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Brazil vs. Netherlands Betting Preview and Pick
By: Phil Kitromilides
In theory, this is the match that nobody wants to play, yet for Brazil it could prove to be a blessing, giving Felipe Scolari's men a chance to take a small step back from the humiliating brink they were thrust towards by their semifinal destruction at the hands of a Germany.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, with a youthful and inexperienced squad never expected to get this far, so once they get over the agonizing penalty kick loss to Argentina, the Dutch should be able to go out and enjoy themselves in Saturday’s third-place World Cup game (4 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The LVH SuperBook offers the host at +115 on the three-way result (bet is official after 90 minutes plus injury time), while Holland can be backed at +215 and the draw is priced at +275.
With the pressure off for both teams, we could be in for an entertaining game and one which the Bookmakers certainly think will be full of goals. The LVH opened the total at 3 goals, with OVER priced as the -130 favorite and UNDER offered at odds of +110.
Outside of Las Vegas, the 'yes' side of the ‘will both teams score’ props is offered a odds of just 1-to-2.
The latter especially may well attract some attention from some bettors happy to back shorter prices, yet for our purposes a more intelligent selection is necessary.
While Brazil may have more motivation for the game, the Netherlands remain a potent attacking threat, particularly on the break.
Against Argentina they were supremely defensive, concerning themselves almost exclusively with neutralizing the threat of Lionel Messi to the detriment of their attacking play.
Expect that to change drastically against Brazil and for Louis van Gaal to adopt a far more offensive approach, similar to that deployed in the early part of the tournament.
All this means that the price of -110 for Holland to score in the first half – again, offered outside of Nevada – looks extremely attractive, especially considering that Brazil have conceded first half goals in four of their six matches at the tournament.
At the LVH, the Netherlands are +120 as a pick 'em on the first-half line, with the first-half total posted at 1.5 goals (OVER +120, UNDER -140).
Bet of the day: Holland to score in the first half at -110 -
CFL
Week 3
Calgary (1-0) @ Toronto (1-1)-- Underdogs won last eight series games SU, with Argonauts winning seven of the eight; Calgary won here LY, snapping four-game skid in Skydome, with losses by 3-2-3-13 points-- four of those five games went over total. Stampeeders had bye last week after 29-8 win at home over Montreal in Week 1. Argos threw ball for 407 yards in easy home win over Saskatchewan last week, after they got waxed 45-21 in opener at Winnipeg.
BCLions (0-2) @ Saskatchewan (1-1)-- Lions were outscored 38-12 in last three halves after leading opener at half; they've turned ball over eight times (-6) in two games- they lost four of last five visits to Regina, losing 29-25 (+4) here in playoffs last fall. Ten of last eleven series games stayed under total. Riders got blasted 48-15 in Toronto last week, giving up 568 yards, 407 thru the air. Riders have 280 rushing yards in two games; BC allowed 203 yards on ground in loss at Montreal last week.Comment
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"Motivation certainly plays" into World Cup third-place odds
By JASON LOGAN
Never has a consolation game meant so much to one team and so little to the other. That’s the dilemma sportsbooks are facing with Brazil taking on the Netherlands in a battle for third place at the 2014 World Cup Saturday.
Brazil, still stinging from an embarrassing 7-1 semifinal loss to Germany in front of its home fans, is desperately looking for a chance to redeem itself. The Netherlands, losing out on a spot in the final on penalty kicks to Argentina, couldn’t care less about the outcome of Saturday’s consolation match.
"I think that this match should never be played," Dutch coach Louis van Gaal told the media. "It has nothing whatsoever to do with sports. I've been saying this for 10 years. But anyway, we will just have to play that match."
"They can keep it. Only one prize counts and that is becoming world champion,” forward Arjen Robben added.
That motivation – or lack thereof – has been reflected in the line movement for the third-place game. Brazil opened at +107 at online sportsbook Pinnacle Sports, but is now dealing dealt at -116 despite the Netherlands drawing the majority of the early betting action.
“Money makes our markets move, so we'll continue to watch what comes in, but motivation certainly plays a role,” says a spokesman for Pinnacle Sports. “Lineups will be of critical importance to the Brazil-Netherlands outcome, and with the two teams expressing vastly different attitudes towards the match, it wouldn't be surprising to see those attitudes reflected in lineup composition. We're accounting for that possibility in our market management, and bettors should certainly be doing the same when deciding which nation to back.”
