08/21/2008 - Guatemala City, Guatemala (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Bocanegra scored in the 68th minute to help the United States down Guatemala, 1-0 at Mateo Flores on Wednesday in a World Cup qualifier.
The USA is now 5-0-4 against Guatemala all-time in World Cup qualifying, although Wednesday's win marks the first time that the Americans have won a game in Guatemala.
A slow first half gave way to an eventful second half that saw one player from each team sent off, while Guatemala produced some threatening chances that very easily could have earned them a draw.
Neither side was able to generate a lot of offense in the opening half, with Guatemala first testing American goalkeeper Tim Howard in the 37th minute. Jose Manuel Contreras found room near the top of the box and took a pass before driving a low shot towards the bottom left corner. Howard reacted well and got down to turn the shot away, and the USA soon carved out a rare look at goal minutes later.
Brian Ching took a long ball down off his chest outside the box, and he turned quickly before firing a shot just over the crossbar.
Guatemala started to put some pressure on the USA defense early in the second half as the Americans gave away possession very easily in their own end.
Freddy Garcia played a dangerous low ball into the box for Contreras at the near post but Bocanegra was there to get a foot on the ball. Mario Rodriguez then got into the box on the right after a turnover and ripped a shot wide of the far post.
The home side was getting the better of the play, and they soon had a numerical advantage when Steve Cherundolo picked up his second yellow card in the 60th minute. However, Guatemala was reduced to 10 men three minutes later when Gustavo Cabrera received a straight red card for a flying elbow to the head of Eddie Lewis, who had to be taken off with a bad cut.
The Americans have been very successful from dead-ball situations under head coach Bob Bradley, and they created a good chance in the 68th minute when Landon Donovan's floated ball from midfield was redirected on goal by Oguchi Onyewu, which forced Guatemala keeper Ricardo Trigueno to tip the ball over the net.
The ensuing corner kick then produced the game's only goal as DaMarcus Beasley swung the ball into the box and Bocanegra was left wide open in front of goal for an easy header to put his team ahead.
Guatemala pushed men forward in the final 10 minutes in search of an equalizer, but Howard and the rest of the American defenders did well to preserve the win by holding them off.
The next qualifier for the United States will come on September 6, when the team makes its first visit to Cuba since 1947.
<< Metcalf homers twice, Millwood goes nine as Rangers rout Tigers
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Travis Metcalf homered twice, knocking in
three runs, and Kevin Millwood hurled nine strong innings, as Texas rolled
past Detroit, 9-1, in the final contest of a three-game series.
Brandon Boggs, Mich
<< LaRue, Cardinals rough up Pirates
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason LaRue hit a two-run homer, doubled
and finished with three runs batted in, as St. Louis blasted Pittsburgh, 11-2,
in the finale of a two-game set with the Pirates.
Rick Ankiel also had a two-run bl
<< Anderson, Angels hold off streaking Rays
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Garret Anderson extended his hitting
streak to 23 games with the game-winning RBI single in the ninth inning and
the LA Angels of Anaheim escaped with a 5-4 win, avoiding a three-game sweep
by the
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New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top seeds Anna Chakvetadze and Daniela
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Top-notch field of 11 set for Pacific Classic >>
Del Mar, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eleven of the best older thoroughbreds in
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The winner of the 1 1/4 mile race gains an automatic spot in the 2008
Breeder
Dunn, D-Backs overcome early deficit to clip Padres >>
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer and walked
twice, as the Arizona Diamondbacks held on for an 8-6 win over San Diego, in
the second of three games with the Padres.
The game was expected to be a pitcher
Cardinals P Wainwright to return >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam
Wainwright is expected to return from the disabled list and start Friday
against the Atlanta Braves.
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Marlins SS Ramirez leaves game vs. Giants with thumb injury >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins lost shortstop
Hanley Ramirez to a thumb injury in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the San Francisco
Giants.
Ramirez singled in the top of the third inning and stole second base. As
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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