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Golf: Tournament host Woods looking for 3rd title of year


PGA Tour
• What: AT&T National
• Site: Bethesda, Md.
• Schedule: Today-Sunday.
• Course: Congressional Country Club, Blue Course (7,569 yards, par 71).
• Purse: $6.5 million. Winner's share: $1.17 million.
• TV: Golf Channel (today-Friday, noon; Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, noon).
• Notable: Nick Watney won at Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pa., in this event last year by shooting 62-66 in the final two rounds for the second of his two 2011 victories. K.J. Choi was second, two strokes back. … Last week, Marc Leishman won the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn., for his first PGA Tour title. He closed with 8-under 62 and won when Charley Hoffman blew a late two-stroke lead. Hoffman and Masters champion Bubba Watson tied for second. … Tournament host Tiger Woods, the 2009 winner at Congressional, is coming off a 21st-place tie two weeks ago in the U.S. Open. He won the Memorial on June 3 to match Jack Nicklaus for second place on the PGA Tour victory list with 73. Woods also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.
Champions Tour
• What: Senior Players Championship
• Site: Pittsburgh.
• Schedule: Today-Sunday.
• Course: Fox Chapel Golf Club (6,710 yards, par 70).
• Purse: $2.7 million. Winner's share: $405,000.
• TV: Golf Channel (today-Friday, 10 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.).
• Notable: Fred Couples won this event last year at Westchester Country Club in Harrison, N.Y., by beating John Cook with a birdie on the third hole of a playoff. … Last week, Mark Calcavecchia won the Montreal Championship for his second Champions Tour title, closing with an 8-under 64 for a four-stroke victory. … Greg Norman is making his first Champions Tour start since 2009. ... Tom Watson is returning from a wrist injury that has sidelined him since April.
LPGA Tour
• What: NW Arkansas Championship
• Site: Rogers, Ark.
• Schedule: Friday-Sunday.
• Course: Pinnacle Country Club (6,274 yards, par 71).
• Purse: $2 million. Winner's share: $300,000.
• TV: Golf Channel (Friday, 3:30 p.m., tape; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m., live).
• Notable: Top-ranked Yani Tseng successfully defended her title in this event last year by beating Amy Yang with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. … The tournament was played in September. The U.S. Women's Open is next week at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wis.
European Tour
• What: Irish Open
• Site: Portrush, Northern Ireland.
• Schedule: Today-Sunday.
• Course: Royal Portrush Golf Club, Dunluce Links (7,143 yards, par 72).
• Purse: $2.5 million. Winner's share: $417,250.
• TV: Golf Channel (today-Friday, 6 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 5:30 a.m.).
• Notable: England's Simon Dyson won this event last year at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club. Australia's Richard Green was second, a stroke back. … The tournament was last played in Northern Ireland in 1953. … Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell top the Irish contingent along with Ireland's Padraig Harrington, the 2007 winner at Adare Manor.


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3:54 PM | Labels: ,
Posted by bettingsports