The Brazilian side has been in mourning ever since Tuesday’s crushing defeat. The host nation came into the tournament as a +250 favorite to win the World Cup, but now has a coach - Luiz Felipe Scolari – likely managing his final game for the national team Saturday. That has, however, made this matchup with the Netherlands all the more important.
"We haven't had a good campaign. We were consistent, which is why we reached the semifinals, but we didn't play the kind of enchanting football associated with Brazil,” Scolari told reporters. "Now we need to approach Saturday's game as if it were the final and finish the World Cup smiling, with a victory. It is not going to lessen the pain, but it is important."
The total for Saturday’s third-place game is set at three goals (Over -102, Under -106). Per Sports Insights, since 1978, every World Cup third-place match has had at least three goals scored, with an average of 4.22 goals per game.Comment
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World Cup 2014 Third-Place Playoff betting: Brazil vs. Netherlands
By PINNACLE SPORTS
Pinnacle Sports has everything you need to wager on World Cup 2014. Find odds and info on all the exciting soccer action in Brazil.
Read this Third Place Playoff betting preview for an insight into how you could find an edge in determining which team will claim the consolation prize of third place.
World Cup Third-Place Playoff betting: Brazil vs. Netherlands (July 12)
On Tuesday night, history was made as Brazil suffered their largest ever defeat at a World Cup finals. A merciless German side put seven goals past Julio Cesar, three more than he had conceded throughout the rest of their World Cup campaign.
Phil Scolari’s Brazilian side will have to put in an incredible performance in their third-place playoff to even try and ease the pain of being out-classed on their own turf in their disastrous Semi-final match.
The Netherlands will be equally as disappointed to be playing in the third-place playoff rather than Sunday’s Final in Rio. They were deadlocked with Argentina after 120 minutes of play, and misses by Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder in the penalty shootout means they will have to wait at least four more years for their first World Cup trophy.
Brazil are the favorites on the 1X2 at Pinnacle Sports, with odds currently being offered at 2.220 for the hosts to win in normal time. Netherlands are available at 3.280, while the OVER/UNDER total has been set at three goals.
For outright bettors, 1.694 is available on Brazil finishing in third place by any means – an implied probability of 59.03 percent, while the Netherlands are available at 2.330, a 42.92 percent chance of another upset.Comment
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World Cup Game of the Day: Brazil vs. Netherlands
Brazil vs. Netherlands (+120, +230, Draw +280)
Brazil and the Netherlands both reached Saturday's World Cup third-place game in heart-wrenching fashion. The host Brazilians were throttled 7-1 by Germany in their final four game on Tuesday afternoon, leaving their millions of fans - not to mention the soccer world - dumbfounded and disappointed. The Dutch suffered a very different defeat, dominating play against Argentina but ultimately dropping the semifinal showdown 4-2 on penalties.
With neither team all that interested in playing for third, it will be interesting to see how both clubs approach the match. Both teams are expected to make changes to their starting lineups, favoring younger players or those who have seen limited action so far in the World Cup over established stars who may be tired or disinterested in the match. The Dutch, in particular, may struggle to regroup as they remain without a World Cup championship to their credit.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN
WORLD RANKINGS: Brazil: No. 3; Netherlands: No. 15.
INJURY REPORT: Brazil: F Neymar is sidelined for the match with broken vertebrae. Netherlands: None.
WHAT THE SHARPS SAY: "Brazil will still be licking their wounds after the mauling by Germany, I can see this game meaning more to Brazilians, Louis Van Gaal (Dutch coach) has already made it clear that the 3rd place play-off game is pointless." - Covers Experts' Footy Tipster
WHAT THE BOOKS SAY: "Money makes our markets move, so we'll continue to watch what comes in, but motivation certainly plays a role. Lineups will be of critical importance to the Brazil-Netherlands outcome, and with the two teams expressing vastly different attitudes towards the match, it wouldn't be surprising to see those attitudes reflected in lineup composition. We're accounting for that possibility in our market management, and bettors should certainly be doing the same when deciding which nation to back." - Pinnacle Sports.
ABOUT BRAZIL: Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will come under fire the moment the tournament ends after overseeing his nation's worst defeat in 84 years - but he remains focused on salvaging some national pride aturday. "I know my career will be marked by this defeat but we have an obligation to move on, thinking about the next goal, which in this case is the match for third place in Brasilia," he told reporters. "I know it's a much smaller dream than we all wanted but we have to honor the shirt of the national team."
