Soccer Sports News & Betting

Soccer betting – Draw +275

Online betting players are gearing up for an exciting finish to the Premiership season in the top four, where Aston Villa and Manchester City are battling for the final Champions League spot. The two square off in Manchester on Saturday, and Villa’s knack for taking a point on the road will keep their hopes alive.

Soccer betting odds: Draw +275

What: Soccer betting
When: Saturday, May 1, 10:00 AM ET
Where: City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester, England
Key Stat: Aston Villa has five draws away from home this season

The Storyline: Aston Villa vs Man City Picks

Both teams can taste the fourth spot in the Premiership, which is currently held by Tottenham. Villa is tied with Tottenham on points, but are 10 goals behind them in goal difference after a controversial 1-0 win over Birmingham at home. Man City are one point behind Villa after a 0-0 draw at Arsenal that didn’t have the fireworks many expected. Tottenham plays at the same time at home against Bolton, but neither team will be scoreboard-watching, as they have a tough enough task ahead of them.

Offensive Matchups: Aston Villa vs Man City Picks

Villa is eighth in the league in goals scored, but they have a knack for getting timely goals, such as James Milner’s penalty against Birmingham. Luck or not, Villa has had enough bad breaks go against them that they deserved that penalty. Gaby Agbonlahor, who won that penalty, is a force because of his explosive speed, but Villa needs more from Ashley Young.

On the other hand, Man City is fourth in goals, but after scoring 11 in two games against the likes of Burnley and Birmingham, they’ve been blanked in back-to-back matches against Manchester United and Arsenal. The three-headed monster of Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Craig Bellamy have been inconsistent this season, scoring in bunches, and then going dry. Will they step up against Villa?

Free sports picks: Man City

Defensive Matchups: Aston Villa vs Man City Picks

Villa has certainly sorted itself out after a 7-1 thrashing at Chelsea a month ago, and due to their offensive shortcomings, the defense has to be good if they want to make some noise in your best sportsbook. Richard Dunne, who is in the PFA Team of the Year, has truly been immense in the center of defense, and he’ll need to keep his emotions in check as he played nine years at Man City, and refused to celebrate his goal in the 1-1 draw at Villa Park in October.

Man City’s expensively-constructed defense has struggled all season, and now injuries are killing them. Goalkeeper Shay Given is out, joining Wayne Bridge and Joleon Lescott on the sidelines. The injuries at the back meant that Man City went with two defensive midfielders in Gareth Barry and Patrick Vieira at Arsenal. Speaking of Barry, he’ll also have to watch his emotions as he played 12 years at Aston Villa before last summer’s controversial move. He may not receive a warm reception.

Sports picks: Aston Villa

Notable Injuries: Aston Villa vs Man City Picks

Villa has a clean bill of health, which is great because they don’t have a very deep squad.

Barry (hamstring) is actually racing to be healthy for this game after picking up a hamstring problem. Adebayor (thigh) is also trying to get fit, while Bridge (hip/thigh) and Sylvinho (calf) also face late fitness tests. Lescott (hamstring), Given (shoulder), and Martin Petrov (knee) are all out.

Sports picks: Aston Villa

Totals: Aston Villa vs Man City Picks

Six of the last 10 matches between these two have gone under the posted total, including the 1-1 draw in October. The under is the play here, given scoring problems for both teams.

Pick: Under 2.5

Sports betting: Aston Villa vs Man City Picks

Man City has won six and drawn two of their last 10 meetings with Aston Villa, but this match has all the makings of a draw. Man City has lost just twice at home, while Villa has won just one of their last four at the City of Manchester Stadium. But they’ll take advantage of Man City’s injury woes at the back to grab another important goal to keep their Champions League dreams alive. Take each team to snag a point in your sports betting book.

Soccer picks: Draw +275

Soccer betting – Draw +275

Online betting players are used to seeing Chelsea and Liverpool against each other: since May 2007, these two have faced each other 10 times, and it’s been very even. The two will do battle once again this weekend, and the atmosphere at Anfield may be unrivalled in England. The crowd will inspire Liverpool to snatch a point from an in-form Chelsea side.

Soccer betting odds: Draw +275

What: Soccer betting
When: Sunday, May 2, 8:30 AM ET
Where: Anfield, Liverpool, England
Key Stat: These two have drawn four of their last 10 meetings

The Storyline: Chelsea vs Liverpool Picks

Chelsea are still at the top of the table after a 7-0 demolition of Stoke at home, but they know they can’t take their foot off the gas as they are only a point ahead of Manchester United. Liverpool sit in seventh place, but they’re only two points behind fourth-place Tottenham after a 4-0 pasting of Burnley away from home. A loss here would essentially end their Champions League dreams.

