England blasts Argentina, books spot in quarterfinals

Soccer Betting Lines

09/17/2007 - Chengdu, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - England booked a spot in the quarterfinals on Monday as Kelly Smith scored twice in a 6-1 triumph over Argentina.

England advances to the final eight for the second time in as many appearances, and will likely play either the United States or North Korea on Saturday. Germany moves on as the top team in Group A after beating Japan 2-0 on Monday.

An own goal by Eva Gonzalez was followed by a goal from Jill Scott as England started well in the first half. Argentina's Catalina Perez picked up her second yellow card early in the second half, and Fara Williams converted a penalty kick to make it a three-goal game.

Gonzalez atoned for her earlier mistake by scoring Argentina's lone goal of the competition from a free kick, but England answered back with two goals from Smith before Vicky Exley converted from the spot with minutes to play.

Argentina got off to another terrible start in the opening 10 minutes, with defensive miscues and goalkeeping errors once again hurting the South American team.

Casey Stoney lobbed a cross into the box from midfield in the ninth minute that was intended for Smith. The ball was hit a little strong and went past Smith, and Gonzalez tried to head the ball back to the keeper. However, she ended up putting the ball into the upper left corner past the keeper for a 1-0 England lead.

It didn't take long for England to increase its advantage with a goal scored by one of its own players. One minute later, a loose ball bounced out to Scott 35 yards from goal. She knocked it back into the box and it skipped through traffic and inside the right post. The shot did not have a lot on it but keeper Romina Ferro reacted way too late and another goalkeeping blunder cost Argentina.

England kept the pressure on and nearly took a three-goal lead five minutes later.

Eniola Aluko took a pass inside the box and turned quickly before firing a shot off the crossbar, and Rachel Yankey drove a dangerous cross through the face of goal that Faye White just missed with a sliding effort at the back post.

Smith then had two chances to further the England advantage as she hit a strong left-footed shot from the right just wide of the near post, and then blasted a rebound off of a defender that was headed for the lower right corner, only to be denied by a fine diving stop by the keeper.

The second half started off in the same way, with England looking for more goals.

Yankey ripped a hard shot from the left that was tipped over the net, but things got worse for Argentina in the 49th minute.

Smith beat her defender and carried the ball into the box on the left. Perez picked up a yellow card at the end of the first half, and then was hit with her second as she pulled down Smith inside the box to give England a penalty kick and end her day early.

Williams then stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way, putting her shot low into the left corner.

Argentina then tallied its first goal of the tournament with 30 minutes to play. England once again had trouble dealing with a free kick as Gonzalez smacked a curling right-footed shot inside the right post, but England responded quickly with another goal.

Yankey blew past her defender on the left and carried the ball to the end line. She then slipped a pass to Smith, who redirected it past the keeper from a few yards out.

Another keeper error lead to England's fifth goal as Yankey's long range shot was blocked by Ferro, but she spilled an easy rebound that Smith knocked home for her fourth goal of the tournament.

Exley then capped the scoring minutes before time with her first goal of the tournament, knocking a penalty kick of her own past Ferro.

Argentina exits the World Cup having lost all three of its matches by a combined 18-1 score, while England will move forward hoping to make its first ever trip to the semifinals with a win on Saturday.

Wwwmegasports Soccer Betting News

<< Prinz sets record as Germany downs Japan
Hangzhou, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Birgit Prinz became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, scoring her 13th goal as Germany defeated Japan, 2-0, on Monday to wrap up the top spot in Group A. Prinz's goal was her fourth of

<< Titans set to extend Fisher
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tennessee Titans and head coach Jeff Fisher have reportedly agreed to terms on a new four-year contract extension. According to a report in the Tennessean, sources familiar with the negot

<< Warriors sign Nellie to new deal
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Golden State Warriors and head coach Don Nelson have officially agreed to a new contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the San Jose Mercury News reported on Friday that Nelson, who led the

<< 500 Home Runs Ages
The ages of players when they hit their 500th career home run in the major leagues (x-active):Yrs Days ABs Date of 500th1. x-Alex Rodriguez 32 8 7169 Aug. 4, 20072. Jimmie Foxx 32 338 7084 Sept. 24, 19403. Willie Mays 34

<< NFL's Most Points-Two Teams
A list of National Football League games in which a combined total of 95-or-more points were scored in regular and postseason games (x-wild card game):113 - Washington 72, New York Giants 41, Nov. 27, 1966106 - Cincinnati 58, Cleveland 48, Nov. 28,

Line of Scrimmage: Can't Cheat Patriots Out of This One >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There was one way Bill Belichick could make the public flogging of his back side cease, and it was achieved Sunday night. The Patriots' 38-14 steamrolling of the Chargers before a national television audi

Braves send Smoltz to the hill to face Marlins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Veteran John Smoltz takes the hill against one of his favorite foes tonight as the Atlanta Braves look to keep fleeting playoff hopes alive in the opener of a three-game series with the visiting Florida Marlins at Turner Fiel

Tigers, Indians open critical set at Jacobs Field >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The red-hot Detroit Tigers try to make it a race in the AL Central this evening when they begin a critical three-game series with the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field. Detroit has won five in a row and comes into tonight'

Yanks hope to carry momentum into series opener with O's >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees try and maintain their AL wild card lead this evening when they begin a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. At first glance New York would seem to be in pretty good shape wi

Red Sox aim to move closer to AL East crown in opener with Jays >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox try and move one step closer to clinching their first AL East crown since 1997 this evening when they open a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Boston dropped two of three ove

MySportsbook.com is a must-have for the smart veteran sports investor who enjoys following the odds almost as much as betting them. Simply put, no one offers more betting options and offers them faster than MySportsbook. This football sportsbook is known for its ability to set the early market odds on events without having to worry about weak lines. Professional players are well aware that getting a crack at the early betting line is worth as much as, and sometimes more than, huge bonuses or reduced prices. MySportsbook's fearless, yet smart bookmaking style is what keeps everyone watching, including most other sportsbooks.

This is also a great choice for those who just want to have a worry free, fun experience. The ownership’s motto is “Sweat the game, not the payout”. These are not just decorative words used to fill space on the homepage. MySportsbook aims to give their customers the fastest withdrawals in the industry. Payouts are processed within 24 hours by an online sportsbook that carries our A+ financial rating.

Those who enjoy proposition and future wagers consider MySportsbook.com a top choice. Smaller players who seek large bonuses would do better at their sister book, Sportsbooks.com.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your betting football needs.

Super Bowl 2009 Betting

Super Bowl 2009 Betting propositions

Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.

Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.

Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.

If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.

Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.

By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.

In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.

So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.

While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.

There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.

In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:

SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.

XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.

Get free 2009 Super Bowl Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting VISA Mastercard