World Cup 2014 Finals: Germany 1-0 Argentina

Gotze: Moment of magic

A Mario Gotze goal in extra time handed Germany a 1-0 victory over Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final in Rio de Janerio.

In a hard-fought contest that at times lacked quality but never effort, it was Joachim Low’s men who grabbed the one and only goal with 113 minutes on the clock.

The match had seemed destined for penalties and it required the brilliance of Gotze, on as a replacement, to separate the two teams.

Despite being goalless, the opening 45 minutes were by no means dull. Both sides endeavoured to play attacking football and on another day both sides could have had at least a goal each.

It was Gonzalo Higuain who had the first real chance of the encounter, the Napoli forward getting on the end of a lightning-quick counter attack only to skewer an effort across the face of Manuel Neuer’s goal.

On 21 minutes Higuain should have opened the scoring after a rare error by the Germans. A poor back header from Toni Kroos played the striker on side and despite Mats Hummels' best effort to apply pressure, Higuain was afforded a free shot from the edge of the box, but he could only scuff it wide.

Lionel Messi was looking very much up for the occasion and after showing his pace in outrunning Hummels earlier in the piece, the Barcelona ace then showed off his eye for a pass, opening up the play with a cross-field ball to Ezequiel Lavezzi who in turn whipped in a ball for Higuain to prod past Neuer. While Higuain got the finish right on this occasion, his run was slightly mistimed, resulting in the effort being chalked off for offside.

Having only entered the fray as a late replacement for the injured Sami Khedira, Christoph Kramer saw his first World Cup start end before the first half was through as the youngster was forced off the field after failing to shake the effects of a naughty shoulder to the side of the face from Ezequiel Garay.

Despite a second rejig, Germany continued to have the most of the ball, but they were unable to turn possession into real chances. Indeed, it was Argentina who had the next clear-cut opportunity.

Messi was the man pulling the strings on this occasion, waltzing down the right before cutting in from the byline and flicking the ball passed Neuer only for Jerome Boateng to hack away a clearance.

Argentina’s ploy of forcing the German attacks wide proved a successful one, as for all of Muller’s industry down the right, his many crosses came to little.

It was a late corner from the right that nearly provided the decisive delivery on the stroke of half-time. Kroos’ corner from the right was met by Benedikt Howedes, the full-back throwing his body at the ball and propelling a header which crashed into the upright.

The game had been billed as one that Messi could achieve hero status through and on 47 minutes he nearly took a step towards doing so. However, having been played through into the penalty area he unleashed a left-footed effort that skidded wide of the far post.

Argentina continued to edge the early minutes of the second period, with replacement Sergio Aguero introduced to engineer the breakthrough.

However, while Germany began to find their feet once more, neither side could muster a goal.

The second half lacked the fluidity and bite of the first, with the match turning into a slightly scrappy, cagey affair.

With 20 minutes remaining Muller showed some neat footwork to dance into space in the penalty area, but Schurrle was unable to control as it spilled at his feet and the chance was gone.

Mesut Ozil then did well to set up Kroos on the edge of the box, but the Bayern Munich man’s side-footed effort was wide of the target.

With some tired legs making their way around the Maracana extra time had become seemingly inevitable and indeed it would prove the case.

Whether it was the words of their coaches ringing in their ears or the benefit of a brief break putting some new life in their legs, both sets of players were on form when extra time kicked off.

Schurrle forced Romero into a great save almost straight from the first whistle, with the keeper having to be at his best to keep the midfielder’s snapshot out.

Argentina substitute Rodrigo Palacio had a glorious chance to get on the scoresheet as he got past a struggling Hummels before failing in his attempt to chip Neuer.

Considering the struggle to break the deadlock, it was fitting that it was a goal of the highest quality that proved the winner. Having come on as a late replacement from Klose, Gotze showed brilliant technique to control Schurrle’s cross on his chest before poking the ball past Romero.

Messi had a chance to grab a dramatic equaliser from a long-range free-kick with what was almost the last play of the game, but there would be no fairytale ending for Messi.