Offensive Matchups: Chelsea vs Liverpool Picks

Chelsea has scored seven goals on three occasions this year, and are approaching the 100-goal mark. Frank Lampard has been on fire over the last month, while Solomon Kalou had a hat trick in the Stoke rout, and Didier Drogba is, well, Didier Drogba. Nicolas Anelka has scored once since February, but if Lampard is back on his game, it really doesn’t matter.

Liverpool has scored seven goals in their last two games, and Steven Gerrard is influencing the game more, which is encouraging for England fans ahead of the World Cup. Maxi Rodriguez also scored against Burnley, along with Ryan Babel, and the Reds will need them to continue to step up as Dirk Kuyt joins Fernando Torres on the sidelines.

Free sports picks: Chelsea

Defensive Matchups: Chelsea vs Liverpool Picks

Chelsea’s best sportsbook odds may improve even more if Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho can play this weekend. They fared well against Stoke without the suspended John Terry, but that was Stoke, and it was at home. Terry should be back in the lineup for the Blues in this match, and even though Carvalho is missing, Chelsea has a solid replacement in Alex. Michael Ballack can play the defensive-midfield role.

The Reds have allowed just one goal in their last five league matches, and as long as goalkeeper Pepe Reina and defender Jamie Carragher are there, Liverpool has a chance. You also can’t forget about Javier Mascherano, who is one of the best holding midfielders in Europe. But Liverpool may miss Emiliano Insua, who picked up a knock.

Sports picks: Even

Notable Injuries: Chelsea vs Liverpool Picks

Essien (knee) and Carvalho (ankle/foot) are racing to be fit for this match, while Jon Obi Mikel (knee) is still a couple weeks away from match action.
Kuyt (calf) and Torres (knee) are out for the remainder of the season, while Insua (thigh) is doubtful, along with David Ngog (back).

Free picks: Even

Totals: Chelsea vs Liverpool Picks

Only three of the last 10 meetings between these two have gone over the posted total, but two of those have come in the last three meetings. Chelsea is on fire right now, but Liverpool has scored over 70% of their goals at home at Anfield. We’re taking the over here.

Pick: Over 2.5

Sports betting: Chelsea vs Liverpool Picks

These two have won three and drawn four of their last 10 meetings, with Chelsea holding a slight 14-13 edge in goals scored. Anelka and Florent Malouda scored in October’s 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge, but this will be tougher as Liverpool has won 13 and drawn three of their 18 home games this year, while Chelsea has been beaten five times away from home. Gerrard is going to need the performance of the year to save Liverpool, who are missing a pair of important attackers in Torres and Kuyt. Somehow, due to their brilliant home play and the atmosphere at Anfield, Liverpool will end up with a point, which is a good result for sports betting players.

Soccer picks: Draw +275

Atletico Madrid reached its first European final in 24 years by eliminating Liverpool in the Europa League semifinals on away goals with a 2-2 aggregate score on Thursday.

Atletico lost 2-1 at Anfield, but went through thanks to Diego Forlans goal in the 12th minute of extra time after the former Manchester United striker clinched a 1-0 victory at home last week.

Liverpool looked set to overturn that deficit when Alberto Aquilani scored in the 44th and Yossi Benayoun netted at the start of extra time, but Forlans goal condemned the five-time European champions to a fourth consecutive season without a trophy.

“It was a really difficult game - we knew they would come after us,” Forlan said. “I feared the worst when Benayoun scored, but we knew we only needed one goal and we kept going.”

Atletico can win the double by beating Fulham in the May 12 Europa League final and Sevilla in the Copa del Rey final a week later.

“We were at a pretty low moment earlier in the year and no one would have expected us to get this far,” Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores said through a translator. “Its an honor and a great source of pride to be sole representative of Spain now in the European finals.

“Any English teams are tough opposition - they are always competitive and I am sure Fulham are no exception to that.”

But while this was Atleticos first appearance in a European last four since losing to Parma in the 1999 UEFA Cup, which the Europa League has replaced, Liverpool has appeared three times in the more illustrious Champions League semifinals in the previous five seasons alone - winning it in 2005.

Liverpool had started the match looking like the Champions League power of recent seasons, not the team that has endured a dramatic slump in form this season, exiting Europes elite competition at the group stage and slipping to seventh in the Premier League, in which it was runner-up last year.

“Its a season when everything has gone against us, but the players worked so hard you have to be proud of them,” Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said.

