The Czech Republic held off Greece to record a 2-1 win in Wroclaw on Tuesday, kick-starting their Euro 2012 Group A campaign.
After going down 4-1 to Russia in their opening match last Friday, the Czechs were out to make amends against Greece.
And they made a flying start to the contest at Stadion Miejski, with two goals in the first six minutes from Petr Jiracek and Vaclav Pilar.
Jiracek collected a through ball and beat the offside trap to score three minutes from kick-off, the fourth fastest goal in the history of the European Championships.
The Greek cause was not helped by the loss of goalkeeper Kostas Chalkias to injury on 22 minutes, he was replaced by Michalis Sifakis.
Greece thought they had pulled a goal back with five minutes remaining…
In an ordinary World Cup year, we would either already be engrossed in the group stages or be a matter of days away from the big kick-off.
But this is no ordinary World Cup year. We still have two of the 32 places to be confirmed for Qatar 2022, which is due to begin in November.
Tuesday s intercontinental play-off between Costa Rica and New Zealand will complete line-up, with their contest falling exactly four years to the day since Russia thrashed Saudi Arabia 5-0 in the opening game of the 2018 World Cup.
Before that meeting, however, New Zealand s neighbours Australia face Peru in the penultimate play-off on Monday.
Both matches will give the victorious teams a vital taste of what it s like to play in Qatar, with the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium playing hos…
Former United States boss Gregg Berhalter has been named as the new director of football and head coach of MLS side Chicago Fire.
Berhalter was sacked as the USMNT head coach nine days after a dismal group-stage exit at the Copa America earlier this year.
The 51-year-old s arrival means Frank Klopas, who is the Fire s current head coach, will step down and transition into a new role as the club s vice president of football.
Berhalter does have previous experience in the MLS, spending five years in charge of the Columbus Crew between 2013 and 2018.
Across his 192 games in charge of the Crew, Berhalter won 76 matches (D46 L70), with his team scoring 287 goals and averaging a win percentage of 38.34%.
Berhalter then began his first stint as the USM…
A Mario Balotelli brace has guided Italy into the Euro 2012 final after a 2-1 win over Germany on Thursday.
Cesare Prandelli s men will face Spain in Sunday s decider after their surprisingly comfortable victory against one of the pre-tournament favourites in the semi-final.
Mesut Oezil pulled a goal back for Germany in second-half added time, but Italy survived the late onslaught.
Italy were inspired by Manchester City star Balotelli, who struck twice in the first half to take his tally for the tournament to three goals.
He opened the scoring in the 20th minute, escaping his marker before nodding a cross from Antonio Cassano past Manuel Neuer.
Balotelli doubled his team s advantage in spectacular fashion nine minutes before half-time.
A …
Putting in arguably the most famous display of his historic career in Sunday s , it is hard to argue that Lionel Messi has not cemented his place as the greatest player of all-time.
Bagging a brace in Lusail and dragging to a first world crown since 1986, the seven-time Ballon d Or winner has also made it clear that he will not be ending his international adventure with the South American giants.
Now held across Argentina in the same regard as his idol Diego Maradona, Messi has almost written a whole new chapter in the World Cup s storied history books.
Finally getting the chance to lift the Jules Rimet trophy in what still looks set to have been his final appearance on the world stage, the 35-year-old also broke a string of World Cup records in the Middle East…
Former Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic announced his retirement from football on this day in 2016.
He arrived at Old Trafford in the 2005/06 season from Spartak Moscow and became a stalwart at the heart of the United defence alongside Rio Ferdinand.
Vidic’s time with the club saw him win the Champions League in 2008 along with five Premier League titles.
He then moved to Inter Milan in 2014 and played 28 times for the club, with hernia and back injuries affecting the later stages of his career.
Vidic represented Serbia on the international stage and made 56 appearances for his country.
“The time has come for me to hang up my boots,” he told the United website.
Former defender Nemanja Vidic has announced his retirement from f…
It’s a Monday nighter in the Music City when the Tennessee Titans host the Buffalo Bills, so you know the crowd in “Smashville” will be well-oiled for the former Oilers.
The Bills are looking to secure their place atop the AFC with a big road win in Nashville while the Titans are trying to not only keep pace in the conference but the AFC South. With a game this big, Monday Night Football betting can’t just be contained to the spread and total.
Here are our favorite NFL props for Bills at Titans on October 18.
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The preseason rolls on as the Cleveland Browns host the Philadelphia Eagles for Week 2.
With only a few short weeks left before the return of meaningful football games, fans must get by on preseason action alone. The Eagles and Browns will face off as the lone afternoon game on Sunday, so the game figures to draw plenty of viewers.
Cleveland beat the Jaguars 24-13 in Week 1, while Philadelphia fell to the Jets by a score of 24-21.
Check out our NFL picks and predictions for the Eagles and Browns on Sunday, August 20.
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Have you ever wanted to bet on more than just the winner or loser of an NFL game? Look no further than NFL prop bets. Prop bets (or propositions) allow bettors to wager on the myriad events occurring within a game. Prop bets spanning everything from the winner of the Superbowl’s coin toss to how many yards a QB throws in a given game.
What are prop bets in the NFL?
Prop bets in the NFL allow you to wager on events within an NFL game. Prop bets span individual player performance and various statistics (team or player related). Some sportsbooks offer props on outlandish in-game events not directly linked to on-field play, such as the color of Gatorade used in the customary post-Super Bowl celebration.
When learning how to bet on NFL…
A wise man once said, “It’s hard to hold a candle in the cold November rain.” It can also be hard to hold a football in those conditions.
That’s why it’s important to check the weather forecast before you bet the NFL odds, including Week 9 with the calendar turning over to November.
This month can produce plenty of game-altering environments, from strong winds to rain and even a few sloppy snowstorms. I look to the skies and highlight the weather you need to watch for before placing your NFL picks on the Week 9 odds.
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