Instead it was the Germans who were left to celebrate their fourth World Cup title.

Source: VIQI News

Fierce battle between Germany & Argentina

 

Germany and Argentina are the two teams left standing to vie for the ultimate prize in this quadrennial tournament. Watch them duel with one another on July 14, 03:00 (GMT+8) in the Finals of 2014 FIFA World Cup. Can the underperforming Argentina shock the overwhelming favourite Germany who humiliated host Brazil with a 1-7 score-line. Are we going to see Lionel Messie?

 Or will the methodical Germans manhandle Argentina?

SOURCE: SBOBET

Urawa eye 10th win of the season

League–leading side Urawa Red Diamonds host the visiting Albirex Niigata on July 19, 17:00 (GMT+8) at the Saitama Stadium. Urawa are 4W–1D in their last five J1 League matches, and Albirex Niigata are looking to give Urawa their fourth loss of the season. Urawa, having won the three most recent head–to–head matches versus Albirex Niigata, are the favoured side in this contest, over the struggling Albirex Niigata which are currently lodged 7th in the table.

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Source: SBOBET

How to Read Soccer Odds

1. Check the numbers written alongside your team’s name. These are usually given in fractional forms such as 2/3, 6/1 or 5/4. Soccer is one of the few sports that presents numerical odds in this fashion. Odds for other sports such as basketball and ice hockey are usually given in decimal points such as 2.25 or 1.5.

2. Work out the fractional number’s value. For instance, if your team are given odds of 6/1 of winning a game, this means for every dollar you bet on your team, you will get six back in return (plus your initial $1 stake).

3. Pay attention to which side of the line the numbers are. The number on the right side of the line represents the figure you need to invest to receive the number on the left side of the line. So if your team odds were 1/6, you would need to invest six dollars to make a single dollar profit. Odds such as these occur when a strong team is matched against a weak one.

4. Check if your betting shop or website has “accumulator” soccer betting options. Accumulators are when you bet on the outcome of more than one game. So, if you had a $3 profit from predicting the first result, these winnings would then be wagered on the next result. If that result came in too, the winnings would be wagered on the next game. Accumulator bets can achieve massive payouts for small stakes, but predicting the outcome of several games can be difficult.

5. Wager bets on the number of goals by using over/under betting options. Odds here sometimes use fractions but also can include whole numbers, and instead of betting on which team wins, you bet on the number of goals scored by both teams in the game. These bet types are useful if you can’t predict a winner but know that both teams are likely to attack and score goals or defend and neutralize one another.

6. Learn the ins and outs of moneyline bets. Moneyline soccer bets appear as plus (+) and minus (-) figures alongside each team in a soccer match. For instance, if LA Galaxy was listed as minus (-) 160, you would need to place a $160 bet to win $100. If they were listed as plus (+) 160, placing a $100 bet would yield you $160 profit. The minus figure therefore represents what you would need to invest to win $100, wheras the plus figure indicates what you would get in return for a $100 bet. Odds also are listed for a tie, or draw, in the same fashion.

7. Learn how spread betting works in soccer matches. Spread bets involve betting against a bookmaker's decision on various elements of a game. For instance, if a bookmaker predicts there will be 11 to 12 corners in a game, the spread will be set at 11-12. If you think there will be more, you can buy a corner at, for instance, $5 per corner. So, if there are 16 corners, you make a $20 profit (4 x 5). However, if there are only 7 corners, you will lose $20. The spread offered by bookmakers usually changes often depending on how the soccer match is progressing (if the first half hour passes without a corner, for instance, the spread will be reduced.) Spread betting can be a lucrative way to make money on soccer gambling, but is riskier than simply betting on the outcome.

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Source: Now Goal

Put your knowledge to test. Bet in here!

An unbelievable World Cup match at Arena Amazonia on Sunday saw Portugal rescue a vital 2-2 draw against the United States.

Varela: Rescued the draw

An unbelievable World Cup match at Arena Amazonia on Sunday saw Portugal rescue a vital 2-2 draw against the United States in the very dying seconds of their Group G encounter.

