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:

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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