VANCOUVER -- John Herdman says Canada is getting closer. After watching his team fall 2-1 to Germany in an international friendly on Wednesday night, the Canadian head coach was adamant the gap is shrinking between his side and the top teams in the womens game ahead of next summers home World Cup. Canadas starting roster included four teenagers, including 16-year-old midfielder Jessie Fleming, and while there were rough patches Herdman was buoyed by the performance against the No. 2-ranked team in the world. "A year out, 2-1 away from the European champions, a goal away?" said Herdman. "Ya Ill take that." Herdman is trying to implement a more free-flowing system ahead of the World Cup as opposed to the more direct, long-ball style of past Canadian teams. It has taken some time for the players to grasp the concepts, and fitness remains a concern, but they were right with the imposing Germans for long stretches on Wednesday. "Weve said this World Cups about two things," said Herdman. "Its about making the country proud, but also trying to inspire a generation of coaches and players at the youth level that theres another way of going about things other than the blunt instrument." Wednesdays lineup included Fleming, along with a trio of young defenders -- 17-year-old Sura Yekka, along with Kadeisha Buchanan and Rebecca Quinn, who are both 18. "These games, we said, this year will tell us what the gap is," said Herdman. "We improved. Im clear on that. "Were producing more crosses, more final acts, more final third entries than we ever did." However, the game was decided on a mistake by one of those youngsters as Simone Laudehr scored from the penalty spot in the 66th minute after Buchanan brought down Lena Lotzen. Laudehr stepped up with the score tied 1-1 and calmly blasted a shot into the roof of the past a helpless Erin McLeod for a lead the visitors would never relinquish. "Youre dealing against a different type of player," Herdman said of the German attack. "Youre not dealing against one individual player that you can mark out of a game. Youre dealing against three or four players that move with one mind at the same time, and thats a different challenge. It takes communication, it takes earlier adjustments." Lotzen had Germanys other goal on the night, while Sophie Schmidt replied for Canada. "Germany, theyre so organized," said Canadian captain Christine Sinclair. "Any little mistake you make theyre going to punish you and they punished us on a couple tonight. "Overall, just in terms of the style of play we were trying to produce, I think weve made a lot of progress. Its just cleaning those little things up." The German winner came after Schmidt woke up a sleepy crowd of 15,618 at B.C. Place Stadium in the 53rd minute with a bizarre game-tying goal. The Canadian midfielder completely scuffed her shot after taking a pass in the box from Diana Matheson, but the ball scooped up and over German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer for an unlikely equalizer. Trailing 1-0 at the half, Canada gave up two glorious chances to Germanys Anja Mittag that she couldnt finish just after the break. The striker was stopped by McLeod -- who came on for Karina LeBlanc at halftime -- in the 47th minute, and then again in the 49th after a sloppy pass by Fleming and a timid challenge from Quinn. "Theyll learn from that. If thats the biggest issue I think thats going to be cleaned up pretty quickly," said Herdman said of his teenagers. "Those mistakes are not going to happen as frequently and this is a great learning (experience) for some of those younger players." After Schmidt tied the score, McLeod stopped Alexandra Popp on another breakaway in the 58th minute as Germany continued to probe No. 7 Canada for a weakness that would eventually come in the 65th. McLeod made a number of big saves as second half wore down, keeping the score respectable in a game where Germany took a while to get going before showing its class. The Germans came close on two golden opportunities in the first half and finally struck in the 29th minute when Laudehr crossed a ball from the left that glanced off Mittag and right to Lotzen, who poked a shot home past LeBlanc. Sinclair had the games first opportunity when she was sent in alone in the 12th minute, but she was stopped Angerer. Popp then nearly caught LeBlanc off her line six minutes later, but saw her effort 40 yards out rattle off the crossbar. Canadian defender Rhian Wilkinson then nearly gifted the Germans the lead in the 24th when her ill-advised pass was intercepted by Mittag, but her shot in alone went over the bar. Buchanan scored her first goal for Canada in last months 1-1 draw with the United States, and nearly had her second in as many games two minutes later, only to be thwarted by Angerer. After Germany took the lead, the visitors almost got another goal moments later, but Bianca Schmidt missed a golden opportunity from six yards out. Canada, which has never beaten Germany, lost 1-0 to the European giants last year in a game where Herdmans team barely had the ball over the halfway line. He said that despite the scoreline and the chances surrendered in the final 30 minutes on Wednesday, the performance is reason for optimism with the start of the World Cup less than a year away. "We didnt get dominated. They didnt pen us into our half for 90 minutes," said Herdman. "I think thats a really positive performance. "The futures pretty bright." Notes: Sinclair and Angerer, who was named FIFA womens world player of the year for 2013, are teammates with the Portland Thorns of the NWSL. ... Canada will play Japan in an international friendly on Oct. 25 in Edmonton before the two teams meet again on Oct. 28 in Vancouver. ... Germany won the womens World Cup in both 2003 and 2007. ... Sinclair played her 210th game for Canada. She has 148 career goals for her country. ... The womens World Cup final will be played at B.C. Place on July 5, 2015. Wholesale Panthers Jerseys . J.J. Hardy drove in a run for the Orioles, who bounced back from an 8-4 loss in the series opener on Friday. Fresh off the 15-day disabled list, Derrek Lee went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Jake Arrieta (7-3) gave up three runs on five hits over six innings to pick up the win. Cheap Panthers Jerseys China .The Dallas Cowboys released Sam from the practice squad Tuesday, dropping the rush end as they prepare for several potential reinforcements to return to the defensive line. http://www.cheapfloridapanthersjerseys.com/. -- Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf has been suspended two games for his hit from behind on Kevan Miller of the Bruins. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . -- Josh Smith made a 3-pointer as time expired and finished with 20 points to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 99-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in both teams exhibition finale. Cheap Panthers Jerseys . - The Green Bay Packers got back to work on Friday without star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.Al Bruno will forever be remembered for delivering one of the biggest upsets in Grey Cup history.He guided the upstart Hamilton Tiger-Cats into the 86 final against the heavily favoured Edmonton Eskimos, who had posted a league-best 13-4-1 record. Many football pundits had predicted a lopsided affair, and they were right as the 9-8-1 Ticats captured a stunning 39-15 victory.The Ticats announced Monday that Bruno died Sunday night at the age of 87. Jason Riley, a former offensive lineman with Hamiltons 86 championship squad, credited Bruno for the upset victory.He was a master of bringing people together and building the chemistry of a team, Riley said. Everybody thought the 86 Eskimos would blow us out in the Grey Cup but actually it was the other way around because our chemistry was so good that everyone just played for each other and didnt worry about the hype.Al had a way of bringing the guys together . . . thats what made the difference.The cause of death wasnt divulged but Riley said Bruno, a native of West Chester, Pa., entered hospital in Port Charlotte, Fla., initially due to a kidney issue but passed away peacefully of heart failure. he added Bruno had just one kidney due to previous cancer treatment.Bruno came to the CFL in 1966 as an assistant coach with the Ottawa Rough Riders before taking a similar job with Hamilton in 1968. He served as the offensive co-ordinator at Harvard from 1971-81 before returning to Hamilton as its player-personnel director in 82.Bruno was named head coach during the 83 season after Bud Riley was fired and got the job permanently leading Hamilton to a 2-1-1 record. He suffered a mild heart attack during the 87 season and was replaced for six games by defensive co-ordinator Ted Schmitz before returning.Bruno was fired during the 90 campaign after Hamilton lost five straight to drop to 4-8. Bruno worked as a scout with both the B.C. Lions and Buffalo Bills before serving as McMaster Universitys head coach from 1994 to 96, bringing Riley aboard as the offensive line coach, a position he still currently holds.Bruno was a receiver at Kentucky, where he played for legendary head coach Paul (Bear) Bryant. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Bruno in the third round of the 51 NFL draft, but he signed with the Toronto Argonauts instead and played on their Grey Cup-winning team in 1952.Bruno spent two seasons with Toronto, then played briefly with Ottawa in 54 before finishing his CFL career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1955-56). Bruno was inducted into the Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame in 08 and is also a member of the Chester County Sports and West Chester Henderson High School Halls of Fame.Al was a big, dependable receiver and I dont ever remember him dropping a pass, said former Argos teammate Nick Volpe. He later became a coach who was known to be one of the best around; he understood the game very well.Al had a great way with people. He was always very calm, friendly and efficient. He will be missed.Riley, currently a full-time teacher and football coach at a Burlington high school, spent 10 seasons with Hamilton before retiring after the 93 season.dddddddddddd A four-time East all-star, Riley was named to the Ticats Walk of Fame in 95 and said he owes it all to his former coach.I dont know where Id be in life right now if it wasnt for Al Bruno, Riley said. He brought me to Hamilton from Vancouver, he was with me most of the time I was with the Ticats.I went to four Grey Cups with him and when he went to McMaster and brought me in as the offensive line coach and Ive been there ever since. I love the man.Riley figured he was done with football in 84 after being released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. A former defensive lineman who helped the University of British Columbia capture the 82 Vanier Cup, Riley was taken in the first round of the 83 CFL draft by Winnipeg before being dealt to the Riders.When Saskatchewan released me I was ready to go back to school and pursue other things because I was pretty discouraged, Riley said. But Hamilton called and Al assured me Id be playing within the next few weeks.Its funny because the B.C. Lions called the day I was flying out to Hamilton and told me they wanted to play defensive line. Now, it was my hometown, my natural position, it wouldve been a lot cheaper because I couldve played while living at home. But I was a man of my word and trusted what Al told me. But I did (tell the Lions) if I wasnt on the roster as promised Id come back to the B.C. Lions. Everything worked out like he said and my wife and I established roots and made a life here because of Al Bruno.Longtime CFL executive and scout Mike McCarthy was Hamiltons player-personnel director and assistant GM during Brunos tenure on the sidelines and called him a players coach.He cared about his players, McCarthy said. It didnt matter if they had a bad day or a bad game, he always believed in them.There wasnt a guy loved more by his team than Al Bruno because of what he did for those guys.Riley agreed.He wasnt an Xs and Os guru although he was around the game all his life and knew it very well, Riley said. His forte was bringing people together and building the chemistry of a team.He would get guys who were released from other teams like myself, Paul Bennett and Miles Gorrell and make it so that it was fun. It was all about family. A lot of us had young kids at the time and to him you were a person first and a player second. That kind of gets lost with some professional coaches and organizations.McCarthy knew Bruno well before their CFL days. McCarthy was a coach at Brown University when Bruno was at Harvard and the two actively recruited a highly touted quarterback named Doug Flutie, whose older brother, Bill, was a receiver at Brown.Doug Flutie went on to play at Boston College, capturing the 84 Heisman Trophy. He starred in the CFL with B.C. (and younger brother, Darren) Calgary and Toronto, winning three Grey Cups from 1990 to 97 before joining the NFLs Buffalo Bills.Funeral arrangements werent immediately known, although Riley said there will be a memorial mass Thursday in Port Charlotte. 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