Having gone down 4-0 against Germany in their opener, Nani helped ease fears of an early exit for A Seleccao as he got them off to a flying start in Manaus after punishing a mistake at the back to fire home with eight minutes gone.

Jermaine Jones then managed a reply for the US with a thumping drive shortly after the hour mark before Clint Dempsey put them on their way to what looked like a famous win nine minutes from time.

However, with 30 seconds of five minutes added time remaining, Portugal hit back, with Silvestre Varela heading home a pin-point Cristiano Ronaldo cross to break American hearts and keep A Seleccao's Brazil campaign going into the final round of group fixtures.

Portugal didn't take long to get going, although it was a gift of a goal from the Stars and Stripes as Geoff Cameron sliced his attempted clearance across the face of his own goal and into the path of Nani, who saw Tim Howard sell himself by going to ground early and allowing the Manchester United winger to fire into the roof of the net.

The US looked for a response and twice almost found a way through as talisman Dempsey first broke down the line and at goal before forcing Beto Pimparel to put the ball behind with his feet, while from the resulting corner the Seattle Sounders forward sent a looping effort just inches wide after the ball had come free at the far post.

Michael Bradley came close to a spectacular equaliser midway through the first half but saw his rocket of a shot from some 30 yards flash just over the crossbar, while Dempsey was proving a real handful and again came close after a barraging run into the area was thwarted by a last-ditch tackle from Ricardo Costa.

Ronaldo had been largely uninspiring against the Germans, and he proved equally quiet in the first half this week, despite the match making him Portugal's all-time record appearance maker at the World Cup finals with 12 showings now to his name.

The Ballon d'Or holder showed glimpses of his talents four minutes before the break as he tore down the wing before curling the ball with the outside of his boot to find Nani running in at the far post, but this time the forward was unable to beat Howard as he fired his shot too close to the goalkeeper, who made a decent save.

Portugal were turning the screw as the half came to a close and Nani came within an inch of grabbing a second but saw his dipping drive turned onto the post by Howard, who then pulled off an instant contender for save of the tournament to somehow claw the rebound from Eder Lopes up and over the bar, despite having been completely wrong-footed.

The States came close to again proving the architects of their own downfall shortly after the restart, with Cameron once more the culprit as he smacked a clearance against his own man before the ball fell to Eder, but he was always leaning back with his shot and sent the ball sailing over the crossbar.

With 55 minutes gone, USA looked destined to draw level as Fabian Johnson was played in down the right channel before cutting the ball back from the by-line to find the run of Bradley, but his first-time hit from just a few yards out was spectacularly saved on the line by the back-tracking Ricardo Costa.

However, Jurgen Klinsmann's men would eventually not be denied a leveler, and they got one in spectacular style as Jones picked up the ball on the edge of the area before cutting inside and curling an unstoppable drive past the stranded Beto and into the very top corner.

With nine minutes remaining, Portugal's worst fears were realised as the US, who had arguably shaded the chances throughout the game, stormed into the lead as Graham Zusi picked up a loose ball at the far post before delivering back into the danger area, where Dempsey found himself unmarked to chest home into the back of an empty net to make it two goals at this year's finals.

However, it was not to be for Klinsmann's men as, with the very last attack of the game, Portugal drew themselves level as Ronaldo found space on the right before whipping in an inch-perfect delivery to find the head of Varela, who made no mistake to send the ball home and secure a priceless point.

Source: VIQI News

Soccer Betting Strategy

What’s the beauty of online soccer betting? It is played in nearly every nook and cranny in the world. Soccer probably will always be the world’s game because it’s so inexpensive and simple to play. All you need is some sort of ball and it’s game on.

From a wagering perspective, soccer is a smorgasbord because there are so many officially recognized leagues around the globe. Thus there’s nearly a live match to be wagered on 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. It’s certainly not wise soccer betting strategy to simply bet blindly on some match in Turkey just to bet. All those soccer betting options can be daunting, as many of the rules are unfamiliar to North Americans where football, baseball, basketball and hockey are king. However, your betting strategy can be fairly simple with a few tips for how to bet on soccer.

