With World Cup qualifiers right around the corner, the United States vs. Canada friendly this weekend will have a bit more intensity to it than usual. Not only is national pride on the line, but both teams want to build some positive momentum and set the tone for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matchups. Bet on international soccer today.
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The USA had built up plenty of positive momentum after defeating Italy 1-0 in February and then crushing Scotland 5-1 last Saturday, but that momentum came to a screeching halt Wednesday with a sobering 4-1 loss to Brazil. Not many expected the United States to win that game outright, but to lose it so handily was a crushing blow.
They say that you learn more in defeat than in victory, and Jurgen Klinsmann is going to have to hope that the blowout loss to Brazil was a teachable moment and not a sign of things to come. The US has a great chance to get right back on the horse with a win up in Toronto against Canada’s national team on Sunday.
While this was once a great and evenly matched rivalry between the two neighboring countries, it hasn’t been in recent years. The United States hasn’t lost a game to Canada since dropping a 2-0 decision in Vancouver back on April 2, 1985. Since then, the two teams have met 14 times, with the United States compiling an 8-0-6 record over that stretch, though most of those games have been played in the United States.
Current MLS MVP Dwayne De Rosario will lead the Canadian side, which is celebrating the centenary of the Canadian Soccer Association and is viewing this game as an important one heading into the World Cup qualifiers.
At the moment, only three-way action is available on this game at Bovada - the USA is favored at +100 to win, while Canada to win is at +250, and a draw is at +225.
One of the hundreds of props available on the 2012 European Football Championship, otherwise known as Euro 2012, is on which player will be named the player of the tournament. And the favorite on Bovada’s soccer odds is Germany’s Mesut Ozil at 14/1.
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The player of the tournament at Euro 2012, which begins Friday in Poland and the Ukraine, is separate from the Golden Boot winner, which goes to the player with the most goals. The player of the tournament award has been handed out to the outstanding player of the European Championships only since 1996.
And if you want a trend to bet off of, consider that in the previous four tournaments, the player of the year award has gone not only to a player from the championship team but also to a midfielder from that club. The previous winners are Xavi (2008, Spain), Theodoros Zagorkis (2004, Greece), Zinedine Zidane (2000, France) and Matthias Sammer (Germany, 1996).
Ozil is a 23-year-old midfielder for the Germans, who are the second-favorites to win Euro 2012 behind Spain. During Euro qualifying, Ozil tied for the lead among all players with seven assists and added five goals in nine games.
There is a group of five as second-favorites at 16/1: Andres Iniesta, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mario Gomez, Robin Van Persie and Xavi.
Iniesta is a midfielder for defending champion Spain and had one goal and one assist in five qualifying games. Ronaldo, probably the best overall player in this tournament, is a midfielder for Portugal and had seven goals and three assists during qualifying. He is the third-favorite at 11/1 to be the tournament’s top goalscorer. Van Persie is the star midfielder for the Netherlands, which is the tournament’s third-favorite. He had six goals and two assists during qualifying and is the 9/1 second favorite to be Euro 2012’s top goalscorer. Xavi , also a midfielder, had two goals and two assists during qualifying as he looks to be the first repeat winner of this award.
After months of qualifiers and lineup tweaks, the 16 teams participating in the Euro 2012 tournament have finalized their rosters and are ready for action. The tournament kicks off on June 8 in the group stage, and will play through until a winner is crowned on July 1. Here’s a look at the Euro betting odds heading into the tournament.
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Group A consists of Russia (20/1), the Czech Republic (50/1), Greece (66/1), and Poland (66/1). Russia is considered to be the strongest team in the tournament’s weakest group. Poland will have the home crowd behind it in the group, with Group A’s games being played in Poland.
Group B is arguably the tournament’s deepest group with Germany (3/1), Holland (7/1), Portugal (18/1), and Denmark (80/1). Germany and Holland are both coming off strong finishes in the 2010 World Cup (Holland finished second in 2010, Germany finished third) and are expected to advance out of this group, but the ever-dangerous Cristiano Ronaldo will try to lead Portugal out of the opening round at one of those teams' expense.