ABOUT THE NETHERLANDS: Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal has strong feelings about the World Cup's third-place game - and they're not positive ones. "(It) should never be played," he said in the moments following the semifinal loss to Argentina. "... the worst thing is i believe that chances are that you lose twice in a row. And a tournament in which you've played so marvelously well, you would go home as a loser just because you could possibly have lost the last two matches and this has got nothing to do with sport in my view."
TRENDS:
* Brazil holds a 4-3 edge in the head-to-head series, with the teams drawing five times.
* The Netherlands defeated Brazil 2-1 in their last World Cup meeting four years ago in South Africa.
* An average of 4.2 goals have been scored in the last nine third-place games.
* Neither team has appeared in the third-place match since 1998, when the Dutch dropped a 2-1 decision to Croatia.Comment
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Braves pitcher perfect against Cubs
Justin Hartling
A slumping Mike Minor may be getting the perfect remedy against the Chicago Cubs Saturday. The Atlanta Braves are a perfect 5-0 in Minor's five career starts against the Cubs.
The Cubs have only been able to average two runs per game while whiffing an average of seven times against Minor.Comment
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Red Sox pitcher has been terrible on the road
Justin Hartling
The Boston Red Sox will be sending Jake Peavy to the mound at Minute Maid Park Saturday. Peavy has led the Red Sox to a 0-6 record in his last six starts on the road.
Peavy has given up 46 hits and 30 runs during this poor road stretch. That averages out to almost eight hits and five runs per game.Comment
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MLB
National League
Braves-Cubs
Minor is 0-1, 6.48 in his last six starts.
Jackson is 1-4, 6.27 in his last six starts.
Braves lost five of their last six games.
Cubs lost six of their last eight games.
11 of last 14 Atlanta road games stayed under total.
Nationals-Phillies
Strasburg is 1-0, 1.84 in his last couple starts.
Hamels is 2-2, 2.10 in his last eight starts.
Washington lost three of its last four games.
Phillies won their last five games.
10 of last 15 Washington games went over total.
Pirates-Reds
Morton is 4-2, 3.00 in his last seven starts.
Leake is 4-1, 3.21 in his last five starts.
Pirates lost five of their last six road games.
Cincinnati won six of its last seven games.
Four of last five Leake starts went over total; last three Morton starts stayed under the total.
Marlins-Mets
Koehler is 1-2, 5.35 in his last six starts.
Home team won all eight Matsuzaka starts; he is 2-0, 1.35 at home (4 starts)
Marlins are 5-9 in their last thirteen games.
Mets won five of their last six games.
Seven of last ten New York home games went over.
Cardinals-Brewers
Wainwright is 3-1, 0.79 in his last six starts.
Brewers' top prospect Nelson blanked Marlins for 5.2 innings (107 PT) in his only MLB start.
Cardinals won four of their last five games.
Milwaukee lost ten of its last eleven games.
Seven of last ten games at Miller Park went over.
Padres-Dodgers
Kennedy is 2-0, 1.38 in his last two starts.
Maholm is 1-4, 6.93 in seven starts, last of which was May 14.
Padres lost five of their last seven games.
Dodgers lost four of their last five games.
11 of last 13 San Diego road games stayed under.
Diamondbacks-Giants
Miley is 1-0, 1.84 in his last couple starts.
Vogelsong is 0-3, 2.95 in his last three starts (Giants scored one run).
Arizona lost six of its last eight road games.
Giants lost 15 of their last 20 home games.
Eleven of last fourteen Arizona games stayed under.
American League
White Sox--Indians
Carroll is 1-5, 7.85 in his last seven starts.
McCallister is 0-4, 10.27 in his last six starts, last of which was May 21.
White Sox lost their last three games.
Indians won seven of their last ten games.
Over is 8-2-1 in last eleven Cleveland home games.
Bronx-Orioles
Greene allowed two runs in six IP in his first MLB start (win at Cleveland).
Tillman is 2-0, 2.28 in his last four starts.
Bronx Bombers lost nine of their last fourteen games.
Baltimore won five of its last six games.
Nine of last thirteen Bronx road games went over total.
Blue Jays-Rays
Hutchison is 1-3, 4.70 in his last four starts.
Odorizzi is 2-3, 2.21 in his last six starts.
Blue Jays lost eight of their last ten road games.
Tampa Bay lost three of their last four games.
Six of last seven Hutchison starts stayed under.
Angels-Rangers
Weaver left his last start Monday after two innings (back); he is 2-0, 2.78 in his last four starts.
Mikolas is 0-1, 12.46 in two starts this season.
Angels won ten of their last twelve games.