Irish Open – Now That's Entertainment


COMMENTARY | If your golf-watching time is limited this last week of June, forget about the AT&T National at Congressional, the course Rory McIlroy dismantled in winning the 2011 U.S. Open.
Instead, tune in or DVR the European Tour coverage on Golf Channel (9 a.m. EDT Thursday/Friday; 8:30 a.m. Saturday/Sunday). The tournament is the Irish Open, and the venue is the Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush -- one of the most challenging and entertaining links on the planet.
The field includes McIlroy -- who opted to support his home championship rather than return to the scene of his 8-shot U.S. Open victory -- and nine other major winners, including Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington and John Daly.
A fat European Tour payday and Race to Dubai points aren't the only things at stake at the Irish Open. This is Northern Ireland's audition for a reprise of the British Open Championship, last held there 61 years ago.
On the heels of U.S. Open victories by McDowell and McIlroy, and Darren Clarke's improbable British Open win last year -- all three are from Northern Ireland -- there's been a great clamor for golf's oldest major to return to the Emerald Isle.
Royal Portrush is the leading candidate to play host. No one disputes it would present a worthy challenge to the world's best golfers, but the R&A, which runs the championship, is unconvinced that there's enough hotel space nearby or the infrastructure in place to accommodate corporate hospitality, the on-site "tented village" retail area, and vehicular traffic.
That's the official line. Yet Royal St. George's, the 2011 Open venue in rural eastern England, was equally lacking of infrastructure and access. It did just fine.
The real impediment for Portrush is the history of political violence in Northern Ireland, which flared as recently as last July, despite a drawn out peace process that produced the Belfast Agreement of 1998 and the Provisional Irish Republican Army decommissioning its arsenal in 2005. Royal Portrush is about 60 miles northwest of Belfast, in County Antrim.
The Open Championship has been scheduled through 2016. This year's venue is Royal Lytham and St. Annes (England), followed by Muirfield (Scotland), Royal Liverpool (England), St. Andrews (Scotland) and Royal Troon (Scotland). If Portrush proves it can handle the massive crowds expected for the Irish Open, the R&A will face even more pressure to bring the Dunluce Course back into the "rota" of British Open sites.
Meanwhile, contestants in this year's Irish Open must contend with a diabolical links and dodgy weather. The forecast for Portrush calls for wind as strong as 19 mph, rain every day, and steadily falling temperatures after a high of 63 on Thursday.
There's been a golf club at Portrush since 1888, and the Dunluce Course, designed by renowned architect Harry S. Colt, came into being in 1929. Bernard Darwin, the most heralded golf writer of the 20th century, penned one of his most prescient lines in an assessment of Portrush, saying Colt had "built himself a monument more enduring than brass." Indeed, Colt's layout is essentially intact, except for the 1st and 18th holes, which fell victim to erosion in the mid-1940s, prompting a reconfiguration of the course and new 8th and 9th holes built further inland among the dunes. The North Atlantic continues to pummel Royal Portrush, leaving the 5th green and 6th tee particularly vulnerable.
It would be a huge loss to golf should the 5th green ever succumb. Looking out from the elevated tee, the golfer sees not only a 411-yard par-4 that doglegs right toward the ocean, but also the remains of the 13th century Dunluce Castle. Just as memorable is the 210-yard 14th, where the tee shot to a small green must carry a chasm of no return -- thus earning this daunting par-3 hole the sobriquet of "Calamity Corner."
Max Faulkner of England won the '51 British Open at Portrush, shooting 71-70-70-74-285 to beat Antonio Cerda of Argentina by three shots. Before 1966, the Open was played over three days, with 36 holes on the last. The luck of the draw favored Faulkner in Round Two; he played early in the morning, avoiding the howling wind and rain that took a toll on many of his rivals. This also was an era when few Americans took the trouble to play overseas. There were only three Yanks in the field of 98, including the low amateur, Frank Stranahan, who tied for 12th.
Royal Portrush has a long history of championship golf, including the inaugural Irish Open Amateur in 1892 (on the Dunluce predecessor); eight British Ladies' Championships; the Irish Open in 1930, '37 and '47; the 1993 British Amateur; and six British Senior Opens, the last in 2004.
If you're a golf aficionado who appreciates the links game, check out the Irish Open. You'll be rewarded with a far more engaging contest at Portrush than the typical PGA Tour target practice at Congressional.

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11:11 AM | Labels: ,
Posted by bettingsports

European Tour player disqualified after caddie tries to hide 15th club in bush

There are plenty of ways to get disqualified from a golf tournament. You can pull a "John Daly" and run out of golf balls; oversleep and pull a "Jim Furyk"; or pull a "Robert De Vicenzo" and sign an incorrect scorecard.

On Thursday at the European Tour's BMW International in Cologne, Germany, pulling a "Jose Manuel Lara" was added to the list, after the Spaniard was disqualified for one of the most bizarre reasons imaginable.

If you've ever played golf before, you know the maximum number of clubs you're allowed to carry is 14. It's the job of every caddie to make sure there isn't an extra club hanging around before a round, but for some reason Lara's caddie made the mistake of not double-checking the bag.

It wasn't until the second hole that the caddie noticed the extra club. Golf is a game of integrity where the golfer is entrusted with calling a penalty shot on himself if he does something in error. This should've been the point in the story where Lara announced the mistake, added four strokes to his card (two strokes for every hole he played with the extra club) and continued on with his day.

But instead of taking the easy way out, Lara's caddie tried to pull a fast one, disappearing into a bush -- with the bag -- to dispose of the 15th club. There was just one problem: playing partners Damien McGrane and Peter Hedblom were watching. Doing what any curious golfer would do, they approached the caddie and asked him what he was doing.

