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09/15/2007 - Wuhan, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Marta and Christiane each scored two goals as Brazil rolled to a 4-0 win over China on Saturday, its second impressive win in the World Cup.
Brazil defeated New Zealand 5-0 in its opener and with the win over China sits all alone atop Group D. The Brazilians are the only team with two victories in their first two games.
With the large goal differential, the Brazilians have essentially locked up a spot in the quarterfinals. Brazil has advanced to the quarterfinals of the last two World Cups, finishing fourth in 1999.
Marta has four goals in two games to lead the race for the Golden Shoe, given to the tournament's top scorer. Christiane is one goal back in a pack of five players with three goals.
Brazil (2-0-0) wraps up group play on Wednesday against Denmark. China (1-1-0) will try to bounce back from its first-ever loss in the group stage and worst Cup loss in history against New Zealand on Wednesday.
The pace of the game was fast from the opening whistle as Brazil's Christiane got in the box just 30 seconds in, but couldn't get any pace on her shot with a defender on her back. China goalie Wenxia Han handled the shot easily.
China's first great chance wasn't until the 16th minute but it was just inches from taking the lead when a ball smashed off the top of the crossbar.
China nearly found the back of the net in the 26th minute as well when Xiaoli Song, who scored the game winner in a 3-2 win over Denmark, unleashed a blast from 10 yards. Brazil goalie Andreia deflected the shot wide of the post.
Han made an equally impressive save for China in the 33rd minute, diving to her right to keep Formiga's shot out of the upper left corner.
After all the missed chances, Marta's spectacular individual effort led to the first goal of the match in the 42nd minute. On a long ball played over China's defense, Marta beat a charging Han to the ball 10 yards outside the box.
The reigning FIFA Player of the Year made a soft touch on the ball with her right foot to knock it past Han, then scored into the open net with her left foot.
Just like Brazil's opener, it started to open up its game late in the first half and exploded in the second half. Brazil also led New Zealand 1-0 at half.
Just two minutes into the second half Christiane got in one-on-one on Han and slotted a left-footed shot into the lower left corner for her second goal of the tournament.
A minute later, Christiane scored again as she received a pass from Marta on the right side of the box and just had to tap the ball into an open net.
Marta nearly got her second goal of the game in the 50th minute, but her shot hit the right post, bounced off Han and then the post again before being covered up.
The world's best player wouldn't be denied again in the 67th minute, losing two defenders on the right side of the box to get open before sending a shot off a defender and into the right side of the net.
Marta, who had three goals in the 2003 World Cup when she was 17, has seven career goals in six games spanning the last two tournaments.
<< Another late rally for Europe keeps it close
Halmstad, Sweden (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 18th hole doomed the Americans.
Two European teams won the 18th hole to earn crucial halves in the first two
matches of Saturday's foursomes matches at the Solheim Cup.
In the foursomes, each tea
<< New mom Davenport moves into Bali final
Bali, Indonesia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lindsay Davenport continued her remarkable
ride in Bali on Saturday, cruising past Italian Sara Errani, 6-1, 6-3, in
semifinal action at the $225,000 Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic.
The three-time
<< Denmark overcomes distractions to top New Zealand
Wuhan, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Katrine Pedersen scored and set up a goal as
Denmark, playing with its coach in the stands because of a suspension, topped
New Zealand, 2-0, on Saturday.
Coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller was suspended two games
<< Sinclair double leads Canada over Ghana
Hangzhou, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Christine Sinclair scored two goals to
lead Canada to a comfortable 4-0 win over Ghana in Group C action on Saturday.
Sophie Schmidt and Martina Franko also found the net for the Canadians, who
cont
Russians one win away from seizing Fed Cup >>
Moscow, Russia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Anna Chakvetadze and Svetlana Kuznetsova
both did their part Saturday, taking the first pair of singles rubbers to hand
Russia a comfortable edge over defending-champion Italy heading into Sunday at
the 45t
Rangers try to halt skid versus A's >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers try to put the brakes on a four-game
losing streak this afternoon when they play the third contest of a four-game
set against the Oakland Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
Texas continued to fall further away
Pirates continue road trip in Houston >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Pirates kicked off their 10-game road trip
in a good way and will try for another win tonight when they continue a three-
game series with the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
Jose Bautista put the Pira
Butler uses safety, field goals to beat St. Joseph's 11-8 >>
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Butler held St. Joseph's (Ind.) to negative three rushing yards and scored a safety and three field goals to squeak past their Division II foe 11-8 on Saturday.Senior Derek North led the Bulldogs to their first 3-0 start since 199
The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.
Thursday, August 21
NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37
NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road
In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):
* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games
Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.
Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.
Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.
That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.
Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.
CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
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Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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