The current favorite to win the Euro 2012 tournament and the defending World Cup champion, Spain (13/5), is joined in Group C by Italy (12/1), Croatia (40/1), and Ireland (66/1). Italy lacks the star power that many of the other big contenders in the tournament possess, but they do have a history of international success.
Lastly, Group D features France (10/1), England (11/1), Ukraine (40/1), and Sweden (66/1). After disappointing showings in the 2010 World Cup, both France and England would love to build some positive momentum heading into the 2014 World Cup with a strong showing in this month’s international tournament.
Bettors can also still wager on Euro 2012’s top goalscorer at Bovada - current favorites include Germany’s Mario Gomez, Holland’s Robin Van Persie, and Portugal’s Ronaldo.
Sweden is doing fine lately winning all their matches and having a very good moral before the kick of Euro 2012 and will have one last rehearsal against Serbia, not an easy opponent but an opponent that is beatable if will play as did in last matches.
Sweden won last 5 matches with Iceland and Croatia scoring in both 3 goals and I see Zlatan Ibrahimovic and company to score one or two tonight especially Serbia has shown some defensive problems in last matches losing with 2-0 against France and 2-0 against Spain.
Agree Serbia is the most difficult opponent for Sweden in last period or on the same level as Croatia and agree also that Serbia has faced strong sides at Spain and France and because of that weren't capable to impose or get a positive result and this could be their chance to make a good match but will miss some players and this should work against them one more time.
The second game on the opening day of Euro 2012 will feature an intriguing matchup on the soccer betting odds as Russia battles Czech Republic on Friday afternoon (2:30 pm Eastern) in Group A action.
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Russia, which sits among the Top 8 contenders to win Euro 2012 at 20/1 odds, leads the pack as the betting favorite at +135 on the soccer futures to win Group A. Including its history as both the Soviet Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Russia will be making its tenth appearance at the European championships – a record which includes three runner-up finishes (1964, 1972, 1988) and a title at the first tournament back in 1960. They were semi-finalists in 2008, and are currently ranked as the No. 11 team in the world according to FIFA.
At just 21 years of age, attacking midfielder Alan Dzagoyev is a bright star on the rise and certainly a player to watch for Russia, along with motivated striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.
Czech Republic, meanwhile, is a longshot to win Euro 2012 at 50/1 odds and listed at +350 odds to win Group A – a futures bet that would become much more likely to pay off if they can knock off Russia in their first game on Friday. Including its three appearances as Czechoslovakia, this national team has already made seven appearances at the European championships including a crown in 1976 and a runner-up result in 1996. They are currently ranked No. 26 by FIFA.
Czech captain Tomas Rosicky was declared fit to play on Monday, reportedly recovered from a calf muscle injury suffered on May 13, and the midfielder will be relied upon as the primary playmaker for his team. Goalkeeper Petr Cech is also a key figure for Czech Republic.
Russia is favored at +110 odds to defeat the underdog Czech Republic (+270), with draw odds of +225.
Group A competition will get the party started Friday on the soccer betting odds as Euro 2012 kicks off with host Poland facing Greece in the opening game (11:00 am Eastern).
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Poland, which is at 66/1 on the soccer futures to win Euro 2012 and +300 odds to win Group A, has made only one previous appearance at the European championships (in 2008) and failed to win a game. They are currently ranked No. 65 by FIFA in the official world rankings, the lowest slot of any team at Euro 2012.
Charismatic goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will be squarely in the spotlight for the host nation, along with striker Robert Lewandowski who will be counted on to score goals for offensively-challenged Poland.
Greece is also listed at longshot 66/1 odds to win Euro 2012 and rated behind Poland at +400 odds to win Group A. This will be the fourth appearance by Greece at the European championships, a history which includes a remarkable run to the championship back in 2004 as well as a pair of quick eliminations in 1980 and 2008. Greece, which qualified for Euro 2012 as a group winner, is currently ranked No. 14 by FIFA.
Like Poland, there is some question as to where the goals will come from for Greece, but they will be looking for consistent contributions from Georgios Samaras and some spark from midfielder Ioannis Fetfatzidis.