Rangers lost 12 of their last 13 games.
14 of last 20 Texas road games went over total.
Red Sox-Astros
Red Sox lost last seven Peavy starts (0-5, 5.27).
McHugh is 0-5, 5.46 in his last five starts.
Red Sox won their last three games.
Astros won three of their last four games.
Six of last eight Boston road games went over.
Tigers-Royals
Porcello is 3-1, 2.12 in his last four starts.
Shields is 1-1, 4.85 in his last four starts.
Detroit won seven of its last nine road games.
Royals lost eight of their last eleven home games.
Seven of last nine Detroit games went over the total.
A's-Mariners
Chavez is 2-1, 3.10 in his last five starts.
Iwakuma is 2-0, 0.69 in his last two starts.
Oakland won seven of its last nine games.
Mariners lost three of last four games.
Seven of last eight Seattle home games stayed under.
Interleague games
Twins-Rockies
Correia is 0-3, 3.79 in his last three starts (Twins scored four runs).
Matzek is 0-3, 5.34 in his last five starts.
Twins won four of their last six road games.
Colorado won its last three home games.
Under is 6-1-1 in last eight games at Coors Field.
Teams' record when this starting pitcher starts:
-- Minor 6-7; Jackson 6-12
-- Miley 9-10; Vogelsong 10-8
-- Wainwright 14-4; Nelson 1-0
-- Koehler 8-10; Matsuzaka 4-4
-- Strasburg 10-9; Hamels 6-9
-- Morton 8-10; Leake 8-10
-- Kennedy 9-10; Maholm 2-5
-- Carroll 3-5; McCallister 5-5
-- Greene 1-0; Tillman 13-6
-- Peavy 5-13 (0-7 last 7); McHugh 5-9 (0-5 last 5)
-- Hutchison 9-9; Odorizzi 6-12
-- Porcello 12-5; Shields 12-7
-- Weaver 11-8; Mikolas 0-2
-- Chavez 13-5; Iwakuma 8-5
-- Correia 5-13; Matzek 1-5 (0-5 last 5)
Pitchers allowing runs in first inning:
-- Minor 3-13; Jackson 8-18 (5 of last 9)
-- Miley 3-19; Vogelsong 3-18
-- Wainwright 3-19; Nelson 0-1
-- Koehler 2-18; Matsuzaka 2-8
-- Strasburg 5-19 (1 of last 11); Hamels 2-15
-- Morton 3-18; Leake 3-18
-- Kennedy 3-12; Maholm 1-7
-- Carroll 3-8; McCallister 3-10
-- Greene 0-1; Tillman 8-19
-- Peavy 4-18; McHugh 1-14
-- Hutchison 3-18; Odorizzi 1-18
-- Porcello 4-15; Shields 5-19 (3 of last 5)
-- Weaver 4-19; Mikolas 0-2
-- Chavez 5-18 (1 of last 9); Iwakuma 3-13 (2 of last 3)
-- Correia 4-19; Matzek 1-6
Umpires
-- Atl-Chi-- Six of last eight Hoberg games went over total.
-- Az-SF-- Last eight Danley games stayed under the total.
-- StL-Mil-- 12 of last 15 Barry games stayed under total.
-- Mia-NY-- Six of seven Marquez games stayed under.
-- Wsh-Phil-- Home side won 13 of last 16 Fletcher games.
-- Pitt-Cin-- Underdogs won six of last seven Gonzalez games.
-- SD-LA-- Underdogs won seven of last ten Rackley games.
-- Chi-Clev-- Under is 7-3-2 in last twelve HGibson games.
-- NY-Balt-- Five of seven Joyce games went over the total.
-- Bos-Hst-- Over is 14-3-2 when West umps plate this year.
-- Tor-TB-- Six of last eight Everitt games went over total.
-- Det-KC-- Four of last five Carapazza games stayed under.
-- LA-Tex-- Six of last nine Reynolds games stayed under.
-- A's-Sea-- 13 of last 18 Davidson gamnes stayed under.
-- Min-Col-- Third home plate in five nights for Hernandez; favorites are 10-2 in his last dozen games behind the plate.Comment
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CFL Betting Notes - Week 3
By David Schwab
The new CFL regular season is just two weeks old and Winnipeg and Edmonton’s four straight-up victories are already more than half of their combined win total for 2013. The Blue Bombers made it two straight with last Thursday’s 36-28 victory as 3½-point home favorites over Ottawa with the total going OVER the 53-point closing line.