    "They went and asked the chap 'What are you doing?' and he sort of fumbled out an answer saying 'I've got this wrong - I've done something bad. I wish it hadn't happened, etc etc'," said European Tour chief referee John Paramor.

    "It was clear the club was out of the bag and in the bush at the time. He admitted it straight away and regretted his action."

Lara and his caddie ended up getting disqualified for what European Tour chief referee John Paramour called a "serious incident and warranted disqualification."

"It was clearly the caddie doing what he felt at the time was the right thing, but was clearly the wrong thing," Paramour told Sky Sports after the incident. "He's kind of been asked not to come back and that's how the matter has been resolved."

The unfortunate thing for Lara is that he had no idea what was going on, but when his caddie decided to go rogue and dispose of the evidence, it ended up costing Lara a potential paycheck. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's the last time we're ever going see him looping in the professional ranks.

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12:17 PM | Labels: , ,
Posted by bettingsports

Germany vs. Greece



GDANSK, Poland -- Germany's most prominent fan will be in the stands for the quarterfinal against Greece at the European Championship.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, however, wins no popularity contests among the Greek contingent. So the political dimension of Friday's game only heightens what is already an intriguing match in strictly soccer terms.Germany is a three-time champion. Greece is the surprise winner of the 2004, and the Greeks are still standing again, with an unexpected place in the knockout stages.

It was always our main aim to reach the quarterfinals. So now we have nothing to lose," said defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos, one of the many Greece players with Bundesliga experience. "We are playing against one of the best teams here. All I can say is that we'll fight. If we get the win, that would be a huge result."

Greece has plenty of reason to be thankful to Germany - the 2004 championship team was coached by a German, Otto Rehhagel.

German and Greek officials are trying to play down the politics. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, has been a major contributor to international bailouts for Greece and was instrumental in demanding structural reforms and hugely unpopular spending cuts in return. Greek fans are unlikely to take kindly to Merkel's presence at Gdansk Arena.

"We are playing for our shirt, our flag and for the people back home," midfielder Costas Katsouranis said.

Added Greek forward Dimitris Salpigidis: "I don't think anyone on the team believes this will be our last game at this tournament. People have so many problems in their everyday lives. We're really hoping that we can put a smile on their face."

Gdansk also was also the scene of the first battle of World War II, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. A German soccer federation delegation laid a wreath Wednesday at a memorial for Poles at the Westerplatte peninsula on the outskirts of the Baltic city.

Germany has two Poland-born players in its squad, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski, and Polish fans could throw their support behind the Germans. By winning its group, Germany got to stay in Gdansk and was spared having to travel.

Merkel attended Germany's 4-0 rout of Argentina at the 2010 World Cup and saw Germany beat Turkey in Berlin in the most important Euro 2012 qualifier for her team. She has visited the German locker room and briefly spent time with the team in Gdansk before the tournament.

"She seems to bring us luck," midfielder Sami Khedira said.

Germany is the only team to have won all three group games and goes into the quarterfinal as the overwhelming favorite. But the Germans understand the ability of the Greeks."They are a very good team, underestimated by many.

They create few chances but score from them. Technically, they are strong and play well one-on-one," Khedira said.

"It will be tough to crack their defense, but we have the means. We have to be patient, but we also have to be constantly on the move. They will try to disrupt our game and beat us, but they will not succeed."

Added midfielder Thomas Mueller: "We know what we have to do, but it's not going to be a piece of cake."

Greece will be missing playmaker and captain Giorgos Karagounis because of suspension.

There is speculation Germany coach Joachim Loew will return Klose to the starting lineup, although Mario Gomez scored three goals that won matches against Portugal and the Netherlands. Klose, a 34-year-old striker, scored the last time these teams played each other, a World Cup qualifier in 2001.

Six Greece players have either played or still play in the Bundesliga.

Greece has five defeats and three draws in the eight games it has played Germany or the former West Germany."We are not too bothered about statistics. ...

That doesn't really matter," Salpigidis said.

source: newsobserver.com/2012/06/21/2151638/politics-meets-soccer-in-germany.html

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4:10 PM |
Posted by bettingsports

Morning Drive


GolfChannel.com Senior Writer Jason Sobel is in Cromwell, Connecticut this week for the Travelers Championship. This morning, he will be following the group of Ryo Ishikawa, Patrick Cantlay, and John Peterson – a trio of young guns – beginning at 8:29AM ET. At 23, Peterson is the old man of the group and got into the field this week thanks to his T4 finish in the U.S. Open. While Peterson is the oldest, he has the most to play for this week as he has no status on any tour this year. Patrick Cantlay is making his professional debut this week on the course where he shot 60 in 2011. Ishikawa is employing a local caddie who knows his way around the course instead of his own caddie in an effort to gain an advantage over the rest of the field.

