All Games All stakes / home win, draw, and away win predictions for games played today and tonight
Former national team standout OJ Porteria bagged a brace as Ceres Negros asserted its mastery of Stallion Laguna, 6-2, Wednesday night to firm up its hold of top spot in the Philippines Football League at Biñan Football Stadium.
The post Porteria props Ceres with brace vs Stallion appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
“Why would you want to be at a freezing stadium on a Monday night when you could be listening to the sweet tones of Gary Neville’s analysis sat on your sofa?”
These are the sorts of arguments I have with my mates who follow their team around the country religiously.
If I’m completely honest I’ve never even been to see my beloved team play… and I don’t even want to.
DREAM TEAM WORLD CUP Click here to pre-register for this summer’s brilliant gameYou couldn’t pay me to go and watch football in these conditionsGetty - Contributor
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got massive respect for the fans that trail the length of the country on a schedule devised by the TV companies to support their team through thick and thin.
They’re the salt of the football-supporting earth and they are a huge factor on many clubs staying afloat.
But, I’m not even sorry when I say this, you cannot beat the experience of watching football and your team on TV.
This man’s a modern day poetGetty - Contributor
It doesn’t just come down to watching your team on your sofa at home think of all the possibilities.
You could be sitting in a lovely country pub with a load of mates watching a game with a constant flow of cold beer.
You could set up a projector screen in your back garden and supersize your viewing experience while relaxing in the comfort of your own home.
Or you could be sitting in the rain at the Emirates while Younes Kaboul and Troy Deeney run rings round your team.
You wouldn’t want to pay to watch this guy score against you, would you?Reuters
So, let’s start with the biggest factor in why I have never been to see my team play – the cost.
A Premier League ticket in London will set you back at least £40 for a half-decent seat and if it’s any game between September-March you’re pretty much guaranteed to be absolutely freezing.
It doesn’t just stop at the cost of the ticket either, you’re going to have a couple of pints before the game, get a programme, a pie at half-time and your travel there and back.
You’re looking at £80 minimum and that’s far too much for a fortnightly expense.
CLAIM YOUR FREE £20 BET Sun Bets have this brilliant offer when you sign up and bet a fiver
Theatre of Dream? More like Theatre of spending all your money, am I right?PA:Press Association
For a fraction of that price you can subscribe to Sky Sports and BT Sport and enjoy some of the best football-related analysis you will see on planet earth.
The merry cast of players past and present that dissect the action is led by Neville in terms of depth and breadth of comment.
Listening to Neville on Monday Night Football will leave you sounding like a football guru for the rest of the week at the pub.
The deepest level of tactical breakdown you get in football stadiums is Big Terry screaming at your centre-back to get rid when he’s anywhere in his own half.
I think we can safely say you’re not looking at the next Jamie Carragher hereGetty Images - Getty
Next up is sitting at home with a couple of mates round watching the football cannot be beaten.
You’re in comfortable chairs instead plastic folding things, you’ve got the heating up on full blast so you’re toasty, you get every angle and replay you can imagine and can pause and rewind if you miss anything, you can make yourself a full English to enjoy in front of the game, you’re allowed to drink beer in sight of the grass, you can watch two games back-to-back on glorious Sunday afternoons.
I’m going to leave that list there but it is pretty comprehensive.
TV has change the way you can consume footballAFP
Yes you don’t get the roar of the crowd and the surge of excitement with a break up-field, but conversely you don’t have to leave a match early to beat the traffic.
You don’t get the sounds and smells that will fill you with nostalgia in years to come but again you save a packet by watching at home instead.
I feel just as strongly connected to my team by watching them whenever the TV gods deem them screen-worthy and I will never apologise for it.
Only the lord can judge me.
Dream Team World Cup has landed!The greatest show on Earth just got that bit more exciting.
That’s because the Dream Team World Cup game is coming ahead of this summer’s tournament.
Getty Images - Getty Can Messi finally achieve glory internationally?[/caption]
The game officially launches on June 1 – but you can pre-register for the game now.
If you’re an existing Dream Team customer the World Cup game now appears in the app or you can enter here, but if you’re not follow these simple steps:
Download the Dream Team app Create an account Click on the World Cup banner below in the app and follow the pre-registration instructionsFrom Russia with a whole lot of love.