Which League to Choose? Obviously it’s smart to focus your soccer betting system on what you know. The good news is that there has been an explosion of worldwide soccer action available online or on television here in the United States for which to do a bit of homework.

Major League Soccer is the prominent league in North America. It’s still considered on a lower level then the top European leagues like the Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain, Serie A in Italy and Bundesliga in Germany. Those are the Big 4 in Europe where soccer rules the online betting action. The teams in those leagues have by far the most resources to develop talent in their native countries – or buy the best from South America. Think of them like baseball’s New York Yankees. For example, Spain’s Real Madrid has been tabbed as the most valuable sports franchise in the world.

The biggest online betting event in the world arrives every four years in the World Cup, which now is made up of 32 countries worldwide. Qualifying for this month-long summer tournament takes nearly three years, although the host country is automatically in.

There really are haves and have-nots in World Cups so bet on soccer wisely. You rarely will see a non-traditional power upset a country like a Spain, France, Italy, Germany or Brazil. In baseball or hockey a pitcher or goalie can win a game himself. That doesn’t much happen in soccer – outside of a transcendent offensive talent like Lionel Messi or Pele – because everything is so spread out on the pitch.

Every league then has its own season and there are smaller regional tournaments all over the world throughout the sports year. There are also other big soccer wagering events such the annual Champions League, a tournament featuring the top club teams throughout Europe. Countries often play friendlies against one another to keep their national teams fresh. The results don’t count toward any World Cup qualifying and are much like an NFL exhibition game.

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Wagering Options Aplenty
The most common way to wager on soccer is similar to the other low-scoring sports baseball and hockey: moneyline options on each team in a match to win. Again, these are based on a $100 bet. So Spain might be a -350 favorite against the USA, which is +275. A $100 wager on the Americans returns $275, but it would take $350 down to win $100 on Spain.

There is also a third option in soccer wagering: draws. Each game will also have a draw moneyline price on soccer odds as the final result. Unless it’s a situation where the winning team will advance in a tournament, as in the quarterfinals in the World Cup, there can be ties. This is a three-way soccer betting line. In the World Cup knockout stage, for example, there will still be a draw option even though the match won’t end that way. If the match is tied after regulation, you are winner if betting that option. In this case, there would also be soccer betting options on a side to win in overtime or a potential shootout.

The least confusing soccer bet here is to wager on which team advances. That way, it doesn’t matter whether they win in regulation, OT or a shootout. A growing popular option, which originated in Asia, is a two-way betting line. This eliminates a draw. One team will be given a slight goal advantage on the line, say a half-goal, to assure there won’t be a tie.

As in hockey, there is also a goal spread and a goals total prop option on all major soccer matches. A goal spread on a soccer betting line might look like this: USA -1.5 (-110), Spain +1.5 (+130). Essentially this is exactly like a pointspread in football or basketball betting. The Americans start the game with a 1.5-goal lead from a betting perspective. That -110 price is what the cost of betting the USA would be. Sometimes each side will be a pick’em on soccer odds.

A popular soccer betting prop is also the first-half goal spread, which will be set lower than the full match. On the total goals scored by both teams soccer wager, many matches are set at 2.5 goals because it’s so difficult to score in soccer. The over and under 2.5 would thus each have a price.

The other prop options are limitless, especially with the increased popularity of live betting. Soccer wagers are available on which team scores first, which team scores last, will both teams score, which player scores first, will this player score at all, head-to-head player scoring, will a team score in extra time, correct final score, correct halftime score, the halftime/fulltime result (draw/draw, USA/Spain, USA/USA, for example), etc. Futures soccer bets also are available on all the major tournaments and leagues with player season-long options.