Poland is listed as the betting favorite at EVEN odds to post a tournament-opening victory before their home crowd, with Greece the underdogs at +310, and draw odds of +225.
The competitive excitement continues to build with Group B action scheduled to kick off Saturday afternoon (Noon Eastern) at Euro 2012 with a potentially dynamic soccer betting matchup between the Netherlands and Denmark at Metalist Stadium in Ukraine.
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Listed at a short 7/1 on the soccer futures to win Euro 2012, the Netherlands is widely regarded as a strong contender to win a second European championship in its ninth appearance overall, earning its previous title back in 1988. The Dutch, which are ranked No. 4 in the world according to the latest FIFA rankings, are also rated at +185 odds to advance as the Group B champion after qualifying as a group winner.
High-scoring forwards Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie will pace the powerful Dutch attack, along with creative support from talented midfielder Wesley Sneijder.
Denmark will be no pushover, despite their longshot ranking at 80/1 odds to win Euro 2012 and +1400 odds to win Group B. The Danes are currently ranked a lofty No. 10 in the world by FIFA, and have made seven previous appearances at the European championships including a title in 1992. They qualified this time around as a group winner, including a big victory over Portugal.
Young midfielder Christian Eriksen and striker Nicklas Bendtner will be key figures if the Danes harbor any hopes of upsetting Holland and striking any fear into the hearts of their tough Group B competition.
The Netherlands is listed as the betting favorite at -175 odds to defeat Denmark, which is listed as a +450 underdog with draw odds of +270.
Euro 2012 Predictions and Preview: Russia vs Czech Republic
изготовление наклеек
Group Elimination A: Friday, 8 June 2012 - Warsaw - Municipal Stadium
Opening day has the second of 2 matches being played on June 8th. Russia will be paired up against the Czech Republic.
Russia
Russia is just coming off of 7 wins out of 10 games from their qualifying group with their only loss at home to Slovakia. Team Russia played with a very competitive group which included Ireland and World Cup entry Slovakia. In the qualifying side Russia has only conceded a mere 4 goals and only 6 clean sheets in their last 7 matches. Russia has a very strong attack with mid fielder and captain Arsharvin and striker Aleksandr Kerzhakov along side with a great supporting cast in trio mid fielders Denisov , Zryanov and Shirokov.
Czech Republic
Czech Republic enters the tournament with a playoff win over Montenegro without having conceded a goal. Czech’s come in having to qualify in a group which included powerhouse Spain and Scotland. Team Czech also boast big name player in goalie Petr Cech,whose Chelsea team just won the Champions League also leading the way is “Little Mozart” Rosicky who is known to be the orchestrator and is said to have the best uncanny vision on the playing field. Also we have to mention striker Milan Baros who rounds out this core of this veteran Czech team.
One big concern about Czech Republic is that they do not score goals. Only having 12 goals in their last qualifying 10 games. Mid fielder Baros does not possess the scoring punch he once had only having 8 goals in his last 28 starts with his Galatasary club this season. Their left back lead them in the qualifying games with 4 goals (not a good sign).
Prediction: Russia wins 2-0
As good as goalie Cech is and their decent back 4 .I just can’t see them keeping up and withstanding Russia’s attack. Also, a huge concern is that the Czech team does not score goals. I see this being close in the 1st half but, in the second half I see Russia pulling away with this one winning Russia should easily be able to make it out of this Group A.
for more news visit Euro 2012 Predictions and Preview: Russia vs Czech Republic | Euro 2012
Bet on the U.S. and Antigua & Barbuda (Flickr Creative Commons)
After unflattering friendlies against Brazil and Canada, the United States national team starts playing games that matter on the soccer betting lines as the World Cup Qualifiers kick off this Friday. The USA’s first matchup pits them against Antigua & Barbuda.
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Supporters and bettors of USA soccer were alarmed after the ugly 4-1 loss against Brazil, but were willing to shrug it off as a rough game against one of the world’s greatest international teams. But after tying Canada 0-0 and looking completely offensively inept in the process, many are starting to wonder if Jurgen Klinsmann is the right fit for the job.