LONDON — Striker Roberto Firmino has decided to join Brazil’s squad earlier in London for pre-World Cup training, in a sign he is keen to challenge Gabriel Jesus for a place in the team’s starting lineup. The Liverpool player arrived at Tottenham’s training center late on Monday and took fitness tests on Tuesday. “I had […]
The post Firmino arrives early for Brazil training in London appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
SERGIO RAMOS denied setting out to hurt Mo Salah after being accused of “wrestling” by Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool talisman Salah, 25, could miss the World Cup with a shoulder injury after being hauled down by Ramos during last night’s Champions League final defeat in Kiev.
DREAM TEAM WORLD CUP Click here to pre-register for this summer’s brilliant gameSergio Ramos has denied setting out to injure Mo Salah in the Champions League finalAlamy Live News
Real Madrid captain Ramos, who won his fourth European title, tweeted: “Sometimes football shows you it’s good side and other times the bad. Above all, we are fellow pros #GetWellSoon @MoSalah”
Spain defender Ramos, 32, locked arms with Salah and brought him tumbling down to the floor, landing awkwardly on his shoulder.
He tried to continue but was replaced by Adam Lallana just 30 minutes into the match.
Klopp feared the worst for his winger as he left Kiev in a sling but the Egyptian FA are confident he will be fit to make the World Cup.
Sergio Ramos checks on Mo Salah after hauling him to the groundAlamy Live News
Jurgen Klopp accused Sergio Ramos of ‘wrestling’ Mo SalahGetty - Contributor
The German said: “Of course it was a big moment in the game.
“I know if you say something like that after a game you lost, it sounds like you are a little bit a bad loser but it was, for me, kind of a harsh challenge.
“It’s like wrestling a little bit and it’s unlucky then that Mo fell on his shoulder.”
Ex-Egypt and Middlesbrough striker Mido blasted: “Anyone that understands football would know that Ramos injured Salah intentionally.
He added: “Any player in the world would’ve released his arm but Ramos held onto his arm and spun with it.”
German television unearthed footage of Ramos appearing to elbow calamity keeper Loris Karius just moments before his first howler.
He cleared out the stopper long after the ball had gone and looked to have smacked him in the head.
Two minutes later, Karius incredibly rolled the ball straight at Karim Benzema for him to open the scoring.
Dream Team World Cup has landed!The greatest show on Earth just got that bit more exciting.
That’s because the Dream Team World Cup game is coming ahead of this summer’s tournament.
Getty Images - Getty Can Messi finally achieve glory internationally?[/caption]
The game officially launches on June 1 – but you can pre-register for the game now.
If you’re an existing Dream Team customer the World Cup game now appears in the app or you can enter here, but if you’re not follow these simple steps:
Download the Dream Team app Create an account Click on the World Cup banner below in the app and follow the pre-registration instructionsFrom Russia with a whole lot of love.
This weekend, Trent Alexander-Arnold will be up against five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in a Champions League final.
After that, he’ll join up with England ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
Those two achievements put together would exceed many’s definition of ‘making it’.
Not bad for a teenager, eh?
DREAM TEAM WORLD CUP Click here to pre-register for this summer’s brilliant gameLiving the dream of millionsPA:Press Association
Many players claim to have been born and bred in a football club, in a metaphorical sense.
For Alexander-Arnold, the phrase is as literal as it’s ever likely to be.
He was born a stone’s throw from Melwood, Liverpool’s training ground, and was spotted by club scouts when he was barely out of nappies.
Even at six-years-old he exhibited an innate understanding of the game.
Maturity beyond his years is what has taken him from an unconvincing Under-21 debutant, to the biggest game in club football, in two years.
Instagram A young TAA collects an award[/caption]
It’s fitting that TAA, as he’s affectionately known among Liverpool fans, scored a stunning free-kick against Hoffenheim to ensure the Reds qualification for the Champions League.
He’ll be tasked with nullifying the threat of Real Madrid’s most potent weapon in Kiev.
Ronaldo is the Champions League’s all-time top scorer; he’s made the competition his own in recent years.
If Alexander-Arnold (as well Dejan Lovren, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Roberton) can keep the Portuguese phenomenon quiet, Liverpool have every chance of lifting the trophy.
Then the 19-year-old would have contributed significantly to first and last acts of a thrilling European campaign.
The spotlight hovers over Liverpool’s front three but TAA is a protagonist who demands attentionPA:Press Association
His grandmother may have dated Sir Alex Ferguson, but Alexander-Arnold is Liverpool through and through.