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How to Get Ahead
When learning how to bet on soccer, keep in mind that the motivation of a team is always important. In the World Cup, every team wants to advance. However, one side could have already clinched a quarterfinals spot and have little to play for in a group stage match. International friendlies always have varying forms of motivation. Often, the top teams will bring a “B” squad to a friendly because it doesn’t mean anything and a coach would rather keep his stars rested and away from potential injury. Usually, a home team in a friendly will stage a top lineup just to draw fans. It’s why betting home teams is always smart soccer wagering strategy in that case. Some top players thus might not be available for their league teams when playing for the national squad.

Remember that goal differential is a key tiebreaker in soccer. For example, the Champions League semifinals are two legs. That means the two teams in each semifinal play once each at home. Should one side win the first match 4-0, it will almost surely be the soccer wagering underdog in the next match. Why? It has no need to win, just not lose by more than three goals (away goals are the sub-tiebreaker if each side wins once and ties in total goals scored). The losing side has to essentially throw caution to the wind and score at least four times. The team up 4-0 will sit back, play defense and not leave its goalkeeper open to danger.

Another factor to monitor when wagering on soccer is yellow or red card penalty accumulation. If a player gets two yellow cards in a game or tournament, he is ejected from that game and his team will play the rest of the match down a player. Thus if a star is carrying a yellow card heading into a big tournament match, that could be a huge factor. A red card is an automatic ejection and keeps the player out of the following match. It’s rare for a player to receiver a red card for one offense unless it is very flagrant. One would be someone other than the goalkeeper using his hands to prevent a goal. The most famous example of a red card in recent history was when French star Zinedine Zidane was issued one for headbutting an Italian defender in the 2006 World Cup final. Zidane was just the fourth player sent off in a World Cup final and first in extra time. Without its captain, France lost in a shootout.

Another reason home-field advantage in soccer betting is important is because referees are often affected by crowds in terms of handing out yellow cards or calling for penalty shots. Soccer crowds are likely the most raucous in the world. The best countries or clubs in the world will always be home online betting favorites.

Source: Now Goal

2014 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony

          

The 2014 World Cup kicked off in style on Thursday night as Jennifer Lopez starred in the spectacular opening ­ceremony in Sao Paulo.

There was a carnival atmosphere as 61,000 fans, many in fancy dress, filled the stadium and watched 660 dancers in colourful costumes provide typical Brazilian ­entertainment on the pitch.

But things shifted up a gear when J-Lo took to the stage with rapper Pitbull and sang the official World Cup song We Are One (Ole Ola).

When they finished, the crowd erupted with a mighty roar and chanted “Brazil, Brazil, Brazil.”

The show’s artistic director Daphne Cornez said: “The opening ceremony was a tribute to Brazil and its treasures: nature, people football.

"The sense of excitement here was amazing and everyone was very motivated.”

          

Spectators started arriving eight hours ahead of the host nation’s match against Croatia and got the party started.

To their relief, a planned metro strike was called off at the last minute.

Choreographers had been working on the 25-minute ceremony, which needed 300 technicians and 150 production staff, since early 2013 - including 84 rehearsals.

The spectacle on the Arena de Sao Paulo pitch included people dressed as trees and flowers and children jumping up and down on trampolines.

As many performed their routines around a multi-coloured ‘living’ ball, children in the colours of the 32 nations then made their way into the middle to juggle balls on elastic string.

The biggest cheers were reserved for when the Brazil flag was paraded on the pitch and when J-Lo, dressed in a carnival-style green outfit, appeared with Pitbull from a trapdoor.

          

She was joined on stage by Brazilian pop star Claudia Leitte, who was wearing a blue sparkly dress.

The ceremony in Brazil’s largest city was watched by a global television audience of several hundred million and has cost organisers £4.7million.

          

Source: Nowgoal

How to Bet on Soccer - A Tutorial

Soccer is the most popular game in the world, but in terms of betting it often takes a backseat to the more mainstream sports in this country like football and basketball. This is for a number of reasons. The most important reason that you don’t hear much discussion about soccer lines is that the sport is just not that popular in this country. The MLS rivals the WNBA when it comes to television ratings and media coverage.