Just 10 seconds had elapsed when Benayoun burst forward and was denied from an acute angle only by David de Geas save.

Atleticos first chance took 20 minutes to arrive, with Raul Garcia unleashing a half-volley from 30 meters (yards) that Pepe Reina pushed around the post.

Daniel Agger found the net in the 31st when he headed in Steven Gerrards corner, but it was ruled out for offside.

There was no disputing Liverpools opener just before the break. Having raced onto Javier Mascheranos throw in, Benayoun whipped in a cross that skimmed past Dirk Kuyt, but Aquilani made the connection, curling into the bottom right.

Liverpools superiority faded after the break, with Glen Johnsons dipping 25-meter (yard) strike the closest to preventing this match drifting into extra time.

Liverpool was sorely missing former Atletico striker Fernando Torres, who also missed the first leg after injury ended his season, while Atletico welcomed back forward Sergio Aguero from suspension.

But five minutes into extra time, Liverpool looked to be heading to Hamburg when Benayoun struck into the bottom corner after Lucas Leiva chipped the ball into the penalty area.

The Spanish clubs threat never faded, though, with substitute Jurado curling a shot around the post before the decisive goal came.

Jose Reyes beat Glen Johnson down the right flank and lifted the ball into the penalty area and, while Jamie Carragher was appealing for offside, the unmarked Forlan volleyed in from close range.

Atletico has reached the final by winning only two European matches since the start of the Champions League group stage - drawing eight and losing four.

Atletico had drawn both legs in both the last 16 and quarterfinals, progressing on both occasions as it did on Thursday by away goals.

Now it will try to win its first continental title since triumphing in the 1962 European Cup Winners Cup final. It lost the 1986 final of the now-defunct competition.

U.S. coach Bob Bradley is uncertain whether Charlie Davis will recover enough from severe injuries sustained in a car crash last fall to earn an invitation for the Americans pre-World Cup training camp next month.

Davies resumed full training this week with his French club, Sochaux, for the first time since an Oct. 13 accident in Virginia, The crash left the 23-year-old forward with two broken bones in his right leg, a broken and dislocated left elbow, a broken nose, forehead and eye socket, a ruptured bladder and bleeding on the brain.

“I think the fact that Charlie is that far along is great, but certainly even within the framework of being back in training, lets face it, theres different levels there,” Bradley said Thursday at Major League Soccers office.

Bradley will announce his 30-man preliminary roster on May 11 and expects to call in 26-28 players for a training camp at Princeton, New Jersey, that opens four days later. He said only 16-18 spots likely are set.

By the time the U.S. leaves for South Africa on May 30, following exhibition games against the Czech Republic (May 25) and Turkey (May 29), he will have picked a final 23-man roster, which is due to FIFA by June 1. He can make substitutions up until 24 hours before his teams World Cup opener against England on June 12.

Bradley said his fitness coach, Pierre Barrieu, speaks with Sochaux about Davies every week. National team head athletic trainer Ivan Pierra was in Europe and will visit Davies in several days for a personal update. Bradley realizes making the World Cup has been a major motivation in Davies rehabilitation.

AC Milan defender Oguchi Onyewu is another injury concern. He hasnt played since tearing the patellar tendon in his left knee during a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica on Oct. 15.

AC Milan said Thursday he has been alternating training on his own and with the team but still wasnt ready to play. Even before getting hurt, Onyewu appeared in just one of 10 competitive matches for AC Milan, entering as a 60th-minute substitute in a Champions League match against Zurich on Sept. 30.

“Our expectation is that it may be hard for him at the end of the year to get back into the team there, play games, but certainly good news just in terms of regular training,” Bradley said.

Bradley said Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones, sidelined with a shin injury all season, had almost run out of time to get healthy.

“If its not going to happen for the summer, he may need to have another surgical procedure that would then get him back in time for the start of the season next year,” Bradley said. “Were at that sort of cross in the road. Well know in the next week whether theres any hope.”

Bradley said Glasgow Rangers midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, a veteran of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, was “on the radar screen” for the training camp, but “there are still clearly some questions.”

“DaMarcus has been tricky in this last year,” Bradley added. “He had some very good games in December, got back into the team and I think did well. And since then its been up and down, more down certainly of late.”

Midfielder Stuart Holden, who broke his right leg in a March 3 exhibition loss at the Netherlands, is close to resuming full training. Bolton manager Owen Coyle has said Holden may not be ready by his clubs Premier League finale against Birmingham on May 9.

Bradley said players will be allowed to compete in club matches on May 15-16 before reporting to training camp.