All fans love a homegrown hero, but none more so than the Anfield faithful.
Liverpool are a club with a strong sense of community, of which they are rightly proud.
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane may be honourary, adopted Liverpudlians, but Trent is a pure Scouse lad.
Playing for Liverpool was his birthright.
In many ways, that makes him the most inspirational figure in the squad for fans in Merseyside.
One of Anfield’s ownREUTERS
He moved schools when he was 14-years-old, to one that facilitated his budding football career.
His frightening pace and athleticism were apparent even from his early teenage years.
Liverpool knew what they had; the Echo claim insiders were as excited about Alexander-Arnold as they were Raheem Sterling.
Steven Gerrard wrote in his autobiography: “Trent Arnold has a terrific chance of making it as a top professional.
“He’s quite leggy but he’s got a lovely frame and seems to have all the attributes you need.
“Trent is another Scouser and apparently, just as I tried to be John Barnes and Steve McMahon, he grew up pretending to be me while playing in the Merseyside parks.”
His rise to stardom has featured few stuttersRex Features
Already, he is being touted as a future Liverpool captain.
With some even labelling him a FEC (future England captain), such is his mentality and professionalism already.
It may feel like he’s been fast-tracked to the top.
But he’s certainly worthy of such treatment.
As the old saying goes: if they’re good enough, they’re old enough.
Shifting to top gearGetty - Contributor
As is natural with inexperienced defenders, he has endured a few tough games.
Marcus Rashford caused him a few problems at Old Trafford.
And Wilfried Zaha got the better of him at Selhurst Park on a number of occasions.
However, more should be made of his excellent performance up against an in-form Leroy Sane in the Champions League.
MasterclassAFP or licensors
The nature of Jurgen Klopp’s tactics mean the 19-year-old is given huge responsibility.
Salah stays high so that Liverpool can use his pace to break quickly and get in behind, while the midfield three stay relatively narrow.
If the opposition possess threatening left-winger, Alexander-Arnold is trusted to match him alone — no reinforcements, no doubling up.
Taking this into consideration, he’s had an even better breakout season than many realise.
Whatever happens in Kiev, there’s always the World Cup.
He may not be Southgate’s first-choice, but the experience alone will be invaluable.
Alexander-Arnold’s rapid progression means that, by the time the next World Cup rolls around, he could be near an extremely high peak.
Master and studentAFP or licensors
The environment at Liverpool appears perfect for him to bloom.
No crushing pressure, no heavy expectation, just a collective will for him to succeed, for himself more than anyone.
Already doing Liverpudlians and Englishmen proud, the finished product could be a very special player indeed.
Dream Team World Cup has landed!The greatest show on Earth just got that bit more exciting.
That’s because the Dream Team World Cup game is coming ahead of this summer’s tournament.
Getty Images - Getty Can Messi finally achieve glory internationally?[/caption]
The game officially launches on June 1 – but you can pre-register for the game now.
If you’re an existing Dream Team customer the World Cup game now appears in the app or you can enter here, but if you’re not follow these simple steps:
Download the Dream Team app Create an account Click on the World Cup banner below in the app and follow the pre-registration instructionsFrom Russia with a whole lot of love.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off late in the first half, but the Galaxy managed to spoil the Impact’s 25th anniversary festivities with a win over a hapless Montreal side on a sunny afternoon at Stade Saputo.
MAIN TALKING POINTS1. Season slowly slipping away from Montreal
Monday marked the 25th anniversary – to the exact date – of the first home game in Montreal Impact franchise history. What a shame that the Impact put in another dire and uninspiring effort before a sellout home crowd.
Monday’s result marked the Impact’s third straight loss, and seventh in their last eight matches. Montreal sits second last in the Eastern Conference with a 3-9-0 record and have conceded a league-high 27 goals this campaign.
Just as worrisome for the Quebec club is how the goals have dried up. The Impact’s three straight losses have all been shutouts, and they’ve gone 292 minutes without a single goal.
It’s still only May, and there are 24 games remaining on the schedule, so it’s way too early to write off Montreal’s playoff chances. Still, the Impact are every bit as bad as their anaemic record suggests, and there’s been very little that I’ve seen during this year that indicates they are underperforming or even capable of offering anything more.
No doubt, the Impact have been decimated by injuries on the defensive end. That has hurt them, as players have been asked to play out of position.