Another reason why betting on soccer does not compare to the action on other sports is the confusion that comes with betting it. Much like baseball and hockey, point spreads really don’t apply to the low-scoring game of soccer. That is why Doc’s Sports has provided this tutorial on how to bet on soccer for our readers that are interested in this potentially profitable sport.

Instead, money lines are usually put in place with partial point spreads (-.5). With the ongoing UEFA Champions League going on and the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup in June, a lot more media attention and wagering attention will be given to the world’s most popular sport.

For soccer tournaments like the World Cup there are often two ways to bet on the game. There is two-way betting and three-way betting. Two-way betting is the more conventional of the two with bettors picking between two teams. For example in the upcoming World Cup in June host South Africa plays Mexico. In two-way betting South Africa is +110 and Mexico is -120. To win your bet on either team the team only has to win.

In three-way betting there are three options, the two teams playing and a draw. Soccer games often end in draws and with three-way betting you can bet on that. For the above game, both South Africa and Mexico become underdogs of sorts with South Africa +205, Mexico +160 and the draw as +217. In this case if the game ends in a tie and you wager on Mexico, the bet is graded as a loss.

The World Cup game mentioned above is in the group stage and a draw is an option. In tournaments when it gets to the knockout stage where one team needs to move on to the next round, there is another option to bet on, what team will advance. This is often the least confusing way to bet on the game because you are just betting on who will advance to the next round, whether it happens in regulation, overtime or in a shootout. If you bet on a team with a point spread of -.5 or -1, if the game goes to a shootout you automatically lose as a shootout win does not count as a goal. If the game goes to a shootout as 2-2, the final result for wagering purposes will still be 2-2, regardless of who wins. In the same case if you take the underdog at +.5 or +1 you automatically win if the game goes to a shootout.

There are also totals just like any other sport with most ‘over/unders’ at 2 or 2.5 in soccer.

Source: Now Goal

GEORGE LEADS PACERS RALLY, CLIPPERS STUN THUNDER

The Indiana Pacers rallied past the Washington Wizards to take a commanding lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semi–final play–off series.

Paul George led the way with game–high figures as the Pacers overturned a 19–point deficit to upstage the Wizards 95–92 in Washington on Sunday for a 3–1 series advantage. George had 39 points‚ 28 of those after half–time‚ and 12 rebounds to put the Pacers within one game of the Eastern Conference final‚ having outscored the Wizards by 20 points in the second half. The dual NBA All–Star was aided by the performances of Roy Hibbert (17 points‚ nine rebounds) and George Hill (15 points). David West also reached double figures‚ posting 14 points and eight rebounds in the triumph. The Wizards‚ who are on the road in game five‚ were led by Bradley Beal′s 20–point display. Star point guard John Wall was restricted to 12 points‚ while Trevor Ariza scored 16 points and nine boards. Meanwhile‚ the Los Angeles Clippers completed a sensational comeback as they levelled their Western Conference series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Clippers trailed by 15 points during the final quarter but fought back to trump the Thunder 101–99 at the Staples Center. Blake Griffin had a game-high 25 points and nine rebounds as the LA franchise tied the series at 2–2. Star team–mate Chris Paul had 23 points and 10 assists‚ while Darren Collison and Jamal Crawford both scored 18 points off the bench. MVP Kevin Durant put up a masterclass‚ shooting 40 points and gathering seven rebounds‚ though it mattered little as the Thunder slumped to defeat. Russell Westbrook was next best for Oklahoma City‚ posting 27 points. Source: SBOBET Times

ATP Monte Carlo

Tough Monte Carlo field with Nadal‚ Djokovic‚ Federer all in

One year ago‚ Novak Djokovic dethroned Rafael Nadal‚ the current world number one who is hungry to take back the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters title which he won from 2005 to 2012. Add Roger Federer – the wild card entry in the tournament that will take place from April 13 to April 20 – and fans will wonder if Djokovic can successfully defend his title.

Bet on these players to win in ATP Monte Carlo with the betting odds below:

Claim your 10% bonus deposit here, when you play with SBO Bitcoin!

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Source: SBOBET

Wenger: We were complacent

Wenger: Plenty to think about

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits that his side may have become complacent about qualifying for the Champions League.

The Gunners have featured in the Champions League for 16 consecutive seasons, but risk losing out this time around after being passed by Everton in the race for fourth spot.

It is the Goodison Park outfit who will claim the final qualifying berth if they win the remainder of their matches‚ with the Toffees currently on a seven–match winning streak‚ a period in which Arsenal have claimed just two victories.

Wenger concedes that Arsenal may have begun to feel that they were guaranteed of at least fourth spot and relaxed, leaving them vulnerable to a late charge from Everton.

“Maybe yes, we felt anyway ‘that is done’‚” said the Frenchman.

“We have had a difficult schedule (this season) and the weight of a negative result‚ the mental aspect of a negative result in a big game‚ is massive. To deal with that is very difficult and when you have a succession of big games one after the other‚ if you lose the first one you are always in trouble.”

“For many years I was sitting here and had to convince you that it was important that we were in the top four – now it is in a reverse position‚ you say to me ‘you realise how important it is for us′‚” he added.

“It is vital to me to do it. I want this club to play in the top level competition‚ and for that you want to be in the Champions League.

“What will be an advantage is our desire to play in this competition because we love the Champions League and just to imagine how much we love it will help us to achieve it.

“The pain of not having it? I would like them (the players) rather to concentrate on the pleasure to be in it.”

Source: VIQI News

LA LIGA WRAP: REAL CAPITALISE ON BARCA SLIP

Barcelona suffered a surprise La Liga defeat at the hands of Granada to hand the Madrid clubs the title initiative.

Yacine Brahimi netted the only goal for Granada in the 16th minute before Barca spurned a host of chances‚ with Neymar taking a prime place among the culprits. It is the second time this week Gerardo Martino′s team have fallen by a 1–0 margin‚ following their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of leaders Atletico Madrid – who have the chance to pull four points clear of the defending champions when they host Malaga tomorrow night. There were no such problems for Real Madrid‚ who are now a point better off than their fierce Catalan rivals courtesy of a comfortable 4–0 home win over second–bottom Almeria. Again operating without injured talisman Cristiano Ronaldo due to a knee injury‚ Real threatened to break the deadlock long before a 28th–minute opener from the impressive Angel Di Maria. Gareth Bale‚ Isco and substitute Alvaro Morata completed the scoring on a significant night for Carlo Ancelotti′s team. Celta Vigo twice came from behind at home, despite being reduced to 10 men early in the second half, to claim a valuable 2–2 draw against Real Sociedad– easing their relegation fears. The visitors twice hit the front through Sergio Canales and Antoine Griezmann, the latter′s strike coming soon after Nolito′s 37th–minute penalty. Celta defender Jon Aurtenetxe then received his marching orders three minutes into the second half to put the home side under serious pressure but Santiago Min earned a share of the spoils in the 82nd minute. That result meant Villarreal moved above Sociedad into sixth with a dramatic late win over Levante‚ while Celta rose to 12th with 37 points – five spots and six points clear of the relegation zone. A 0–0 draw appeared on the cards at Villarreal′s Camp El Madrigal until Jeremy Perbet headed home Manuel Trigueros′ free–kick for the hosts in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Source: SBOBET Times

Pacquiao victory greeted with joy in Philippines

Photo credit: Jay Directo photo and Isaac Brekken photo| AP

The Philippines united in celebration on Sunday as its boxing hero Manny Pacquiao cemented his comeback by avenging his 2012 loss to American Timothy Bradley to regain the World Boxing Organization welterweight world title.

Crowds watching the fight‚ which was broadcast live from Las Vegas in several parks‚ squares and public stadiums around the archipelago‚ erupted in cheers as Pacquiao was declared winner in a unanimous 12–round decision.

