Spurs lock up Champions League place

Soccer Betting Lines

05/05/2010 - Manchester, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Peter Crouch scored eight minutes from time to give Tottenham a 1-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday that clinches a spot in the Champions League for Harry Redknapp's men.

Both sides created numerous chances, but with the game still deadlocked at 0-0 in the 82nd minute, a deflected cross from Younes Kaboul was parried into the path of Crouch by City goalkeeper Marton Fulop, allowing the towering Tottenham striker to head home the lone goal.

The result lifts Spurs four points clear of fifth-placed City and allows them to seal a top-four spot for the first time since the Premiership was formed in 1992.

City entered the game knowing that a win would likely be required to snatch four place, and Carlos Tevez caused some early problems for the Tottenham defense.

However, the best chance of the first half fell to Spurs after 18 minutes when Gareth Bale's free kick was headed against the post by Crouch a few yards from goal.

Ledley King had the ball in the net a few minutes later, but it was ruled out for a foul, while City's Adam Johnson forced a good stop from Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes with a shot from 25 yards.

Tottenham began to take over a bit in the second half and Fulop did well to tip a shot from Jermain Defoe past the far post before he used his legs to stop a close-range header from Crouch.

However, Fulop was caught off guard by the deflected cross from Kaboul and Crouch was left with a simple header to send Spurs into the Champions League.

The other match on Wednesday saw Stoke City record a 1-0 win over Fulham as Matthew Etherington scored in the 83rd minute for the Potters.

Online-betting-sportsbook Soccer Betting News

<< This Week in Auto Racing May 2 - 7
Darlington, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series teams spend this Mother's Day weekend at Darlington Raceway, while Formula One competes in Europe for the first time this season with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barc

<< AP Source: Hornets interview Fratello
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -A person familiar with the meeting says the New Orleans Hornets have interviewed Mike Fratello, the third candidate to meet with the club about its vacant head coaching job.Hornets executives met with Fratello in Cleveland on Wedne

<< Temple's Golden, Dunphy get new contract extensions
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Temple University head football coach Al Golden and head men's basketball coach Fran Dunphy received lengthy contract extensions on Wednesday. For Golden, it is a five-year extension, while D

<< Serena, Venus reach Rome quarters
Rome, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reigning world No. 1 Serena Williams and her former top-ranked big sister Venus were a pair of third-round victors Wednesday at the $2 million Italian Masters, a clay-court French Open tune-up

<< Johnson, Teixeira help Yankees complete sweep of Orioles
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Johnson clubbed a solo home run and walked twice to spark New York to a 7-5 win over Baltimore in the finale of a three- game series at Yankee Stadium. Johnson finished 3-for-3 at the plate, and Mark Teix

Hofstra names Cassara new hoops coach >>
Hempstead, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hofstra University named Mo Cassara head coach of the men's basketball team on Wednesday, just two days after Tim Welsh resigned following his DWI arrest. Cassara spent the last four years as an assista

Who will tame Darlington this time? >>
Darlington, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup. Date: Saturday, May 8. Race: Showtime Southern 500. Site: Darlington Raceway. Track: 1.366- mile oval. Start time: 7:30 p.m. (et). Laps: 367. Miles: 501. 2009 winner: Mark Martin. Tel

Keselowski looking for third win in a row >>
Darlington, SC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Friday, May 7. Race: Royal Purple 200. Site: Darlington Raceway. Track: 1.366-mile oval. Start time: 7:30 p.m. (et). Laps: 147. Miles: 200.8. 2009 winner: Matt Kenseth. Televisi

Motherwell rallies for draw in 12-goal thriller >>
Motherwell, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lucas Jutkiewicz scored in stoppage time to cap a four-goal rally in the final 23 minutes of a thrilling 6-6 draw with Hibernian at Fir Park Stadium on Wednesday, keeping the Steelman in fourth

No Bradley in Mariners' starting lineup >>
SEATTLE (AP) -Milton Bradley is not in the Seattle Mariners' starting lineup one day after he left the stadium following his benching by manager Don Wakamatsu.Ryan Langerhans is listed as the starter in left field for Wednesday's game against Tampa

FOOTBALL BETTING

Sportsbook Betting

After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

NFL Betting Lines

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.