Real travels to TFC looking to build for next season

Soccer Betting Lines

09/14/2007 - Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When Real Salt Lake travels to Toronto FC Saturday for a Major League Soccer clash, it won't exactly be a clash of the titans. RSL is currently second-to-last in the league with just 18 points after 23 games while TFC hasn't scored a goal in nine games - an MLS record 732 minutes.

Both teams still have hope for their seasons, however. RSL won three of five games before dropping one goal decisions to two of the best teams in the league - Houston and D.C. - in their last two fixtures while Toronto is still just nine points out of the final playoff spot, even after falling, 2-0, at Dallas last weekend in a game it very easily could have won.

"I thought the guys played very hard," Toronto coach Mo Johnston said. "They worked hard for each other, created 11 chances. We should have scored. Our guys stuck together and battled hard. The guys are gutted. It's a shame because we should have had something from the game tonight, maybe a point. I don't think Dallas performed very well. We thought behind them numerous times but we just couldn't score."

"That's all it is - effort," RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando goalkeeper said after the loss to D.C. "It doesn't mean anything unless you get three points or a point. Today we showed we've been giving effort all year, but we seem always to lose it at the end or give up a silly goal. Today's the same thing. We give a [good] effort, you know good teams, good games. For some reason we give them away, and that's why we're at the bottom and they're at the top."

While neither team is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs yet, chances are slim, meaning finishing the last seven games of the season strong is important for both clubs.

RSL has hope for next season, with a young lineup bolstered by the acquisitions of the Argentinean trio of Fabian Espindola, Javier Morales and Matias Mantilla to its roster in mid-August.

Toronto, which has been hit hard by injuries this season, at least knows that before the said injuries decimated most of its main attacking players, it was in a position to make a legitimate run at the playoffs, which it can build on in '08.

This will be the second meeting between the two clubs this season, with Toronto getting its first road win in franchise history on July 4 at Rice- Eccles Stadium. Jeff Cunningham scored the game's first goal in the 19th minute when he received a pass from Danny Dichio and broke in on goal alone to make it 1-0. Neither player will be in the Toronto lineup Saturday, however, because of injuries.

RSL got the goal back just before halftime when Alecko Eskandarian converted from the penalty spot after he was sandwiched by Toronto defenders Jim Brennan and Carl Robinson in the box. But Collin Samuel gave TFC their historic victory, converting a penalty of his own in the 79th minute

After Saturday's fixture at BMO Field, Toronto hosts Columbus next Saturday while Real Salt Lake hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday.

Www1luckygambler Soccer Betting News

<< Hansen overtakes Westwood for Mercedes lead
Cologne, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Soren Hansen carded a four-under 68 Friday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Mercedes Benz Championship. Hansen completed 36 holes at 11-under-par 133. Lee Westwood, who fired a 61 on T

<< Jaguars Attempt to Stop Run, Falcons
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Jacksonville Jaguars had trouble stopping the run and running the football in last week's loss to the Tennessee Titans. Now it's the Atlanta Falcons' turn to try and do the same thing to the Jaguars in a Week 2 interconfe

<< Tomlin Makes Home Debut In Steelers-Bills Clash
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the first time since 1991, Bill Cowher won't be on the sidelines for the Pittsburgh Steelers' home opener. Instead, Mike Tomlin will make his home head coaching debut on Sunday, when his club welcomes the Buffalo Bills to

<< Can Bengals Keep Good Times Rolling Vs. Browns?
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - As an early-season candidate to represent the AFC in this year's Super Bowl, the Cincinnati Bengals started their quest for glory on the right foot. Now they will have the pleasure of paying a visit to the Cleveland Browns th

<< Fins Try to Impress Supporters, Beat Cowboys
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cam Cameron and Trent Green will have a prime chance to win over their home fans on Sunday afternoon, when the new head coach and starting quarterback of the Miami Dolphins contend with the Dallas Cowboys in the Fins' home op

Weather delays Champions event at Rock Barn >>
Conover, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Heavy rain early Friday caused nearly a three- hour weather delay and more rain later in the morning forced officials to suspend play during round one of the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn. With ju

Nancy hopes to stay undefeated >>
Lorraine, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nancy will try to continue its undefeated start on Saturday when it travels to the Stade Felix-Bollaert to play Lens. On paper, this match looks to be very lopsided. Nancy sits in first pl

Marlins activate Pinto >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins activated left-hander Renyel Pinto from the 15-day disabled list Friday. Pinto, who is 2-4 with a 4.10 ERA and one save in 49 relief appearances this season, has been on the DL since

Woods fires 63; leads Tour Championship by three >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tiger Woods used a stellar front nine Friday to grab the lead after two rounds of the Tour Championship. Woods completed his opening-round 64 earlier Friday, then came back with a vengeance in the second

Simpson named suspect in casino robbery >>
Las Vegas, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Las Vegas police questioned former football star O.J. Simpson and declared him a suspect Friday in a hotel room armed robbery, involving sports memorabilia at The Palace Station Casino. The form

Football Betting

NFL Football Betting Online

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)

The 2008 NFL betting lines season is almost upon us! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The sportsbook has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well. Join sportbook today and we'll help guide you right through to Super Bowl XLIII and beyond!

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .