Test post content

Where: Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

When: June 24, 12:00 PM ET

Line: Costa Rica +292 at England -129, tie +242, total 2.0 – view all World Cup lines
What’s at stake

With the Costa Ricans assured of a slot in the next round, and England out of contention, the only thing that’s going to be settled in this match is the order of finish in Group D.

If Costa Rica wins or ties with England, they are assured of the No. 1 spot in the group. But if England wins, then there’s a chance that Costa Rica slides down to the No. 2 position, depending on the outcome of the Italy-Uruguay match.
Betting on Costa Rica

If the rest of Group D didn’t get the memo that Costa Rica is a team to look out for after beating group favorite Uruguay, the Ticos sent them another when they notched their second win against favored Italy. This time, the message was delivered by Bryan Ruiz, who scored the game winner.

Ruiz is the Ticos’ best player and his resurgence should give Costa Rica momentum going into the match against England. Ruiz was a non-factor in the opener against Uruguay, but thankfully for the Central Americans, Joel Campbell was there to pick up the slack, scoring a goal and adding an assist in a surprising show of might on offense from a team known less for scoring than having a stout defense.

That defense rounded into form against Italy, and caused all sorts of trouble for Italy’s midfielders. The Costa Ricans did not allow the Azzurri to progress on offense, often disrupting the Italians’ playmaking attempts.

Moreover, Costa Rica also have at their disposal a fantastic goalie in Keylor Navas. With Navas proving to be very dependable between the sticks, expect the Ticos to have less hesitation when sending their back five deep to deal headaches to England’s midfielders. They know Navas can weather any attacks should some slip through the cracks.

Betting on England

In search for a win before heading back home, the Three Lions will have defend more effectively against Costa Rica than they did against Italy and Uruguay.

England’s defense has clearly been the weakness of the team, and there couldn’t be any better case to make to support that observation than when Uruguay’s Luis Suarez tallied two goals against them, with each being a result of a methodical breakdown of England’s disorganized defense.

Phil Jagielka and Steven Gerrard, who both were singled out as among the goats of that game, could mitigate the criticisms thrown at them if they could contain Costa Rica’s duo of Campbell and Ruiz. They cannot allow the Costa Ricans to dictate the tempo of the game just like what the Ticos did in their last two wins.

On offense, Wayne Rooney was finally able to supply a goal when he scored against Uruguay, but the tap-in was hardly his doing. Rooney also managed to miss several other prime chances, continuing his trend of doing so at the last three World Cups. For Rooney and Daniel Sturridge to produce against Costa Rica, the midfield will need to set up the two strikers better.
Writer’s Prediction

England goes out of the tournament with at least some measure of their dignity intact. Rooney scores again as England (-129) win over Costa Rica.

Predicted line-ups:

Italy: Buffon; Bonucci, Chiellini, Barzagli; Darmian, De Sciglio; Pirlo, Verratti; Marchisio; Immobile, Balotelli.

According to latest reports, Cesare Prandellis is expected to start Ciro Immobile and Marco Verratti.

Uruguay: Muslera; Fucile, Gimenez, Godin, Caceres; Arevalo Rios, Gargano, Stuani, Rodriguez; Cavani, Suarez.

Maxi Pereira will be available again following suspension, while both Alvaro Pereira and Diego Lugano are doubts due to injury.

Bet online on Italy v Uruguay with Boyle Sport and bag an exclusive bonus – Get £50 Free!

Betting Tip

Italy and Uruguay will meet on Tuesday in Natal for Group D’s ultimate showdown.

A draw will suffice for Italy to qualify as they have a superior goal difference to Uruguay while La Celeste need to win to reach the knock-out stages.

Following the surprise defeat to Costa Rica in their opening match, Oscar Tabarez’s men came out strong last week when they beat England 2:1, effectively eliminating the Three Lions from the competition. Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, who had been absent during his nation’s first appearance, scored both goals, while Wayne Rooney managed to equalize and temporarily revive the English dream of reaching the Round of 16.

Italy started the competition well, defeating Roy Hodgson’s side 2:1, but similarly to their opponents suffered a surprise loss at the hand of Los Ticos as well, conceding the deciding goal at the end of the first half. The Italians looked far from convincing against Costa Rica, failing to create any notable chances up front.

The Euro 2012 finalists faced Uruguay last year at the Confederations Cup when they managed to bag the win and secure the third spot of the competition.

The two sides could hardly be more different. Uruguay are rapid-paced, lethal on the wings, but vulnerable defensively. The Italians on the other hand are tactical and superb in defence, but lack the pace to create quick counter attacks, which has been the trend in footballing style during this World Cup.

Italy will have the upper hand at the start of the game as they only require a draw to progress, and will likely defend deeply against a Uruguayan attacking formation.

Prediction: Uruguay 1 – Italy 1

Some essential facts and stats to help with online betting on Italy v Uruguay

Italy have lost only three of their 19 World Cup games against South American opposition – round 1 game against Chile in 1962, the 1970 final and the 1978 third place game against Brazil.

Uruguay’s third group game against Italy will be their 50th at the World Cup.

Italy have been caught offside 18 times in their opening two group games; twice as many times as Uruguay (9).

Uruguay have scored three goals from just five shots on target so far.

Luis Suarez has netted five times in his seven World Cup appearances.

Edinson Cavani has played a hand in three of Uruguay’s last five goals at the World Cup (two goals and one assist).