Regardless of their recent struggles, the United States shouldn’t have too much trouble taking care of Antigua & Barbuda. The islands sit at No. 100 in the FIFA rankings, and lack the international experience and skill of the US team. That said, Antigua & Barbuda did defeat heavily-favored Haiti back in November, and they’ll undoubtedly be playing with a nothing-to-lose attitude; the United States can’t just sit back and expect an easy win.
Bettors should pay close attention to the United States’ performance in this game. In their recent matchups against Brazil and Canada, Klinsmann has been forced to switch out of his preferred formation and into one with which the Americans are more familiar. Will Klinsmann stick to his guns if the USA struggles early in this one? Will a big win remedy recent concerns? Can the United States find the offense they had in their 5-1 win over Scotland? All of these questions need answers, and those answers could dictate how to bet the United States national team in later qualifying matchups.
Two playoff qualifiers will go head to head in their first match at Euro 2012 on Sunday afternoon (2:45 pm Eastern) as Croatia takes on the Republic of Ireland in Group C action on the soccer betting odds at Stadion Miejski in Poznan, Poland.
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Croatia, which is listed at 40/1 on the soccer futures to win Euro 2012 and +600 to win Group C after squeezing by Turkey in the playoffs to secure a tournament berth, will be making its fourth appearance at the European championships since 1996 – after advancing twice to the quarterfinals in those three previous showings – and hit the pitch ranked No. 8 in the world by FIFA.
Midfielder Luka Modric will carry the bulk of his nation's expectations on his shoulders, with striker Ivica Olic out with a thigh injury and midfielder Ivo Ilicevic currently doubtful for Sunday's match with a calf injury.
Ireland, a true longshot at 66/1 on the futures to win Euro 2012, also qualified via the playoffs as they eliminated Estonia to book their first-round appearance trip in Poland. Ranked No. 18 in the world by FIFA, Ireland has only competed in one previous European championship tournament (a first-round elimination in 1988) and are distant underdogs to win Group C at +1200 odds.
Veteran striker Robbie Keane will again attempt to light a fire for Ireland with the capable support of Kevin Doyle, and keeper Shay Given has been declared fit to play on Sunday.
Croatia is listed as the betting favorite at +110 odds to record the victory over Ireland, which is listed as underdogs of +270 with draw odds of +225.
The championship chalk will hit the pitch for its first match on Sunday afternoon (Noon Eastern) when Spain takes on Italy in an early marquee matchup at Gdansk, Poland to kick off Group C action on the soccer betting odds at Euro 2012.
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Spain, which is listed as short 3/1 betting favorites on the soccer futures to win its second consecutive European championship - and third overall - while making its ninth appearance at the tournament, is also the reigning World Cup champion, the top-ranked team in the world according to FIFA, and listed at -160 odds to win Group C after qualifying as an undefeated group winner.
While veteran scorer David Villa has ruled himself out of the competition while he recovers from a broken tibia, Fernando Torres, David Silva, and young Pedro Rodriguez will be expected to shine for Spain along with midfielder Cesc Fabregas - who returned to training this week in the wake of a hamstring injury.
Italy, which also qualified for its eighth tournament appearance as a group winner, is no slouch at 12/1 odds to win Euro 2012 and +300 to win Group C as the Azzurri looks to win its first European crown since 1968. Ranked No. 12 in the world by FIFA, the Italians got some good news this week when striker Mario Baltelli proved his fitness coming off a thigh injury by scoring three goals in training after the team traveled to Poland.
Forward Antonio Cassano will be counted upon to bolster the Italian attack with midfielder Andrea Pirlo and experienced keeper Gianluigi Buffon also playing key roles.
Spain is listed as the betting favorite at -135 odds to overcome Italy (+400) in the Group C opener, with draw odds of +260.
Bet on the European Championships (Flickr Creative Commons)
The two teams favoured to advance out of Group D on the Euro 2012 betting clash in a crucial matchup this Monday afternoon when England faces France at the Donbass Arena in the Ukraine.
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A well-rounded team from top to bottom, France is favored to win Group D at +150 and is 10/1 to win Euro 2012 behind only Spain, Germany, and Holland. With England nowhere near full strength with some key players missing, France will definitely look to take advantage and the inside track at the group’s top seed with a win Monday. France is currently No. 14 in the FIFA rankings.