The 296-yard 15th hole seems like an easy par 4 but it is more difficult than many might think. There is water on the left and Bubba Watson has said that the hole is too short for his driver and too long for his 4-wood so he will likely hit driver there and see what happens. The design of the green at 15 also makes wedge shots difficult so while it may not seem like a tough hole on the scorecard, it definitely shows its teeth once players arrive to the tee.
It is Women’s Day at the Travelers Championship today and 500 women will be attending the tournament today starting with a breakfast and followed by a tour of the golf course and the on-site Golf Channel studios. There will also be a lunch featuring actress Bridget Moynahan as a speaker. The Travelers Championship as well as other events on the PGA TOUR hold a Women’s Day during tournament week as an effort to reach out to women as well as promote the tournament in the community.
In his second visit to Thursday’s Morning Drive, Sobel began by saying that he spent some of the day on Wednesday following J.B. Holmes’ pro-am group that included Ahmad Rashad and Bill Murray. Sobel joked that he and Bill Murray are close to becoming good friends before showing how Murray ignored him all day long during the pro-am. Holmes’ group actually won the pro-am and Sobel said that he called Murray and somehow, someway Murray did not return the call.
Bill Murray is a very good player and at times he certainly plays much better than his 12 handicap. It was very hot in Connecticut on Wednesday and Holmes’ group won as all of the players in the group seemed to play much better than their handicaps. Sobel is not exactly sure what that means.

source: golfchannel.com/news/morning-drive/jason-sobel-june-21-2012/
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3:43 PM |
Posted by bettingsports

Golf-I've got my belief back, says Els


(Reuters) - Former world number one Ernie Els, who struggled for form for much of last year, says his tie for ninth in the U.S. Open at the Olympic Club has restored his self-belief.
South African Els, a three-time major winner, briefly moved into a share of second place during Sunday's final round before closing with a two-over-par 72 in difficult scoring conditions to finish three shots behind champion Webb Simpson.
"I'm contending again ... and that means a lot," Els wrote on his official website (www.ernieels.com) on Monday. "I feel I have a chance now and that I could win another one of these majors. I've got my belief back.
"Right after finishing my final round at Olympic I was disappointed to have let slip a chance to win my third U.S. Open, but having had a night to sleep on it I can reflect more clearly on the positive aspects of my performance.
"My mental attitude was good all week and I played really well on what was a very tough golf course. I had a couple of train wrecks, on holes four and 16, and ultimately I guess they cost me the tournament."
Els, whose last major victory came a decade ago at the British Open, recorded a double-bogey at the fourth and a triple-bogey at the 16th in the opening round at Olympic.
After making three early bogeys in the third round, the smooth-swinging 42-year-old roared into contention with three birdies and an unexpected chip-in for eagle at the par-five 17th.
In the final round, he rolled in a curling 20-foot eagle putt at the driveable par-four seventh to move briefly into a tie for second but bogeys on the next two holes derailed his title bid.
"When I look at where I was this time last year and where I am now it's a huge change for the better," said Els, a twice U.S. Open champion in the mid 1990s.
"The whole week at Olympic Club I was a lot calmer and I felt much more in control of my game and my emotions. That's a really good sign going forwards."
Els, who won the most recent of his 18 PGA Tour titles at the 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational, had slipped to 56th in the world rankings by the end of last year.
Boosted by his top-10 finish at the U.S. Open on Sunday, he has risen to 39th. (Editing by Julian Linden)
source:in.reuters.com/article/2012/06/18/golf-open-els-idINL1E8HIGL420120618
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11:52 AM | Labels: , ,
Posted by bettingsports