“The people of the nation are united in cheering on the victory of the nation’s fist‚ Congressman Manny Pacquiao. He is the symbol of the excellence of the Filipino in all endeavours‚” said President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Herminio Coloma shortly after the victory.

He said Pacquiao’s latest victory was symbolic of the way Filipinos can recover from the worst disasters‚ an apparent reference to Super Typhoon Haiyan and the earthquake that struck the country last year‚ killing thousands.

Street sweeper Fernando Baque 52‚ one of the thousands who watched the fight on a giant screen in a park in suburban Manila‚ said: “I was happy to see him win. He can still take it. He isn’t that old. He really controlled the fight. His punches really rocked Bradley.

“He shouldn’t retire yet. The country still needs him‚” he told AFP.

Questions about whether Pacquiao had grown too old to fight surfaced after he suffered two consecutive defeats: first a decision to Bradley in June‚ 2012 and then a knockout to Juan Manuel Marquez in December that year.

But since then‚ Pacquiao has appeared to be regaining his old form‚ winning an overwhelming points victory over Brandon Rios to win the World Boxing Organisation international welterweight championship in Macau last November.

While he failed to knock out Bradley‚ his Filipino fans were not disappointed by his performance.

“I really prayed for this. He really looked strong this time. As long as his body can take it‚ he should keep it up‚” said 50–year–old carer‚ Elsie Vinluan.

However 72–year–old retiree‚ William Saraste said Pacquiao should retire after just one more fight.

“He already has enough money and he can’t go on for much longer. I wish he would fight (American Floyd) Mayweather. That should be his last fight‚” he said.

A match between Pacquiao and Mayweather‚ both once considered among the best fighters of their generation‚ has long been hoped for but has also been repeatedly scuttled due to various conflicts.

Original post via AFP

Coin For Coffee Seeks Simple Way To Buy a Cup of Joe

Ever wanted to buy a cup of Starbucks coffee with your bitcoins? With Coin For Coffee‚ now you can.

As its co–founder and CEO Matt Luongo explained to CoinDesk‚ Card For Coin leverages Starbucks′ existing gift card infrastructure to process payments using digital currency.

He put it simply:

“We want people to be able to spend their bitcoins wherever they want.”

How it works

Coin For Coffee sports a simple interface. Users choose how much they want to upload (ranging from $5 to $50).

After confirming a user′s email address‚  the system produces a bitcoin address in which to deposit the amount. Users send the amount they want to spend‚ and Coin For Coffee produces a barcode.

The barcode is then scanned at the Starbucks register as if it′s a gift card. Once the transaction is complete‚  any remaining bitcoins are returned to the owner after roughly 30 minutes.

Origins of the project

The team behind Coin For Coffee is the same that developed Card For Coin‚  an online solution for exchanging the value of Starbucks gift cards for bitcoins.

That project has since been delayed pending regulatory approval. The team has no official relationship with Starbucks.

When asked about the differences between the two projects‚ Luongo framed them as two sides of the same coin.

“So far the reception has been just as positive. I think one of the differences is that we′re asking people to do more. It′s a different group of people being excited.”

Looking ahead‚  Luongo sees a future in the project and hopes that Coin For Coffee will be able to tap coffee retailers beyond Starbucks.

The team is also developing a dedicated mobile app. User interest‚ according to Luongo‚ has been positive. He said that more people have expressed enthusiasm for Coin For Coffee compared to Card For Coin.

Ways for consumers to spend bitcoins grow

Loadable spending tools‚  either browser–based or card–based‚ are becoming increasingly prevalent world wide.

BitInvest‚  a digital currency exchange based in Brazil‚ is preparing to releaseCoincard‚ a bitcoin–friendly payment card branded by MasterCard.

Cryptex‚ a Hong Kong–based startup‚  recently launched a bitcoin debit card that reportedly works at the vast majority of ATMs in the United States.

Last month‚ Gyft announced that it has added Wal–Mart to its growing list of retailers within its bitcoin giftcard merchant network.

Coffee cup and beans on a white background image via Shutterstock

Article credit: CoinDesk