Keeper Hugo Lloris is the leader of the team, and he has a strong and deep defensive unit in front of him. Offensively talented midfielder Frank Ribery and Real Madrid standout striker Karim Benzema lead a strong French scoring attack up front.
Currently going off at +185 to win Group D and 11/1 to win Euro 2012, England is expected to advance through this group even with a loss to France in this matchup. But despite needing to overcome injuries and a key suspension, the No. 6 ranked national team in the world obviously won’t be going down this Monday without a fight, and still have plenty of depth and talent to make this a good match.
Key injuries to Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry are a big blow to England’s depth, and losing Wayne Rooney for this match and the match against Sweden is equally damaging. Midfielder Steven Gerrard will be paramount to controlling the tempo of the offense while John Terry and Ashley Cole will lead England’s defense.
France is currently a +145 favorite to top England (+200) this Monday afternoon. Odds on a draw in this match are currently +220.
In the second Group D matchup of the afternoon this Monday on the Euro 2012 betting lines, host country Ukraine takes on Sweden in the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.
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Despite being one of the biggest underdogs to win Euro 2012 at 66/1, many expect Sweden to get off to a strong start in the tournament with a win over Ukraine this Monday. With difficult matchups against France and England looming, Sweden must be careful not to overlook Monday’s opponent who will be fired up to play in front of their home fans. Sweden is currently No. 17 in the latest FIFA rankings and is listed at +600 on the soccer betting odds to win Group D.
Elite striker Zlaten Ibrahimovic will be a thorn in Ukraine’s side all day, and he’ll be joined up front by Johan Elmander and will receive his feeds from the midfielder duo of Anders Svensson and Kim Kallstrom.
Home crowd support can be such a major factor in soccer, which is a big reason why the Ukraine are going off at 40/1 to win Euro 2012 and +400 to win Group D. On paper they’ll have trouble stacking up against the three opponents in their group, but to have any chance of advancing they need to win this opener against Sweden. The strategy will be to defend deep and look to create chances on the counterattack.
Midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and striker Andriy Shevchenko will look to set up that timely goal. Injuries to keeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy and defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy won’t help matters at all.
Home field advantage has Ukraine as the betting favorite at +135 to top Sweden, which is listed as a +210 underdog with draw odds of +230.
Just in time for Euro 2012 Crowdpark has released a new football game “90Live”. This is the first dedicated football betting game on Facebook and allows players to bet on any match throughout the Euro 2012 tournament.
Read More: Crowdpark Launches Social Football Betting Application - Online Casino Archives
The United States didn’t exactly cure all that ails its soccer club last week against Antigua & Barbuda, but the Americans did kick off the World Cup Qualifiers in the win column. They’ll look to add another win on Tuesday against Guatemala. Get the latest in international soccer odds at Bovada.
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Manager Jurgen Klinsmann has made it clear that the United States will need a better effort Tuesday if they want a win against Guatemala. While the United States did pick up the 3-1 win Friday, the team still looked out of sync and uncomfortable in the eyes of many bettors and supporters. They didn’t convert on as many chances as they perhaps should have, but they did score three goals and hope to carry that momentum into Tuesday.
Midfielder Jose Torres was doing well playing left back Friday night, but an ankle injury forced him out of the match and will keep him out of Tuesday’s match against Guatemala as well. The injury led to Oguchi Onyewu being moved to central defense, where he was beaten for the game’s only goal against, leaving a bit of unrest heading into this next match.
Still, despite the United States’ lack of cohesiveness to this point, they are expected to be able to handle the Guatemala side. Guatemala is currently ranked 85th in the FIFA world rankings (compared to the current ranking of No. 28 for the Americans) and is coming off of a loss in their first qualifier against Jamaica.
Attacker Carlos Ruiz is Guatemala’s biggest weapon with four goals in international play this year.
Coming off an upset loss in their first match of Euro 2012, the Netherlands will have to muster up a much stronger effort on Wednesday afternoon (2:45 pm Eastern) in order to defeat Germany and thrust themselves back into the mix in Group B action on the soccer odds.
