Off-topic » he results at the team level are less favourable.

LONDON -- Arsenal prepared for the Premier League season by collecting the Community Shield with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, picking up where the team left off at the FA Cup final by adding another piece of silverware at Wembley. Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey, who both scored in the FA Cup triumph that ended Arsenals nine-year trophy drought in May, also netted against City with well-taken first-half strikes. A makeshift City was a shadow of the team that won the Premier League for the second time in three years in May. And Olivier Giroud added to Citys discomfort by scoring with a dipping strike on the hour in the traditional curtain-raiser to the English season between the Premier League and FA Cup champions. "This gives us a positive platform to prepare," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "Last year we were very consistent against the teams outside the top six and not consistent against the top six teams." Arsenal, which finished fourth after leading for much of last season, opens against Crystal Palace on Saturday as it looks to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004. Winning the Shield might set the tone for the opening weeks of the season, but is likely to be forgotten quickly. For David Moyes, it counted for nothing that his brief and unsuccessful Manchester United reign began by lifting the trophy here a year ago. Given how Citys makeshift team performed in the first half, with just four of the players who started the title-clinching Premier League finale in May, it might be an uncomfortable start to the title defence at Newcastle on Sunday. Perhaps most surprisingly, England goalkeeper Joe Hart was on the bench as new signing Willy Caballero was preferred in goal. But Hart, who was dropped during last season and successfully fought to regain his City place, saw the recruit from Malaga concede three times. At the first match at Wembley since Englands pre-World Cup friendly against Peru in May, the shortage of Englishmen at top clubs was exposed again. With Hart dropped, Citys starting lineup lacked a single Englishman. "I dont see what nationalities the players are," Pellegrini said. "I use the players who I think are the best players to win that game. It doesnt matter if they are England players." Arsenal had a core of three, including new signing Calum Chambers who was assured in central defence. Arsenals trio of German World Cup winners -- Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski -- are still on their post-Brazil break. But the cup winners, with $60 million-forward Alexis Sanchez making a lively full debut, were in control throughout against a City side that provided little threat. Just like in the FA Cup final win against Hull, Cazorla scored Arsenals first goal. Jack Wilshere and Yaya Sanogo combined before the ball broke for Cazorla to strike low into the net in the 21st minute. Sanogo dragged a shot wide and had a header collected by Caballero before helping ensure that Arsenals cushion was doubled before half time. Completing a swift break, the French forward held off Dedryck Boyata before passing for Ramsey to neatly stab the ball in the 42nd. "We passed the ball around very quickly and looked a threat every time," said Mikel Arteta, who has assumed the captaincy from Thomas Vermaelen after the defender joined Barcelona. "Weve got pace up front now and it makes a big difference." Although City appeared more effective at the start of the second half, with Stevan Jovetic denied by Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, the deficit was extended on the hour when Giroud was given the space to send a dipping strike past Caballero. 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Hemsky left the Oilers Tuesday night loss to the Dallas Stars in the second period and did not return. Through 48 games this season, Hemsky has seven goals and a total of 24 points.ORLANDO, Fla. - A study on Major League Soccers hiring practices shows a decline in overall gender diversity but says the league maintains high marks for racial and gender diversity inside its central office.The report released Tuesday by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport gave MLS its second straight B+ grade for racial hiring practices. The leagues overall gender hiring grade was a C+, down from a B in 2013. MLS joins the NFL and Major League Baseball with overall gender grades below a B.Study author Richard Lapchick said this is a pivotal moment for MLS to further embrace diversity.It seems to be a breakthrough time for MLS in popularity with its teams, coming off the recent World Cup, Lapchick said. The league office has always had a strong posture on hiring practices. Particularly at this time when the public is paying more attention with whats going on with MLS, its an opportunity for them and their leadership to make sure their league and team offices look more like America.The most diversity in MLS continues to be inside the league office, where it received grades of A+ in raciaal hiring and an A- in gender hiring.dddddddddddd total of 48 of 123 league office employees (39 per cent) are racial minorities. Women account for 46 league office professional employee positions (37 per cent).The results at the team level are less favourable. Racial diversity among general managers received an F and among head coaches a C+.All general managers are white men. Chivas USA, which folded after the season, and FC Dallas were the only MLS franchises led by head coaches who are minorities.Gender hiring for team senior administration received an F as well, with women holding only 42 of the 215 positions (19.5 per cent).Lapchick praised the leadership efforts of MLS Commissioner Don Garber at the league office but called this years results at the team level alarming.It is the most distressing part of the report, Lapchick said. And it comes in a year when were finally discussing issues about women in sports. Its a good that the league office has a significant percentage of women of colour, but it needs to be extended to the team level and professional hiring practices there. ' ' '