CHAPECO, Brazil -- For the players on the humble Brazilian club from an out-of-the-way city known for its agribusiness plants, these were going to be the games of their lives.Chapecoense was having the best season in its 43-year history, heading to the first of two matches in the final of the Copa Sudamericana, the continents No. 2 club tournament. The once-downtrodden club and its itinerant players were enjoying the heights of soccer glory.It all ended suddenly late Monday night on a muddy Colombian hillside. Their chartered aircraft crashed south of Medellin, killing 71 of the 77 people aboard, including most of the team. Three players were among the survivors.The tragedy stunned the southern city of Chapeco and its 200,000 residents, and fans gathered in silence Tuesday to mourn outside the teams small green-and-white concrete stadium.The city is very quiet, businessman Cecilio Hans said. People will only believe once the bodies start to arrive.On social media, haunting last photos showed the smiling players boarding the flight to Colombia for the first of two matches against Atletico Nacional.In one photo, the team celebrated a last-minute save by goalkeeper Danilo only a week ago against Argentine club San Lorenzo. The save guaranteed Chapecoense a spot in the final -- and ultimately cost Danilo his life in the crash.Now I wish he would have conceded that goal, said 17-year-old fan Rubens Vieira.The club, known as Chape, was in the midst of a remarkable run. As recently as 2009, the club was playing in Brazils fourth division, but it won promotion to the top league in 2014 for the first time since the 1970s.Victories over San Lorenzo and Independente -- two of Argentinas fiercest squads -- as well as Colombian club Junior took the team to the Copa Sudamericana finals, the equivalent of the UEFA Europa League tournament.On Sunday, Chapecoense nearly defeated famed Sao Paulo club Palmeiras, which won 1-0 to claim its first Brazilian league title in decades. Chape had gained admirers for its stout play against Palmeiras, and everything was set for Wednesdays showdown in Colombia. The second match was to be a week later in Brazil.Hans remembered that about a decade ago, this club nearly disappeared. Then businessmen started to help.Few of the players had an international profile, and none had any appearances with Brazils glitzy national team or time with top European clubs. Most had played all over Brazil and Latin America. A few like Cleber Santana had reached Europe, playing with Atletico Madrid from 2007-10.Chape strikers Bruno Rangel and Kempes, both 34, were among the top scorers in the Brazilian league, with 10 and nine goals, respectively.The only players to survive were goalkeeper Jakson Follmann, defender H?lio Zampier, commonly known as Neto, and defender-midfielder Alan Ruschel.Part of Chapes recent rise was due to coach Caio Junior, who joined the club this year after guiding teams in the Middle East. Born Luiz Carlos Saroli, he coached numerous Brazilian teams, including Palmeiras, Flamengo and Botafogo.He was among the dead. But his son, Matheus Saroli, survived, saying in a Facebook post that he missed the flight because I forgot my passport.An Argentine player on the club, Alejandro Martinuccio, also missed the flight because of an injury during a game, he told Argentinas La Red radio.I feel deep sadness. The only thing I can ask is prayers for the companions who were on the flight, he said.Psychologist Sonia Smaniotto said she came to the stadium in Chapeco at 7 a.m. to help counsel bereaved fans.This is horrible for the city, but it will be even worse for the families, she said. Each burial will be the burial of a hero because those families of footballers are built around their careers. These families were hoping to be on the top of the world. Now theyve lost the center of their lives.Also among the dead were 20 sports journalists, including Mario Sergio Pontes de Paiva, a former player who worked as a commentator for Fox Sports. He played briefly for Brazils national team in the early 1980s and had a long career as a midfielder and coach with many Brazilian clubs. He last coached Brazilian club Internacional in 2009 and Ceara in 2010.This is a very, very sad day for football, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement. At this difficult time our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends.Brazilian President Michel Temer is declaring three days of official mourning, soccer great Pele called it a tragic loss, and Brazilian champion Palmeiras asked the countrys football confederation for permission to wear Chapecoenses jersey in its last match of the season.Around the world, the sport paused to remember the victims.Barcelona and Real Madrid