Saturday’s action started out with Montreal shutting down British Columbia 24-9 as a three-point home underdog with the total staying UNDER 49½ points. The Eskimos remained perfect on the year with a 28-24 win against Hamilton, but they could not cover the closing 4½-point spread as favorites at home. The total in that contest stayed just UNDER the 54-point closing line.
Toronto roared back from an ugly opening week loss with a convincing 48-15 romp over Saskatchewan as a two-point home underdog on Sunday to close-out action in Week 2. The total in that game went OVER the 56-point line.
Saturday, July 12
Calgary Stampeders (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Toronto Argonauts (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Toronto -1½
Total: 53
Game Overview
Calgary enjoyed the week off after posting an impressive 29-8 victory over Montreal in Week 1 as a 7½-point favorite at home. Bo Levi Mitchell established himself as the new starting quarterback for the Stampeders with 313 yards passing and two touchdowns while completing 64 percent of his throws.
The Argonauts are another team from the East that quickly returned to form after getting crushed in a 45-21 loss to Winnipeg in Week 1 as seven-point road favorites. Ricky Ray was at his best this past Sunday with 407 yards passing and three touchdown throws. Toronto rolled-up 23 fourth quarter points to blow a tight game wide open.
Betting Trends
The Stampeders have had their share of problems at the Rogers Centre with a 1-5 record ATS in their last six trips there. They are just 1-7 ATS in the last eight meetings overall and the total has gone OVER in four of the last five meetings in Toronto.
British Columbia Lions (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -6½
Total: 48½
Game Overview
BC came into the new season as 5Dimes’ favorite to win this year’s Grey Cup title and while a 0-2 start is not the end of the world, this week’s game suddenly looks like a must win. The offense sputtered under quarterback Kevin Glenn so the Lions turned to John Beck in later part of Saturday’s loss in hopes of finding a suitable replacement for the injured Travis Lulay, who remains out with a shoulder injury.
The defending champs played the part in a 31-10 season-opening victory against Hamilton as 3 ½-point home favorites, but they had no answer for Toronto in Week 2. Darian Durant threw for 295 yards and two scores against the Argonauts, but two costly interceptions including one that was returned 108 yards for a touchdown certainly did not help Saskatchewan’s cause.
Betting Trends
The Lions have gone just 1-3-1 ATS in their last five road games against their West Division rivals and the total in this matchup has stayed UNDER in five of the last six meetings at Mosaic Stadium. The home team has won six of the last eight meetings SU.Comment
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Netherlands vs. Brazil
By Toby Maxtone-Smith
Netherlands vs. Brazil (ESPN, 4:00 p.m. ET)
The Third place play-off is something of an anomaly. No other competition, not the Champions League, the European Championship or Copa America has a third place play-off. But the World Cup does. Sometimes these matches can be celebratory affairs - in 2002, the co-hosts South Korea played out a highly entertaining 3-2 defeat to Turkey. Neither side would have dreamed of reaching the semi-finals before the tournament, so for them it was a celebratory occasion.
It will not be so here. This game, at the Estadio Nacional in BrasÃlia, will have the atmosphere of a funeral. Brazil were humbled 7-1 by Germany in their semi-final. It was the most extraordinary result of my lifetime, and era-defining game. The devastation was such that many who played for the home side that day may never represent Brazil again. They face Holland, who were not lucky second time around after another 0-0 that went to penalties. They got past Costa Rica, but missed two of their four kicks against Argentina, sending Louis van Gaal’s side out.
The most interesting thing about this game will be Scolari’s team selection in his last match as coach, and how the players respond after the some of the worst few days of their lives. Some players, particularly, Fred, Marcelo, Fernandinho, Hulk and Maicon, can surely not play on Saturday, given the criticism they have been subjected to since the defeat.
It will be interesting to see whether David Luiz partners Thiago Silva. Luiz took the captaincy in Silva’s absence in Belo Horizonte, and endured 90 atrocious minutes. Though Marcelo was Brazil’s worst player that night, it was David Luiz whose reputation took the biggest battering. Everything his critics have levelled at him was proven catastrophically right.
Ramires will surely come in, after a respectable second-half performance, while there may also be first starts of the tournament for Jefferson, Henrique, Maxwell, Willian, Hernanes and Jô.
Although he has recently said that ‘We are going to do everything to finish third…We want to leave the World Cup unbeaten, something a Dutch side has never achieved’, Louis van Gaal gave away his attitude to the Third place play-off somewhat by saying it ‘should never be played’. This will surely affect the extent to which his team exert themselves in Brasilia. While many third place games are high-scoring, we could see a low-scorer here.
