Lionel Messi Leads Argentina Into New Jersey

The world's best futball player and his national squad hold open practice at the home of the New York Red Bulls ahead of Saturday match with Brazil.

Thousands of futball fans filed into Red Bull Arena in Harrison on Thursday night as the world's best player and his Argentinian national team prepped for a Saturday showdown with rival Brazil. Lionel Messi, the three-time defending FIFA player of the year, scored once on a header in the half-pitch intrasquad scrimmage as fans hung on his every move. Messi, who stars for Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga, did not disappoint, flashing the speed and power that have many in the sport heralding him as one of the best to ever play the game. He showed off the pinpoint accuracy of his feared left foot during a shooting drill that ended the practice session, beating the Argentina keeper on two shots that bent into the bottom right corner from about…

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State Wrap

Deptford Murder, State Revenue Shortfall Top NJ News

A weekly look at news in New Jersey

A family argument led to the murder of a Deptford man early Friday morning, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office. Chad Gatewood, 45, and his nephew, Elijah P. Gatewood-Gabriel, 20, allegedly got in a confrontation around midnight, when Gatewood stabbed Gatewood-Gabriel multiple times with a kitchen knife in the family's apartment, GCPO spokesman Bernie Weisenfeld said. Tax collections in New Jersey are running $230 million behind Gov. Chris Christie's projections after April revenue came up short, according to a state Treasury report released Tuesday. If the trend continues, Christie and lawmakers may have to revise their plans to cut taxes, or they may have to find other places to trim the budget. [Inquirer] Princeton …

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Athlete of the Week

Despite Injury, Gibney Doesn't Quit

Soccer star: "Getting injured has shown me who I truly am."

Jenna Gibney looks like any other 18-year-old senior walking down the hallway at DePaul Catholic High School. Look deeper. Gibney hasn’t played in a game in more than seven months, quite a difficult task for someone who played on the Under 17 National Team at one point. “It’s made me a stronger person,” Gibney said.  “It’s been a humbling experience and really hard not being able to do the one thing in life I love.” Gibney has torn her ACL twice, the first time on her 16th birthday. She partially tore it again some months later. She works out everyday, slowly regaining her feel for the game she loves so much. Perseverance is a necessary part of the recuperating process. “I’ve learned not to give up,” Gibney said. “All you want to do is go …

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