But aside from Ignacio Piatti, this team doesn’t appear to have any other dangerous attacking threats. Canadian forward Anthony Jackson-Hamel is coming off a decent 2017 but, for some reason, manager Remi Garde has sparingly used him this season.
Slowly but surely, the MLS season is slipping away from Montreal. Unless Garde can quickly light a fire under this team, especially on the attacking end, they’re going to slip even further down the table and out of the playoff race altogether.
2. Ibrahimovic sees red
MLS caught its first glimpse of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s infamous temper on Monday.
Ibrahimovic was sent off in the 41st minute for violent conduct after slapping Montreal defender Michael Petrasso in the back of the head. Petrasso stepped on Ibrahimovic’s foot as he had his back to the Swede, but there wasn’t much in it. That didn’t stop the LA Galaxy from reacting, or in this case, overreacting.
The incident escaped the attention of referee Ismail Elfath, as it happened off the ball and behind the play. Once alerted about what happened by the video assistant referee (VAR), Elfath went to the sidelines to watch a replay. He barely took any time in issuing a yellow to Petrasso and a red card to Ibrahimovic.
VAR has come under heavy criticism in MLS the season, from frustrated fans, coaches and players who aren’t quite sure what can be reviewed, and over apparent inconsistencies in its application.
In this case, though, the system worked flawlessly. The game was only interrupted for less than a minute, and Ibrahimovic deservedly saw red.
KEY MOMENT75’ GOAL! Los Angeles 1, Montreal 0: LA broke the deadlock on the counter when Emmanuel Boateng flicked on a header into the path for teammate Ola Kamara. The Norwegian did well to beat Impact defender Marco Donadel to the ball, and then slip in between the recovering Donadel and defensive partner Jukka Raitala before slipping a shot through the legs of goalkeeper Evan Bush for his fifth goal of the MLS season.
BURNING QUESTION INTERESTING STATMontreal has gone 32 consecutive MLS games without a draw, a stretch that dates back to June 17, 2017 when they battled to a 3-3 draw away to Orlando City.
MAN OF THE MATCHOla Kamara, Los Angeles: Aside from scoring the winner, the Norwegian recorded two shots on target and had an overall effective game in causing problems for Montreal’s back line.
The Philippine Azkals will leave no stone unturned in preparing for two major tournaments in the next eight months.
The post No stone unturned appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
THE away goals rule has become the most common way of deciding a football match which is tied after two legs.
It was introduced by Uefa in 1965 and has been a feature of tournaments ever since. And below is everything you need to know about a rule that changed football.
Ryan Sessegnon’s Fulham are taking on DerbyGetty Images - Getty
What is the away goals rule?
The away goals rule is the most commonly used way of deciding football matches played over two legs.
If the scores are level after 90 minutes at home and 90 minutes away then, rather than go to penalties, the team that scored most goals in the away game goes through.
The idea is to reward away teams who choose to play attacking football.
Do away goals count in the Football League play-offs?Away goals do not count double in the EFL play-offs.
The Football League did use the rule but chose to abolish it in 1999.
This decision was made after an initiative by then-Ipswich Town chairman David Sheepshanks.
Sheepshanks’ Tractor Boys lost via the rule in 1997 and 1999 despite finishing higher than their opponents in the league on both occasions.
Do away goals really count double?That expression is supposed to be the law, but it’s really more of a figure of speech.
It simply means that away goals are the first decider for a tied two-leg match.
If anything, it is like an extra half a goal for the team that scored more away from home.
Which competitions use the away goals rule?The Champions League and the Europa League, as well as all South American competitions, use the away goals rule to decide ties that are level after two legs.
The League Cup uses a modification of the rule in its two-leg semi-finals.
Rather than imposing the rule after 180 minutes, the teams play extra time before away goals come into play.
An example would be the 2014 semi-final between Manchester United and Sunderland.
United lost 2-1 at the Stadium of Light but were 1-0 up at the full time whistle at Old Trafford.
Under UEFA rules that would have meant they won on away goals.
If United had held on throughout extra-time, away goals would have applied and they would have gone through, but instead both teams scored and Sunderland won a penalty shootout.
The Football League play-offs no longer use the away goals rule, as of 1999.
KEYSTONE Sir Alex Ferguson is a prominent critic of the rule[/caption]
The rule has survived for 51 years by generally being seen as the fairest way to decide a two-leg match.
