Braun's early goal helps Chivas edge D.C. United
Soccer Betting Lines
08/30/2010 -
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Braun scored his eighth goal of the year
in the 13th minute and Chivas USA edged D.C. United, 1-0, on Sunday night in
Major League Soccer at The Home Depot Center.
Zach Thornton made four saves for his fourth shutout of the season, as Chivas
(6-11-4) snapped a three-game winless skid.
D.C. (4-15-3) lost for the sixth time in its last seven matches, and failed to
score for the 14th time this season in 22 league matches.
United veteran Jaime Moreno had the first chance of the match after he took a
pass from Santino Quaranta, cut around a defender in the area and then forced
a save from Thornton.
Chivas turned its first chance into the opener, as Ante Jazic delivered a pass
from the left wing to Braun at the top of the area. Braun, who ran in from the
right wing, held off United defender Barry Rice and flicked a header over D.C.
goalie Troy Perkins and just under the crossbar from 16 yards.
D.C. designated player Branko Boskovic nearly scored his first goal as United
searched for the equalizer, but his shot swerved just a few feet away from the
upper-left corner in the 22nd minute.
Braun set up the next scoring chance for Chivas USA in the 27th, but Giancarlo
Maldonado turned a header wide left from 10 yards.
Chivas had another chance to double its lead a few minutes later when Rice was
unable to control the ball just outside the area. Braun took advantage of the
mistake to gain possession, but hurried a 22-yard shot and missed high.
United came within inches twice - on the same play - of tying the match before
halftime. Quaranta hit a dipping 25-yard blast off the bar that then deflected
off the lower leg of Thornton and inches wide of the right post.
Dejan Jakovic forced Thornton to make a save just before half off a header but
Chivas survived the late chances to take the one-goal lead into the break.
After a slow start to the second half, D.C. substitute Andy Najar had a solid
chance after a long run down the left, but Thornton made an easy save.
United came close to tying the match near the 70-minute mark when Moreno had a
header cleared off the line by Chivas defender Mariano Trujillo.
Braun could have put the match away for Chivas USA in the 74th, but after Alan
Gordon put him into space, Braun fired high from outside the area.
Chivas USA held on over the last 15 minutes of normal time and four minutes of
stoppage time, as it moved within one point of climbing out of last in the
Western Conference.
United has the worst record in MLS and trails the expansion Philadelphia Union
by five points at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
D.C. plays Columbus in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Wednesday, then battles
the Crew in league play Saturday. Chivas plays Seattle Sounders FC in the Open
Cup on Wednesday, then plays the Colorado Rapids in MLS on Saturday.
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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.
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