MisterWGT: U.S. Open Sunday Summary

WGT President and Co-Founder, MisterWGT, was lucky enough to attend the 2012 U.S. Open at The Olympic Club this past weekend. He shares his thoughts and photos of his unique experience below. Enjoy!
"In leaving... I took one last walk through the locker room. What a special place this Olympic Club. I cannot say enough how honored I was to be a part of it."
U.S. Open -- The Sunday Summary By MisterWGT
Well my friends… what a week!  The U.S. Open is now over and who would have ever predicted Webb Simpson hoisting the championship cup on the final green?  I certainly didn't.  Then again, it's become somewhat of a tradition for the U.S. Open to introduce to the world a new major winner.  Think about it... Geoff Ogilvy, Lucas Glover, Angel Cabrera, Graeme McDowell... all first time champions.  Heck, even Rory hadn't won a major prior to the U.S. Open last year!
And what about the course itself?  The Olympic Club's Lake Course, once again, challenged the legends only to see them come up one stroke short.  Now Graeme McDowell and Jim Furyk have walked those same steps as Hogan, Palmer, Watson and Stewart… not only exhausted after ascending that hill from the 18th green to the clubhouse, but mentally and emotionally spent after battling those 72 holes.  I was standing in the hallway of the clubhouse when Furyk's daughter greeted him after leaving the media room.  He leaned down to hug her and she said, "Daddy, would you like me to get you an ice cream?" as she held her own.  Jim's eyes were glassy and then his whole family leaned in for a group hug.  Believe me, I thought about taking a picture of that moment… but that moment was theirs.  He was spent.  He could have had it… but alas, it wasn't meant to be.
In the end, this week and this course holds a special place for me.  I will admit, after spending so much time at Bethpage, St. Andrews, Kiawah or even the dramatic Wolf Creek… I didn't think Olympic would stand out.  Sure, I loved the cypress pines and the elevation changes, but what else would make this place memorable?   Little did I know that each hole would soon hold a new memory.  It started with the first day of the shoot – aerial photography day – when the pilot literally quit while we were attempting to photograph the tricky doglegs of #04 and #05.  I wanted the proper angle from the tee box to the fairway, but he absolutely did not like the proximity of the trees with the heli.  Needless to say, I talked him into finishing. But when I watched Lee Westwood lose his ball on Sunday to the tree on #05… I was not at all surprised!  I was trying to maneuver a helicopter around that very tree!
One of the first holes we shot on the ground was #17.  It was big, wide and even if we moved slowly with our new local crew, the golfers would never catch-up to us.  Little did we know, mother nature had a different schedule.  We finished half the hole when suddenly the California sun vanished into London fog.  So we stopped and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  "Oh well, let's just wrap & clean-up," I radioed to our producer.  But then the weather turned on a dime and again the skies were clear.  Only now… golfers were on #15!  LET THE RACE BEGIN!  The crew went from relaxed and training on the job into full attack mode.  It was a great effort from the team and it set the pace for the rest of the shoot.  Fast-forward to Friday's Round 2…  watching Tiger, Phil & Bubba play #17, it was almost refreshing to see this "easy birdie hole" show golf's biggest names it's pesky little personality.  
Although it's time to look ahead, I am still in denial this U.S. Open has come to an end.  Watching this course test these guys, being in the midst of all these past, present & future champions… to be perfectly honest, I was rooting for a playoff round on Monday!  I simply loved it.  I cannot thank the USGA and The Olympic Club enough for granting us this privilege to share this course with the world.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I have.
Sunday's tee box on #03 (not played from the tips)
Woods is done for the day. Not his week. Not his major.
I had lunch with Matt Kutchar! What a great guy... all smiles coming off his Sunday round. After his performance at Augusta, he's ready to win a major.
Furyk explains what happened on #16.
I got goosebumps standing on the green... and I was only holding an iPhone!
Notice Simpson's stretch from #07 - #10. Brilliant golf there & the true reason he won.
source: wgt.com/golfnews/archive/2012/06/19/misterwgt-u-s-open-sunday-summary.aspx

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11:20 AM | Labels: ,
Posted by bettingsports

