Reality check: Germany held to scoreless draw by England

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09/14/2007 - Shanghai, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After setting a record with 11 goals in its opening match, Germany was held to a 0-0 draw by England on Friday.

Germany had scored a goal in its last 11 World Cup games, the third longest streak ever, but had that mark stopped thanks to a stubborn England back line and a big save in the game's final 10 minutes by keeper Rachel Brown.

Germany would have secured a spot in the quarterfinals with a win, but will have to wait until Monday against Japan to do so. The Japanese earned a 1-0 win against Argentina earlier in the day, putting them in a tie atop Group A with the Germans.

England, meanwhile, played to its second straight draw in the tournament, but is in a good position to advance as long as they can beat a weak Argentina side on Monday.

England enjoyed a strong start to the match, and had the better of the play early on.

A mistake by German keeper Nadine Angerer in the sixth minute nearly allowed England to steal the lead. A long ball from the back intended for Kelly Smith skipped to the edge of the area, and Angerer came off her line to clear it. She ran to the edge of the box and tried to head the ball clear because she was unsure of where she was on the field. The ball glanced off her head and went behind her but rolled wide of the goal.

Germany did not find too many openings in the first half, but had a good free- kick chance in the 11th minute. Melanie Behringer was on the ball 35 yards from goal and decided to take a crack at the net, blasting a hard shot over the wall and just over the crossbar.

England tried to grab the opening goal on a set piece of its own, with Fara Williams driving the ball low into the box for Smith. The ball was struck low and just skipped over the foot of Smith, who tried to redirect it from the penalty spot.

Germany's Kerstin Garefrekes got open inside the box and sent a glancing header on net minutes before halftime, but Brown saved it easily.

The two teams played a fairly even first half, with Smith looking dangerous for England, and Germany serving up some promising crosses.

Germany began to take control of the contest after the restart, spending the majority of the second half inside the England portion of the field. The English defense held up despite coming under pressure and being forced to deal with a number of balls played into the box.

Captain Birgit Prinz got involved in the 72nd minute when Sandra Smisek took a pass at the top of the box with her back to the goal and laid it off for Prinz. The star striker took a touch into the box but had defender Faye White all over her back. She was able to get a sliding shot off, but it had little behind it and rolled comfortably to Brown.

The best chance of the match fell to Garefrekes eight minutes from time, but Brown came up with a big stop to keep Germany off the board. A loose ball at the edge of the box was knocked toward goal but took a deflection off of an England defender. The ball ended up on the foot of Garefrekes, who was open at the right post. She hit a low shot along the ground that was headed for the far post, but Brown got down and knocked the ball away with her foot, preserving a share of the points for England.

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MySportsbook.com week 1 NFL lines


Now that the 2008 NFL schedule is finally out, it is only matter-of-course for lines on “Week 1” to follow.  Of course MySportsbook.com is the first to churn out odds for the NFL’s inaugural week for the upcoming season.   Expect a lot of fireworks the first Thursday night of the season as the defending champion Indianapolis Colts face off against the surprise of the 2008 season, the New Orleans Saints.  These teams were ranked #1 and #3 in the NFL respectively a season ago so a high scoring affair could be in order.  As of now, the Colts will be giving 6 points to the Saints; keep in mind the Saints were one of the better road teams last season going 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS.  The first Monday night of the season will again provide a “double feature”. Coming off a disappointing season, the Cincinnati Bengals will look to get back to playoffs and improve their public image as they take on the AFC North favorite Baltimore Ravens.  The second game features a couple of teams that haven’t had too much success recently but each could make some noise if the NFC is as weak as it was last year as the San Francisco 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals. The most interesting game of the opening week will feature the NFC champion Bears as they hit the road to take on the NFL’s top team during last year’s regular season, the San Diego Chargers.

MySportsbook.com Week 1 odds:

Saints +6 @ Colts -6

Falcons @ Vikings (pick ‘em)

Panthers @ Rams (pick ‘em)

Broncos -3.5 @ Bills +3.5

Chiefs -1 @ Texans +1

Dolphins +3 @ Redskins -3

Patriots -5 @ Jets +5

Eagles -3.5 @ Packers +3.5

Steelers -4 @ Browns +4

Titans +6 @ Jaguars -6

Bears +6 @ Chargers -6

Lions +3 @ Raiders -3

Bucs +6.5 @ Seahawks -6.5

Giants +4 @ Cowboys -4

Ravens +3 @ Bengals -3

Cardinals +3 @ 49ers -3

 Super Bowl line (2008)

NFC +6.5 vs. AFC -6.5

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract

Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.

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After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."

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