season but we know theyve improved since then and we feel weve improved also," said captain Steven Caldwell. "So it should be a really good game, hopefully an attacking game. We feel for us weve really improved in that area, were looking very dangerous when we go forward, we just have to make sure weve got that nice balance and were tight at the back." Toronto plays its next three games at home. After Saturday, they host Houston on July 12, then the Vancouver Whitecaps on July 16. Phillies Jerseys 2020 . Horford is out 3-to-4 months with a torn pectoral muscle for the Hawks, who have won two straight and five of six games. Atlanta improved to 2-0 on the residency with Saturdays 93-91 triumph over Minnesota, as Ivan Johnson scored his teams final four points, including the game-winning free throw with 4. Stitched Phillies Jerseys .85 million contract with the two-time Gold Glove outfielder. Parra earned his second Gold Glove last season when he set a club record with 17 outfield assists. https://www.cheapphilliesjerseys.us/. He could have transferred when academic sanctions barred the Huskies from the NCAA tournament his junior season. Philadelphia Phillies Pro Shop . Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel also accused Pistorius of tailoring his testimony to fit the evidence at the scene. Pistorius denied the accusations. Nel alleged that the Olympic runner changed his aim with his 9 mm pistol to ensure that he hit Steenkamp as she fell back against a magazine rack in a toilet cubicle. Philadelphia Phillies Store . -- The Tampa Bay Lightning are disappointed, though not discouraged.AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A quick stroll across the manicured landscape of Augusta National afforded a glimpse of why this Masters is so hard to figure out. On the putting green in a quiet moment of practice was 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, one of a record 24 newcomers who has every reason to believe he can win. On the golf course for the final day of practice was Webb Simpson, a former U.S. Open champion and one of 21 players who have captured the last 24 majors. And under the oak tree outside the clubhouse was Miguel Angel Jimenez, the 50-year-old Spaniard trying to make sense of it all. He recalled his first Masters in 1995, when Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal shared secrets to Augusta National, such as keeping the ball in the right spots on the green and "to realize here that the target is not the hole." "The more you play, the more you like, no?" Jimenez said as he leaned against his golf bag, looking relaxed as ever behind his aviator sunglasses. But as he considered the rookies -- Spieth and Patrick Reed, Harris English and Jimmy Walker -- he dismissed the notion that experience was required for a green jacket. "There are 24 guys here for the first time," he said. "But theres a reason they are here, no?" Nowhere to be found, of course, was Tiger Woods. Out of golf until the summer because of back surgery, out of the Masters for the first time in his career, the show goes on. "Well, we miss Tiger, as does the entire golf world," Masters chairman Billy Payne said. "He is always a threat to make a run and do well and win here at Augusta National. ... Nevertheless, this is the Masters. This is what we hope is the best tournament in the world, one of the greatest sporting events. And I think we will have a very impressive audience and have another great champion to crown this year." The course closed for practice Wednesday afternoon, and a stream of fans made their way over to the Par 3 Tournament, where occasional cheers broke the silence. It was a precursor of what was sure to follow over the next four days at a major that rarely fails to deliver drama. Even without Woods. "Its probably the most anticipated week of the year," Rory McIlroy said..dddddddddddd. "Its been eight months since weve had a major. Its Augusta. ... Theres a lot of guys that seem like once they drive up Magnolia Lane here, something lights up inside them." That could be Phil Mickelson, who last year won the British Open at age 42 and now has a chance to join Woods and Arnold Palmer with a fourth green jacket. It could be Adam Scott, trying to join Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only back-to-back winners. Considering how this year has gone, it could be anybody. Jason Day, Sergio Garcia and former Masters champion Zach Johnson are the only players from the top 10 who have won anywhere in the world. Only one of the last seven winners on the PGA Tour was ranked in the top 75. "I think if youre outside the top 50 in the world this week, youve got a great chance," U.S. Open champion Justin Rose said with a laugh. Rose, however, falls on the side of experience -- knowing where to miss, knowing where you cant afford to miss, where the hole locations tend to be on the contoured greens and using the slope to get the ball close. "Always you can have the unknowns," he said. "But I would say 15 guys are pretty strong favourites." Woods has become a polarizing figure in golf, especially at the Masters. Since he last won a green jacket in 2005, only once has Woods finished out of the top six. Thats what made him so compelling at Augusta. He always seems to be there. And thats why this Masters seems to lack definition. No one is dominating golf at the moment. Walker has the most PGA Tour wins (three) this season, but this is his first Masters. Scott had a chance to go to No. 1 in the world three weeks ago at Bay Hill, but he lost a three-shot lead in the final round to Matt Every, who had never won in his career. Never has there been this much chatter about Masters rookies. Then again, there has never been this many. And theyre not bashful about their chances. "Doesnt matter if youve played here once or if youve played here 50 times," Reed said. "When it comes down to it, its just going to be that whoever is playing the best is going to walk away with the trophy." So maybe its not that hard to figure out, after all. ' ' '