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The Netherlands, which was rated third on the soccer futures to win Euro 2012 when play began last week, has slipped to 11/1 odds after losing 1-0 to Denmark in their tournament opener on Saturday. Holland is also +800 to win Group B, considered the Group of Death at this event with Portugal also competing to advance.
Premium Dutch talent such as Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, and Robin Van Persie largely failed to get on track against the resilient Danes, as the Netherlands only managed to put eight shots on target. Mark Van Bommel was issued a yellow card in the 66th minute.
Germany, meanwhile, got a towering header from Mario Gomez in the 72nd minute to provide the winning margin in a tight 1-0 defeat of Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in their opening match. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was flawless while thwarting seven shots on target in the German cage. Holger Badstuber and Jerome Boateng were booked in the 43rd and 69th minute respectively.
Germany shot to the top of the soccer futures at 11/4 to win Euro 2012, vaulting past defending champion Spain (3/1) to assume the role of chalk. The Germans are also the betting favorite at -250 to win Group B.
For Wednesday’s encounter with the rival Dutch, Germany is listed as slight favorites at +130 to earn the victory while the Netherlands are at +200 with draw odds of +230.
Greece and the Czech Republic will both be looking to secure a positive result on the soccer betting odds on Tuesday afternoon (Noon Eastern), as Group A competition continues at Euro 2012 with two teams desperately seeking their first victory of the tournament.
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Greece, which is a longshot at 100/1 on the odds to win Euro 2012 and +1200 underdogs to win Group A, managed to fight to a 1-1 tie against host Poland in the opening game of the tournament on Friday. Dimitrios Salpingidis hit the scoresheet in the 51st minute to pull Greece even in that hotly-contested match, which left both teams tied for second place in Group A behind the victorious Russian side which decimated the Czech Republic.
Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos was yellow-carded in the 35th minute and ejected nine minutes later with a follow-up red card just before the half, while fellow back Jose Holebas was also booked with a caution in injury time before the break. Midfielder Giorgos Karagounis was shown yellow in the 54th minute.
The Czech Republic, which has already plummeted to 125/1 odds to win Euro 2012 and +1800 to win Group A, was exploited time and again by the probing Russian attack and will be looking to bounce back with a much tighter effort against Greece. Midfielder Vaclav Pilar gave the Czechs some life with a goal in the 52nd minute to pull within 2-1 of the Russians, but goalkeeper Petr Cech was beaten twice more in the second half as Russia secured the three points.
The favored Czechs are listed at +130 odds to defeat underdog Greece (+210), with draw odds of +220.
After managing to open the tournament with a hard-fought draw, host nation Poland faces a tough test on Tuesday afternoon (2:45 pm Eastern) against powerful Russia as Group A action on the soccer betting odds continues at Euro 2012.
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Poland, which has risen to 50/1 on the soccer futures to win Euro 2012 while falling to +500 odds to win Group A, battled Greece to a 1-1 draw in their opening match on Friday. Robert Lewandowski scored in the 17th minute of play to give Poland the early edge in that matchup on the Euro odds, but they were unable to hold on for victory as Greece equalized early in the second half.
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was beaten for the goal shortly after the intermission, and was later issued a red card in the 68th minute and replaced by Przemyslaw Tyton in the Polish cage.
Russia, meanwhile, looked unstoppable for much of their opening match which resulted in an impressive 4-1 victory on the soccer betting odds over a shell-shocked Czech Republic. Alan Dzagoev converted two goals for Russia, opening the scoring in the 15th minute and adding his second marker in the 79th minute.
Roman Shirokov boosted the Russian lead to 2-0 with a strike in the 24th minute of that victory, while Roman Pavlyuchenko completed the scoring in the 82nd minute against the Czechs in a match that was surprisingly wide open in terms of scoring chances for both nations. Vyacheslav Malafeev thwarted six of seven shots on target to chalk up the opening victory for Russia.
Russia, now 12/1 on the futures to win Euro 2012 and -350 favorites to win Group A, is favored at +125 to defeat Poland (+210) with draw odds of +225.