UEFA EURO 2012 Updates | Italy advances to last 8 with 2-0 win over Ireland

POZNAN, Poland (AP) — Blowing kisses to the crowd with a joyous grin on his face, it was a different Antonio Cassano who walked off the pitch this time.
Cassano, who wept uncontrollably after Italy was eliminated from the 2004 European Championship, scored the decisive goal Monday when Italy beat Ireland 2-0 Monday to reach the Euro 2012 quarterfinals.
"We Italians are used to suffering, but we always give our best," said Cassano, who nearly lost his life with stroke-like symptoms seven months ago and then required minor heart surgery. "The victory was something we struggled for but the most important thing was to get through the group."
With Italy needing a win to stand a chance of advancing, Cassano scored the first goal. He headed in with his back to the goal by the near post following a corner kick in the 35th minute on a warm and muggy night at the Municipal Stadium.
Substitute Mario Balotelli doubled the lead in the 90th, a minute after Ireland was reduced to 10 men when Keith Andrews picked up his second yellow card. Still, Italy had to wait a few moments after the final whistle to celebrate, before receiving word that Spain beat Croatia 1-0 in the other Group C match.
The victory ended a five-match winless streak for Italy, which began the tournament with 1-1 draws against Spain and Croatia following three friendly losses. "I couldn't wait for them to blow the whistle in the other game and for it to finish," Cassano said.
Italy had been worried about a 2-2 draw between Spain and Croatia, which would have eliminated the Azzurri no matter if they beat Ireland. That's exactly what happened at Euro 2004, when Italy beat Bulgaria in its final group match thanks to Cassano's winning goal. But Italy was sent home when Denmark and Sweden finished 2-2.
He cried that night, but eight years later he helped send Italy to the next round despite concerns that he might not even make the squad. In October, Cassano fell ill with stroke-like symptoms on AC Milan's team plane. He was out for five months and has said repeatedly that he thought he might never recover.
Cassano was also left out of the Azzurri's last two World Cup squads by former coach Marcello Lippi, who worried about Cassano's temper. There's never been any question over Cassano's talent, though. Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given got his hand to Cassano's header, but couldn't prevent it from going in.
Balotelli's goal was a work of art, with the 21-year-old striker acrobatically wrapping his shot around defender John O'Shea in mid-air, as he met a corner kick from Alessandro Diamanti. Having started Italy's opening two matches, Balotelli replaced Antonio Di Natale in the 74th.
Italy will meet the Group D winner Sunday in Kiev, Ukraine — with France, England and co-host Ukraine among the possible opponents. "No difference to us (who we play). We have already played Spain, who are reigning world and European champions," Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. "If we play well, we can take on anyone."
Spain won the group with seven points, Italy finished second with five, Croatia was next with four and Ireland — which was already eliminated — exited its first major tournament in 10 years with none.
"We played well tonight, but without creating too many chances either," Ireland forward Robbie Keane said. "We're disappointed not to get anything out of the group, but we've been beaten by better teams."
Italy controlled the match for long stretches, but Ireland — managed by former Azzurri coach Giovanni Trapattoni — threatened often with counterattacks. Andrews had been Ireland's most dangerous player.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon did well to control a bouncing effort from Andrews on the hour mark and the midfielder came even closer with a free kick that Buffon stopped with a diving save in the 79th.
"We had to suffer a lot in this game — perhaps more than in the first two," Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi said. "We weren't afraid of them equalizing but they hit the long ball and all you need is one piece of good fortune."
With the temperature hovering at 30 C (86 F), half the stadium was filled with green-clad Irish fans — even with their team already assured of going home — while there was only a small pocket of Italian supporters.
Ireland wore black armbands to commemorate the 18th anniversary of shootings in Northern Ireland that killed six people.
Lineups:
Italy: Gianluigi Buffon, Ignazio Abate, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini (Leonardo Bonucci, 57), Federico Balzaretti, Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Thiago Motta, Daniele De Rossi, Antonio Di Natale (Mario Balotelli, 74), Antonio Cassano (Alessandro Diamanti, 62).
Ireland: Shay Given, Sean St. Ledger, Stephen Ward, John O'Shea, Richard Dunne, Glenn Whelan, Aiden McGeady (Shane Long, 65), Keith Andrews, Damien Duff, Kevin Doyle (Jon Walters, 76), Robbie Keane (Simon Cox, 86).


article source: mail.com/int/sports/soccer/1371110-italy-advances-to-8-with-2-0-win-ireland.html#.1258-stage-set1-3

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3:05 PM |
Posted by bettingsports

UEFA EURO 2012 Matches | SPAIN VS CROATIA



UEFA EURO 2012 Matches | SPAIN VS CROATIA Time: 2:45 AM GMT +8:00. UEFA has given German referee Wolfgang Stark his second top assignment at the European Championship, working the Spain vs. Croatia match on Tuesday. Some Italian commentators have suggested Spain and Croatia could orchestrate a 2-2 draw in Gdansk to ensure both advance to the quarterfinals and eliminate Italy.