have held a minute of silence before their practice sessions. Frances top two leagues said there would be a minutes silence at Tuesday nights games, and defending League One champion Paris Saint-Germain also tweeted a photo of its players and staff standing in silent tribute.Medellin-based Atletico Nacional said it was asking the South American soccer confederation to give the Copa Sudamericana title to Chape as a tribute to the players who died.In addition, some of Brazils top clubs said they want to give players to Chape on a free loan for the 2017 season. They also say the club should not be relegated to the second division for three years as it recovers from the disaster.The dream is not over. We will fight back when its time, said Chapes acting club president Gelson Della Costa.Now its time to take care of the families, he said.---Wade reported from Rio de Janeiro. Drew Robinson Jersey . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Andrew Miller Cardinals Jersey . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. http://www.authenticcardinalspro.com/cardinals-jose-martinez-jersey/ . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Jedd Gyorko Jersey . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. Michael Wacha Jersey . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. MIAMI -- The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed back their ace with open arms as Clayton Kershaw took the mound Friday for the first time in 75 days.Out since late June with a lower-back injury, the three-time Cy Young Award winner gave up two runs on five hits over three innings in the Dodgers 4-1 loss to the?Miami Marlins, throwing 66 pitches in the process.It was not vintage Kershaw by any means, but the left-hander still recorded five strikeouts, striking out the side in the second inning.He rated his outing as not great.I threw a lot of pitches. I was averaging 20-plus pitches an inning, so regardless if the pitch count was in effect or not, it probably would have been a short night, Kershaw said after the game. You try to look at the positives, and I got to pitch again, so thats good. But you dont want to be a detriment to the team, either. Ill definitely try and pitch a little deeper next time.Despite the short outing, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was happy to see his ace back on the mound.?There wasnt the sharpness we expected, the slider wasnt there, but just to see him on the mound was great, Roberts said. And in talking to him after the start, he came back into the dugout and said he felt good.Obviously every game is important, but for Clayton to be back on the mound, I think thats a win for us.Kershaw needed 14 pitches in the first inning, 29 in the second and 23 more in the third. He gave up a solo home run to J.T. Realmuto in the opening inning and an RBI single to Chris Johnson in the second. Kershaw gave up three hits in the second inning, including a comebacker up the middle from opposing pitcher Jose Fernandez that knocked him to the ground.Five of the last six outs Kershaw recorded were via strikeout. He exited trailiing the Marlins 2-0.ddddddddddddAsked whether it was realistic for him to regain his old form after a 75-day lull, Kershaw said, I dont get that luxury.Its not a perfect world, obviously. But at the same time, its September whatever-it-is and weve got a division to win, he said. While there might be some rough spots for me at times, there really cant be.Roberts said Kershaw wanted to go back out on the mound despite his struggles.He wants to finish every game he starts. So thats what makes him great. There was a little discussion, but he understood this was in his and our best interest, Roberts said.The short outing was not a complete surprise,considering the Dodgers are slowly building up his pitch count. In his only minor league rehab start earlier this week, Kershaw threw 34 pitches and then 15 more in the bullpen after his outing.Before he went to the disabled list with a mild disk herniation, Kershaw was 11-2 in 16 starts with a 1.79 ERA and had 145 strikeouts to just nine walks.It was the second time Kershaw has been on the disabled list in his career -- he also sat out more than a month at the outset of the 2014 season when he won both the National League Cy Young and MVP awards.Kershaw admitted he briefly thought about whether he would ever come back.?It definitely started creeping in my mind, Kershaw said. But you cant really think like that. I probably pouted for a day and got over it.It was a little unfortunate that I couldnt get out there for a couple more innings. But the arm feels good. The pitches werent great. But I dont think it was because I was tired or anything. It just wasnt a great night. ' ' '