But it has prominent critics such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Sepp Blatter, who say it was designed for a different age.
They believe the rule was only appropriate for the longer away trips of decades ago, where games would be played on dreadful pitches and playing at home was a key advantage.
The Uefa version of the rule is also believed, by some, to be unfair because the team that plays away second can get 30 minutes more to score an away goal than the home team if the tie goes to extra-time.
Occasionally, there is even the bizarre scenario of two matches at the same stadium being decided on away goals, for example when AC Milan knocked Inter out of the Champions League in 2003.
The first leg at the San Siro, when AC Milan were technically at home, finished 0-0.
And the second leg finished 1-1 at the same venue, which meant AC qualified.
CALGARY — Cavalry FC will be Calgary’s team in the Canadian Premier League next year.
Cavalry will play out of the Spruce Meadows equestrian complex known for its annual international show jumping competitions.
The club’s name and crest honours armed services and first responders who serve Calgary and Canada, Spruce Meadows Sports and Entertainment said Thursday in a release.
Renovations to existing facilities will generate a soccer stadium of 5,000 seats with a grass pitch.
"Spruce Meadows truly is a story of ‘by Canadians for Canadians’ that has risen from virtually nothing to some degree of prominence and repute on the world stage over the last four decades," Spruce Meadows president and chief executive officer Linda Southern-Heathcott said in the statement.
"However, it is about so much more. It is about community, family, youth, and about providing pathways for Canadian athletes. Our vision for the sport of soccer and the CPL ticks all of those boxes."
Former pro player Tommy Wheeldon Jr., will be Cavalry’s coach and general manager.
The CPL plans to have 10 teams, with eight participating in the league’s debut in 2019.
A Toronto-area club called York 9, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Halifax, Calgary and a Port City team in B.C., have already been announced. Edmonton and Ottawa are expected to join the league.
STEPANAKERT, Azerbaijan — With the World Cup less than a month away, there is a budding national team in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh with no one to play against. The ethnic Armenian team in the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh has the shirts and the shoes, and even practices five days each week on an […]
The post As World Cup approaches, a budding team has no opponents appeared first on Inquirer Sports.
With less than a month to go before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup it has turned into a dead heat at the top of the odds, with Brazil joining defending champion Germany as the +450 co-favourites in World Cup betting at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Brazil helped its case with a 1-0 victory as a +140 favourite over the defending World Cup champions in a March 27 friendly at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, improving its win-draw-loss record to 15-3-1 in its past 19 outings across all competitions.
The Brazilians will be looking to continue their recent strong play in upcoming friendlies against Croatia and Austria before opening their group stage schedule against Switzerland on June 17 as -300 betting favourites.
For Germany, the loss to Brazil as a +180 bet extends a worrisome trend that has seen them go winless in four friendlies since closing out UEFA World Cup qualifying with a decisive 5-1 win over Azerbaijan.
Die Mannschaft followed up with a trio of unsatisfying draws with European rivals England, France, and Spain, but have ample opportunity to right the ship with pre-tournament friendlies against Austria and Saudi Arabia before hitting the ground running at Russia 2018 with a huge group stage matchup with Mexico on June 17, in which they are pegged as -225 favourites.
Spain has held steady on the World Cup futures, closely trailing the favourites at +600, followed by France at +700, while Argentina rounds out the top of the odds at +900.
The Spaniards have remained undefeated since compiling a 9-1-0 record during UEFA World Cup qualifying. In addition to playing level with Germany as heavy +230 underdogs, Spain also played Russia to a 3-3 draw, and dominated in a 6-1 win over Argentina as -120 chalk in their last outing, extending their unbeaten streak across all competitions to 18 matches.
France has seen its odds dip from +550 after going 1-1-1 in three recent friendlies, including a 3-2 loss to Colombia as a -230 favourite on March 23.
Conversely, Argentina has held steady despite carrying over its struggles during CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying into recent friendlies. In addition to their lopsided loss to Spain, the Argentines also dropped a 4-2 decision to Nigeria as -190 chalk, and own an 8-5-6 overall record since losing to Chile on penalties in the Copa America Centenario final two years ago.
Elsewhere on the 2018 World Cup odds, Belgium leads the best of the rest at +1100, followed by England at +1600, and Portugal at +2500, while Uruguay, Croatia, and host nation Russia sit deadlocked at +3300.