Stark previously won praise for refereeing the tense 1-1 draw between co-host Poland and Russia.
UEFA has picked Cuneyt Cakir of Turkey to referee Italy's match against Ireland in Poznan on Monday.
Viktor Kassai of Hungary will referee England vs. Ukraine in Donetsk on Tuesday when the final group-stage matches are played.
Pedro Proenca of Portugal will handle France vs. Sweden in Kiev.

POSSIBLE LINEUPS

CROTIA
SPAIN
Pletikosa
Casillas
Srna, Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic
Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Alba
Vukojevic, Rakitic
Busquets, Alonso
Mandzukic, Modric, Perisic
Silva, Xavi, Iniesta
Jelavic
Torres

FACTS ABOUT THE TEAMS:
  • Croatia and Del Bosque's side can both guarantee their place in the quarter-finals with a draw of 2-2 or higher.
  • Bilic's have never faced Spain in a competitive match. All four of the meetings between the two sides have been friendlies, with their only victory coming via a 2-0 triumph back in 1994. Croatia's overall record against Spain is W1, D1, L2.
  • Striker Mario Mandzukic has been clinical at Euro 2012, scoring three times from four attempts on goal.
  • Croatia have not lost any of their last six matches at the European Championship, being ousted only via a penalty shootout by Turkey in 2008.
  • Spain set a new record with 860 passes at the tournament during their 4-0 win over Ireland, beating the previous landmark of 778.
  • Xavi (pictured right) set a new individual record himself in the competition by attempting 136 passes against the Boys in Green, beating Ronald Koeman's total of 117 from a Euro 1992 clash versus Denmark.
  • The champions have only conceded one goal in their last six matches at major international tournaments.
  • Fernando Torres' double in the victory over Ireland took him to 30 international goals, making him the country's third all-time top scorer behind only Raul and David Villa.
SPORTS STATISTICS INFORMATION CENTRE

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3:05 PM | Labels: , ,
Posted by bettingsports

Spain Looks Forward to Advance versus Republic of Ireland





SWEDEN
Tournament Statistics (as of June 15, 2012)
ENGLAND
1
Goals Scored
1
6
Attempts On Target
1
6
Attempts Off Target
2
2
Corners
4
20
Fouls Committed
7
2
Yellow Cards
2
0
Red Cards
0
PREDICTED STARTING LINEUPS
Sweden (4-4-2)
Isaksson; Lustig, Mellberg, Granqvist, M. Olsson; Elm, Kallstrom, Larsson, Wilhelmson; Rosenberg, Ibrahimovic
England (4-4-2)
Hart; Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole; Parker, Gerrard, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott; Young, Welbeck

Date: June 16, 2012
Time: 2:45 AM (GMT +8:00)       

KIEV: Sweden will attempt to climb out of the bottom of Group D when it faces England this Saturday. After a disturbing loss to Ukraine at 2-1, Sweden has to win against England in order to avoid elimination. Sweden has to work on beating England’s durable defense, which can be a difficult task for them. If the Swedes fail to do so, they will have a tough time reaching even the runner-up spot, especially with France awaiting them in their final group match.

England has to learn lessons from their 1-1 draw versus France. That match has shown their lack of impressive attacks to take advantage of the weak French defense. In this match, England must be more offensive in their approach for them to excel better when they advance to the tournament.

Previous Matches

Surprisingly, Sweden never lost a competitive match against England, recording 2 wins and 5 draws. The last competitive match of both teams was during the 2006 World Cup, ending at a 2-2 draw.

The latest meeting of both teams was during a 2011 friendly match in London. The English team playing home defeated the Swedes, resulting to a 1-0 win.

Pre-Match Developments

Both England and Sweden do not have any injured players.  Team performance will be the basis of any changes in both teams’ lineups.

Following Sweden’s failure against Ukraine, manager Erik Hamren called his team “cowards”, citing Sweden’s insufficient efforts to win. He is likely to change Sweden’s form from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2. Midfielder Christian Wilhelmson is a possible addition to the starting lineup.

Young midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain can be retained on England’s starting lineup after manager Roy Hodgson praised his ability to get past through opponents swiftly during their previous game versus France.

Sweden-England Predictions
  • v  Disclaimer: All information above is provided free for members as a 12BET service. The prediction statistics are purely a view point and there is no guarantee on the returns. Hence all members or visitors are requested to apply their prudence before acting on any of the recommendations. Neither 12BET nor any of its promoters, members, or employees holds any responsibility of any losses incurred (if any) by acting on the recommendations.


