Brazil beats Ivory Coast to secure berth in next round

Soccer Betting Lines

06/20/2010 - Johannesburg, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Luis Fabiano had two goals and Elano scored in his second straight match, helping Brazil secure a spot in the knockout round of the FIFA World Cup with a 3-1 win Sunday over Ivory Coast.

Fabiano scored in the 25th and 50th minutes, and Elano added the third goal in the 62nd minute at Soccer City Stadium, as Brazil sealed its 11th-straight appearance in the knockout stage.

Brazil opened with a 2-1 win over North Korea and leads Group G with two wins. Ivory Coast and Portugal have one point apiece. Portugal plays North Korea on Monday to wrap up the second round of Group G matches.

Brazil controlled the game from the opening minute when Robinho fired high on a 35-yard blast to set the tone. Gilberto Silva and Robinho followed with two quick shots in the 19th, but the first was deflected and the latter went well high.

Fabiano handed Brazil the lead inside 25 minutes, finishing a short pass from Kaka to open the scoring. Kaka was lucky to maintain possession just outside the penalty area and slid a pass through Ivory Coast defenders Siaka Tiene and Kolo Toure to send Fabiano into the box.

Fabiano fired into the top-right corner from a tight angle to finish the play, and was on target again five minutes into the second half as Brazil started to dominate the match.

Fabiano was a bit lucky on his second goal as he used two handballs to set up an otherwise hypnotizing finish. Fabiano initially settled the ball with his left arm with Tiene on his hip, then lifted the ball over Didier Zokora, and lastly juggled the ball over Toure to avoid all three defenders.

He then settled his own final maneuver against Toure by bringing the ball down off his upper arm and fired off goalie Boubacar Barry's fingertips and inside the right post.

Didier Drogba, who started for Ivory Coast, reached a cross from Aruna Dindane with his head in the 54th despite being defended by Maicon and Lucio, but he nodded the ball just inches wide of the right post.

Elano fired wide from 30 yards on the hour mark, and Kaka was denied by Barry after a quick passing combination with Robinho in the 61st as Brazil looked to seal the match.

Elano, who scored in Brazil's 2-1 win over North Korea, added his second goal of the tournament in the 62nd off a nice assist from Kaka, who drove down the left and slanted a cross back to the middle of the box for Elano to finish off from 10 yards.

Ivory Coast's Romaric forced a save by Brazil goalie Julio Cesar in the 74th, and Drogba cut the deficit by a goal five minutes later.

Gervinho made a nice run down the left and, without any options, slowed the play down and eventually slipped a pass outside the area to Yaya Toure. Toure lofted a pass into the area, and Drogba headed the ball from 12 yards inside the right post.

Both teams were involved in a scrum late in the match following a challenge by Kaka on Abdul Kader Kaita, who flopped to the ground and grabbed his face even though he was elbowed in the chest.

Kaka was eventually issued a yellow card, his second of the game, and was sent off and will miss Brazil's third group match against Portugal on Friday. Ivory Coast plays its final group match Friday against North Korea.

Wwwyehey Soccer Betting News

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

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MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds

With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.

Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season.  Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money. 

This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy.  A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.

Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:

Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame)
Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma)
Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State)
Michael Bush (RB, Louisville)
Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia)
Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville)
Chris Leak (QB, Florida)
Mike Hart (RB, Michigan)
Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State)
Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame)
Drew Tate (QB, Iowa)
Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal)
Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn)
Chad Henne (QB, Michigan)
Kyle Wright (QB, Miami)
Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State)
Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama)
JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU)
Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State)
Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina)
Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech)		 5-2
7-2
7-1
10-1
10-1
12-1
12-1
18-1
18-1
20-1
30-1
35-1
35-1
40-1
50-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1

For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.