Pachuca won the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday night when Edgar Benitez scored in the third minute of stoppage time for a 1-0 win over rival Mexican club Cruz Azul.

The result tied the two-game final at 2-2 on aggregate, giving Pachuca its third title in four years with more away goals.

Cruz Azul won the first leg 2-1 in its stadium in Mexico City.

Benitez scored on a bouncing shot that got past Cruz Azul goalkeeper Jesus Corona.

The victory puts Pachuca into the Club World Cup later this year, as the top team in the Caribbean, North America and Central America region.

American midfielder Jose Francisco Torres, vying for a place on the U.S World Cup roster, started and played until the 80th minute for Pachuca.

Pachuca pressed hard in the final 10 minutes, forcing Corona to come up with several key saves before he was finally beaten by the Paraguayan striker from the left side.

Cruz Azul, lost last years CONCACAF final to Mexican club Atlante. The club also lost three Mexican league finals in recent seasons, and was eliminated last weekend from this seasons Mexican league playoffs.

Cruz Azul coach Enrique Meza, who coached Pachuca to two of its CONCACAF titles, joined Cruz Azul this season.

Meza also coached Pachuca to the Copa Sudamericana title in 2006, the only time a Mexican team won one of South Americas top club tournaments.

Pachuca has won the CONCACAF Champions League, with Edgar Benitezs goal in the third minute of stoppage time securing a dramatic victory over rival Mexican club Cruz Azul on Wednesday.

The 1-0 result levelled the tie at 2-2 on aggregate, with Pachuca winning on the away goals rule. Cruz Azul had won the first leg 2-1 in its stadium in Mexico City

Benitez scored on a bouncing shot that got past Cruz Azul goalkeeper Jesus Corona. It was Pachucas third CONCACAF Champions League title in four years.

The victory puts Pachuca into the Club World Cup later this year in Abu Dhabi.

Conor Chinn scored two first-half goals and the New York Red Bulls beat the Philadelphia Union 2-1 on Tuesday night in the opening round of Major League Soccer qualifying for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Chinn gave the Red Bulls the lead in the 16th minute, punching in the rebound after his first attempt caromed off Philadelphia goalie Chris Seitz. The rookie forward, selected in the third round of this years draft, scored again in the 41st minute, converting a crossing pass from Luke Sessano.

Sebastien Le Toux scored in the 68th minute for Philadelphia, which also lost 2-1 to New York in a regular-season MLS game on Saturday.

The Red Bulls rested most of their starters, including striker Juan Pablo Angel, midfielder Joel Lindpere and defender Mike Petke. Philadelphia also featured its reserves, although top scorer Le Toux entered in the second half.

New York hosts New England on May 12 in the next qualifying round.

Leandro Gonzalez scored as defending champion Estudiantes La Plata of Argentina had a 1-0 win at Mexican club San Luis on Tuesday in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores knockout round of 16.

Gonzalez hit a diagonal drive into the roof of the net from Marcelo Carruscas pass in the 25th minute to give Estudiantes a valuable away goal.

Gaston Fernandez missed the chance to extend the lead after goalkeeper Carlos Trejo saved his penalty just before half time.

Estudiantes defender Clemente Rodriguez was sent off after receiving a second yellow card in the 69th minute, but the Argentine club had little difficulty protecting its lead.

The return leg will be played next Wednesday, May 5.

Mexican club Guadalajara was playing later Tuesday Argentinas Velez Sarsfield.

Houston Dyanamo midfielder Geoff Cameron will need surgery to repair a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will miss the result of the Major League Soccer season.

Cameron was injured in Saturdays 2-0 loss to Chicago, and the Dynamo announced the diagnosis Monday.

The 24-year-old was a member of the MLS Bext XI as a defender last year and shifted to midfield this season. He made his U.S. national team debut against El Salvador on Feb. 24 as an 86th-minute substitute.

Houston already was missing forward Brian Ching, who injured a hamstring in the season opener. The Dynamo midfield was weakened during the offseason when Stuart Holden left to sign with Bolton and Ricardo Clark to sign with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Athletic Bilbao had a scoreless draw at Osasuna on Monday to remain in contention for one of the Spanish leagues European qualifying places.

Athletic is equal seventh with Getafe on 50 points, two behind Villarreal which holds the final Europa League spot with four games to play.

Osasuna moved closer to securing its place in topflight competition next season by improving to 39 points - seven above the relegation zone.

Barcelona, which plays a must-win Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan on Wednesday, leads the league with 87 points - one ahead of Real Madrid. Valencia is third with 62.

Mallorca holds the last Champions League place with 56 points, two better than Sevilla.