Columbus hosts Chicago in rematch of Eastern final

Soccer Betting Lines

04/24/2009 - Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Fire travel to take on the Columbus Crew in a Major League Soccer clash at Crew Stadium on Saturday. The fixture will be a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference final, although the teams are on the opposite sides of the table five games into the 2009 season.

The Crew are one of just two winless teams in MLS with an 0-2-3 record while the Fire (2-0-3) are one of only two unbeaten clubs, meaning their fortunes have changed since Columbus defeated Chicago route to the 2008 MLS Cup championship.

Chicago is coming off a 2-2 draw with Kansas City last weekend in which it gave up two late goals to settle for a share of the points.

"It was a great game for 75 minutes," Fire defender Bakary Soumare said. "And then we lost our concentration. We kept things tight and kept playing the way we had been playing. Being up 2-0, we didn't feel much pressure to score a third or fourth goal. You play hard for such a long time and then blow it at the end ... it's unspeakable."

Despite the fact that the team felt it gave two points away, Fire coach Denis Hamlett was very happy with his team's performance, especially in the first half when two Brian McBride goals gave his club the early lead.

"I think it was the best half the team has played this year," he said. "I think our mentality showed from the start. We were on the same page - playing one and two touch soccer, moving the ball and when we created opportunities to go one-on-one we did that.

"Brian [McBride] scored two good goals. It was unselfish soccer and I tell the group when we play like that, it looks good. I think the second half got away from that in terms of trying to get that third goal, we didn't really need it, we just kept pushing and we got caught in an open game."

The Crew, who haven't played since April 11, are coming off a 1-1 draw with Colorado that snapped a two-game losing streak. The team actually had an early lead, but gave up a late goal.

"I am proud of the team because they had a very good performance. We were better in every aspect of the game," Crew coach Robert Warzycha said. "We were just unlucky not to score some goals. We give up a goal at the end and we give up two points."

Columbus' bye week has allowed it to get a little healthier, but veteran back Frankie Hejduk will be out, and goalkeeper Will Hesmer is questionable for Saturday. Also out for the Crew are forward Jason Garey and midfielder Cory Elenio, while defender Chad Marshall midfielder Robbie Rogers are probable with injuries.

"I feel so much better. I don't even feel it [hamstring] at all," Rogers said. "I'm glad I took the rest. I was in more of a passing role . I really couldn't take guys on. Pressuring guys defensively was tough because it was hard for me to stop and cut but I was trying to help as much as possible. It's going to be a different me when I start playing again."

Chicago will be without forwards Peter Lowry and Calen Carr and defender Daniel Woolard, defender C.J. Brown is doubtful, defender Wilman Conde is questionable, and defender Gonzalo Segares is probable with injuries.

Jazzsportd Soccer Betting News

<< Ex-Italy striker Vieri may join Ronaldo in Brazil
Rome, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Italy striker Christian Vieri is set to continue his career in Brazil, according to his agent. Vieri, 35, has been without a club since leaving Atalanta at the beginning of the month. However, ag

<< Spain coach Del Bosque sets out future
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vicente del Bosque has revealed his current coaching role with Spain will be his last. The 58-year-old tactician replaced Luis Aragones at the helm of the national team last summer and does not envisage

<< Palermo's Carrozzieri fails drug test
Palermo, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Palermo defender Morris Carrozzieri has tested positive for cocaine, according to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). CONI revealed that traces of Benzoylecgonine were found in tests carried out on t

<< Deportivo signs coach Lotina to extension
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Deportivo has handed coach Miguel Angel Lotina a one-year extension to his contract. Lotina has guided Depor to the fringes of the European qualification places this season and is now under contract at th

<< Ibrahimovic could leave Inter
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hinted that he could leave Inter Milan this summer. The striker is under contract at the San Siro for another four years but has not ruled out the possibility

RSL hopes to defend home turf vs. New England >>
Sandy, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Salt Lake will aim to keep their perfect 2-0-0 home record in tact when they host the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer action on Saturday night. The home side is coming off an 0-2 loss at

Galaxy, Colorado ready for Round 3 >>
Commerce City, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When the Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy square off in a Major League Soccer fixture on Saturday, they certainly won't be strangers. It will be the third time in all competitions that the two Western

San Jose, Seattle hope to get back on track >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Earthquakes travel to Seattle for their first ever meeting with the expansion Sounders FC on Saturday night. The 'Quakes will be aiming to get back in the win column after going 0-1-2 in their l

Canada rolls past Belarus in World Championship opener >>
Zurich, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dany Heatley and Steve Stamkos each scored a pair of goals, leading Canada to a 6-1 rout of Belarus in the opening game of the 2009 World Hockey Championship. Heatley added an assist for Canada, w

Gonzo ousts Verdasco to reach Barcelona semis >>
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fifth-seeded Fernando Gonzalez upended second-seeded crowd favorite Fernando Verdasco on Friday to reach the semifinals at the $2.6 million Barcelona Open. In an all-Fernando quarterfinal he

Big Ten Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa

Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.

Should be in:

Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?

Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.

Work left to do:

Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.

Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.

Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.

Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.