The ageing Swedes can encounter challenges from a rather youthful English team. Despite of that, Sweden seeks to improve with the addition of midfielder Christian Wilhelmson on the right wing and the retention of striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic (who scored for Sweden versus Ukraine). More men manning the Swedish midfield means stronger protection, which can upset England in their attacking attempts.

Regardless of that, an English victory is more favorable in this match. Their solid defense has enabled them to withstand France’s persistent and dangerous attacks. Now, they must focus more on showing their offensive side. In the absence of star striker Wayne Rooney, England’s focus is to destroy Sweden’s defense through Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ashley Young and Danny Welbeck. Legendary Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard’s superior performance last Tuesday is expected to become stronger this time.


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11:37 AM | Labels: , ,
Posted by bettingsports

Spain Looks Forward to Advance versus Republic of Ireland




SPAIN
Tournament Statistics (as of June 14, 2012)
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
1
Goals Scored
1
9
Attempts On Target
5
9
Attempts Off Target
8
7
Corners
1
12
Fouls Committed
12
3
Yellow Cards
1
0
Red Cards
0
PREDICTED STARTING LINEUPS
Spain (4-2-3-1)
Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Alba; Alonso, Busquets; Xavi, Iniesta, Silva; Torres
Ireland (4-4-2)
Given; Ward, Dunne, St Ledger, O’Shea; McGeady, Whelan, Andrews, Duff; Walters, Keane


Spain (N) vs. Ireland Match Preview 
Date: June 15, 2012
Time: 2:45 AM (GMT +8:00)

GDANSK: The prospects of Group C teams have become more unpredictable after Republic of Ireland suffered a disappointing loss versus Croatia at 3-1. Spain and Italy stalled one another in a draw at 1-1, citing signals of stronger winning determination from both teams.

Spain’s duty as defending champion is to strengthen their defense in order to thwart any scoring attempt of Republic of Ireland – a feat which can determine La Roja’s defense of their championship title. Republic of Ireland, on the other hand, has to recoup from their fatal mistakes against Croatia which caused the Croat’s currently wide gap from the rest of Group C.

Previous Matches

The most recent match between Spain and Republic of Ireland was during the 2002 World Cup. The match was a closely-fought one at 1-1, only to be won by Spain via a penalty shootout.

Spain won all of their last 15 competitive games, including their 2010 World Cup championship title. They are also the champions of EURO 2008.

Republic of Ireland was unbeaten in 14 matches (both competitive and friendly). Their 3-1 loss to Croatia was their heaviest major tournament loss.

Pre-Match Developments

It is unsure whether Vicente Del Bosque will pit in Fernando Torres in Spain’s starting lineup after the striker failed to show competence during their match against Italy. Their six-man midfield against the Azzurri might be altered, although changes have yet to be announced.

Giovanni Trapattoni, on the other hand, is persistent with his current starting lineup. Despite his team’s poor performance versus Croatia, no changes have been announced on Republic of Ireland’s starters.

Spain-Republic of Ireland Predictions

Sports Statistics Information Centre

(as of June 14, 2012)

v  Disclaimer: All information above is provided free for members as a 12BET service. The prediction statistics are purely a view point and there is no guarantee on the returns. Hence all members or visitors are requested to apply their prudence before acting on any of the recommendations. Neither 12BET nor any of its promoters, members, or employees holds any responsibility of any losses incurred (if any) by acting on the recommendations.

Republic of Ireland is placed at a difficult time after their focus on strengthening their defensive and counterattacking techniques have been shattered by a solid Croatia. The Irish squad lacked strikers in their roster, thus they are faced with the challenge of how to shoot the ball inside the net.

Spain, on the other hand, has to return to playing formidable possession football, which helped them gain their 2008 EURO and 2010 World Cup championship titles. Their recent match against Italy was far from resembling their usual possessiveness of the ball, which became apparent when the Azzurri treaded comfortably on La Roja’s midfield.

Overall, Spain can expect a convenient win against the Republic of Ireland, especially if they choose to become more firm in their possessive playing approach. Spain can be countered with frustrations if Republic of Ireland strengthens their defensive play for this match. 


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12:22 PM | Labels: , ,
Posted by bettingsports
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