The defending champions will be looking to get their offense back on track on Thursday afternoon (2:45 pm Eastern), when Spain hits the pitch against the Republic of Ireland as big favorites on the soccer odds as Group C action at Euro 2012 continues in Gdansk, Poland.
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Spain, which is now rated second behind Germany at 3/1 on the updated soccer futures to win Euro 2012, remains the betting favorite at -138 odds to win Group C despite being held to a 1-1 draw against Italy in their tournament opener on Sunday.
Cesc Fabregas recorded the equalizer off a slick feed from David Silva just four minutes after the Spaniards fell behind 1-0 early in the second half, and captain Iker Casillas turned in a stellar goalkeeping performance as the defending champions secured a single point prior to turning their attention to the Irish challenge now in front of them. Jordi Alba, Alvaro Arbeloa and Fernando Torres were all shown the yellow card against Italy.
Ireland, meanwhile, struggled to contain a volatile Croatian attack in their opener and fell 3-1 to put themselves squarely behind the eight-ball when it comes to their prospects of advancement after only one game at Euro 2012. Defender Sean St. Ledger was the lone Irish marksman to hit the sheet on Sunday, knocking in a header off a cross from Aiden McGeady in the 19th minute of play.
Ireland is dead last at 150/1 odds to win Euro 2012, and barely on the radar at +5000 odds to win Group C, but an upset victory over powerhouse Spain on Thursday would certainly disrupt the Group C table in potentially dramatic fashion.
The Spaniards are heavily favored at -450 odds to defeat Ireland (+1100), with draw odds of +450.
On the heels of an outstanding debut performance at Euro 2012, Croatia will look to take a stranglehold on the top spot in Group C when they face Italy on Thursday afternoon (Noon Eastern) at Poznan, Poland. Bet on soccer today.
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Croatia, which has risen to 33/1 on the odds to win Euro 2012 and remains value-priced at +300 odds to win Group C, opened their tournament with an impressive 3-1 victory on the soccer betting odds over Ireland on Sunday.
Mario Mandzukic opened the scoring just three minutes into the match when he softly turned a header into the cage off a corner kick, and later added the clincher off another header in the 48th minute to power Croatia past Ireland. Nikica Jelavic scored the other goal for Croatia just before halftime, while midfielder Luka Modric – who was a playmaking force in the match - and Niko Kranjcar were issued cautions in the 53rd and 84th minute respectively.
Italy, which is currently listed at 12/1 odds to win Euro 2012 and +275 to win Group C, fiercely battled to a 1-1 tie in their opener against the defending champions from Spain. Antonio Di Natale pushed the Azzurri in front with a goal in the 60th minute of play, shortly after taking the field as a second-half substitution for Mario Balotelli.
Balotelli had earlier been booked in the 37th minute, while Leonardo Bonucci (66th minute), Giorgio Chiellini (79), and Christian Maggio (89) will also carry cautions into the crucial next match against Croatia.
Italy is listed as the +120 favorite on the soccer odds, with Croatia the underdog at +235 and draw odds of +220.
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The USA had built up plenty of positive momentum after defeating Italy 1-0 in February and then crushing Scotland 5-1 last Saturday, but that momentum came to a screeching halt Wednesday with a sobering 4-1 loss to Brazil. Not many expected the United States to win that game outright, but to lose it so handily was a crushing blow.
They say that you learn more in defeat than in victory, and Jurgen Klinsmann is going to have to hope that the blowout loss to Brazil was a teachable moment and not a sign of things to come. The US has a great chance to get right back on the horse with a win up in Toronto against Canada’s national team on Sunday.
While this was once a great and evenly matched rivalry between the two neighboring countries, it hasn’t been in recent years. The United States hasn’t lost a game to Canada since dropping a 2-0 decision in Vancouver back on April 2, 1985. Since then, the two teams have met 14 times, with the United States compiling an 8-0-6 record over that stretch, though most of those games have been played in the United States.
Current MLS MVP Dwayne De Rosario will lead the Canadian side, which is celebrating the centenary of the Canadian Soccer Association and is viewing this game as an important one heading into the World Cup qualifiers.
At the moment, only three-way action is available on this game at Bovada - the USA is favored at +100 to win, while Canada to win is at +250, and a draw is at +225.