On the one hand, there is a team at its lowest ebb, humiliated at home and just wanting the nightmare to end. Without Neymar, as we saw against Germany, Brazil just have desperately little going forward, and Thiago Silva’s return will improve the back-line. Holland have only scored once in open play since the group stages, and they have little invention in midfield with Wesley Sneijder having a quiet tournament. Arjen Robben is the man who makes things happen for the Oranje, who also have a solid defence. Ron Vlaar, the man who missed the second crucial penalty in the quarter-final, has been superb. So I recommend taking under 2.5 goals at 29/20 with Sportsbook.ag. This will not be the carefree Third-place play-off of previous years.
In the match winner market, Brazil are rather surprisingly the 23/20 favourites, with Holland 41/20 and a draw 14/5. The draw looks the best option here, but it seems surprising that Brazil are so short. While it is foolish to overreact to one result, that price is not too different from what bookies would have been laying without seeing Brazil capitulate against Germany. One performance does not mean everything, but Brazil were just so bad, and the players were so dejected, that it is bound to have an effect here.
In the first goalscorer market, I have been constantly tipping up Arjen Robben, and again here I like the look of 11/2 about the Bayern Munich man breaking the deadlock. This is particularly good if Marcelo plays. Most of Germany’s early goals came down Marcelo’s side, which is where Robben plays. Jô looks certain to lead the line for Brazil, after poor Fred’s barracking at the hands of the Mineirão crowd on Tuesday. He has 5 goals in 19 for Brazil, a record that is more impressive than it looks given his usual role as a substitute. He is 7/1.
Top Bet: Under 2.5 goals at 29/20Comment
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Brazil, Netherlands meet in Third Place Game Saturday
By: Zach Cohen - StatFox
2014 WORLD CUP SOCCER
BRAZIL vs. NETHERLANDS
Kickoff: Saturday, 4:00 p.m. EDT
Nacional – Brasilia, Brazil
Line:
Brazil +135, Netherlands +180, Tie after Regulation +270
Over/Under: 3.5 Goals (Over +157, Under -178)
After disappointing semifinal losses, the Netherlands and Brazil will try to end their 2014 World Cup on a high note when they meet in Saturday's Third Place Game.
After struggling in their quarterfinal match against Mexico, the Dutch were fortunate to escape with a victory to put them in the semifinals. Against Argentina, however, they weren’t as lucky. The game was as dramatic as they come, with both teams failing to score a goal in over 120 minutes of play. The fate of these countries would ultimately come down to a penalty shots. Netherlands would score on two of their penalty shots, but that was not enough for the Dutch to advance to the World Cup finals. Sergio Romero made two crucial saves for Argentina and Jasper Cillessen was unable to come away with a timely save when his team needed him. Maxi Rodriguez would score the game-clinching goal for Argentina. Netherlands will now play for their pride in a third place matchup with Brazil. Brazil will be without Neymar, who missed the semifinals after fracturing his vertebrae in the previous match.
While Brazil didn’t lose in penalty shots, their loss was even more devastating than that of the Dutch. Brazil was playing without their superstar Neymar, as he had injured himself in their previous game. Without their leader, they needed to find some inspiration and rally themselves. Their performance against Germany proved that they were unable to do that. At the game’s 11-minute mark, Thomas Muller put Germany up 1-0 and the team never looked back. They scored another four goals before the first half had ended. Toni Kroos and Andre Schurrle both tallied two goals for the Germans and Brazil’s championship hopes ended with a 7-1 loss. Oscar scored the only goal for Brazil at the game’s 90-minute mark. Brazil may have had the title on their mind, but they have an opportunity to end the tournament on a high note with a matchup against the Dutch on Saturday. Third place would not be an accomplishment for the favorites of the World Cup but after being blown out by Germany, the team and country can only benefit from a good performance this weekend.Comment
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Mighty Quinn
Mighty missed with the Braves on Friday and likes the Indians on Saturday.
The deficit is 299 sirignanos.Comment
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Hondo
Hondo, whose debt dropped to 1,300 after Thursday’s Oakland win (not 1,350 as was reported), was done in by the Pirates’ bullpen Friday night, which caused the dirty digits to climb back up to 1,350 andujars.
Saturday: Mr. Aitch will go right at ’em with Adam — 10 units on Wainwright and the boys from Busch to chug past the Brewers.Comment
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Cappers Access
Braves -130
A's -108Comment
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