Mario Balotelli (6) and Antonio Candreva (4) have had 50% of Italy’s shots on goal so far (20; excluded blocked).

Daniele De Rossi has attempted 212 passes for Italy so far in the World Cup.

Here are the odds for the upcoming NHL Awards.

Odds to win 2014 Hart Memorial Trophy
Sidney Crosby (PIT) -10000 (1/100)
Ryan Getzlaf (ANA) +1200 (12/1)
Claude Giroux (PHI) +2500 (25/1)

Odds to win 2014 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
Ryan O’Reilly (COL) -650 (2/13)
Patrick Marleau (SJ) +500 (5/1)
Martin St. Louis (NYR) +1400 (14/1)

Odds to win 2014 Vezina Trophy
Tuukka Rask (BOS) -115 (20/23)
Semyon Varlamov (WAS) +140 (7/5)
Ben Bishop (TB) +550 (11/2)

Odds to win 2014 Calder Memorial Trophy
Nathan MacKinnon (COL) -1600 (1/16)
Tyler Johnson (TB) +1200 (12/1)
Ondrej Palat (TB) +1100 (11/1)

Odds to win 2014 James Norris Memorial Trophy
Duncan Keith (CHI) -105 (20/21)
Zdeno Chara (BOS) +155 (31/20)
Shea Weber (NAS) +400 (4/1)

Odds to win 2014 Jack Adams Award
Patrick Roy (COL) -500 (1/5)
Mike Babcock (DET) +450 (9/2)
Jon Cooper (TB) +1000 (10/1)

Odds to win 2014 Frank J. Selke Trophy
Patrice Bergeron (BOS) -350 (2/7)
Anze Kopitar (LA) +275 (11/4)
Jonathan Toews (CHI) +1500 (15/1)

As we lay the Miami Heat’s reign to rest, remember that the San Antonio Spurs — this brilliant franchise that makes all the right moves and gets a helpful bit of luck, too — has never won back-to-back titles. Through five championships over 16 seasons, with the team winning 50-plus in every year of the new millennium, with fresh talent augmenting living legends constantly, the Spurs had never even made back-to-back Finals series before this season, let alone won back-to-back titles.

That’s how you can tell some NBA feat is truly difficult: it’s one the Spurs have never accomplished. For the Heat to win two straight titles in 2012 and 2013 is something special.

They were not close to winning a third. After a weird set of games in San Antonio to open the Finals, the Spurs blew out Miami three straight times for the championship. Miami even opened up a ponderous 22-6 lead in the first quarter of Game 5, but the Spurs punch back hard and knocked the Heat out in the third quarter by taking a double-digit lead that thoroughly broke Miami.

The Spurs were so dominant in the series that those arguments about the weak East lining the path to the Finals took on some added credence. The Heat would never have survived the West this season. Part of that is because the West was loaded with quality (again), but the Heat have also gotten worse over the past year. Miami lost Mike Miller in free agency and watched Shane Battier lose his ability to affect a game. Chris Andersen has about three actual jumps in him per game.

And Dwyane Wade — oh, Dwyane Wade. This series was an answer to a question no one knew we had: Did Wade’s frequent, famous rest all season simply mask his age-based regression? The Finals were not kind to Wade — he shot 6-of-24 in Games 4 and 5. That Wade of old (or hell, of last season) — attacking the rim, drawing fouls, drawing attention, making brilliant plays left and right, being a defensive troublemaker — was a shadow, one that mocked the real No. 3 of the now.

The Spurs’ brilliant defense shut down Chris Bosh and made life difficult for LeBron James, the best player in the series/world. But it’s hard to tell how much of Wade’s trouble came from himself and how much stemmed from San Antonio’s schemes, execution and talent. That’s a question Pat Riley and the crew will have to answer in the next couple of weeks and next few years. Wade, like LeBron and Bosh, can opt out of his contract this summer. If he does, how much of a pay cut will the Heat ask him to take in order to add help? Or will the Heat intend to keep him at all?

At the same time as the epochal doubt kicks in, so too does the positive example of the Spurs. How long has the league considered San Antonio dead? Before 2013, the Spurs hadn’t made the Finals since 2007. If there’s an argument that age can be kind to teams run properly, teams that borrow some luck and make plenty of their own … well, that argument is staring the Heat in the face. The Spurs have done what faces the Heat: turning a star-laden team into a dynastic power that lasts almost two decades. With the right moves, Miami can follow San Antonio’s lead.

Until then, all they can do is respect their own accomplishments (including four straight Finals berths and counting), keep LeBron, look at improving the roster around LeBron and wait for the Basketball Gods to smile again. The Spurs have proved that patience is a virtue. There’s still time for Miami.

Just not this year.

Here we go again, two NBA heavyweights throwing down for the championship of the world.

Coming out of the Western Conference wearing black and silver with a regular-season record of 62-20, the four-time world champions coached by Gregg Popovich, the San Antonio “Grump Old Men” Spurs.

Coming out of the Eastern Conference wearing red, black and white with a regular-season record of 54-28, the three-time world champs and current two-time defending titlist coached by Erik Spoelstra, the Miami “Big Three” Heat.

So which team will be left standing to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy?

Will it be LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh for a third consecutive season? Remember how we all laughed an rolled our eyes when Miami paraded its new three-headed monster in the summer of 2010? James grabbed the microphone and predicted Miami wouldn’t stop at one world title, “not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven … hey, when I say this I really believe it,” James said.

What’s not to believe after the Heat beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 and the Spurs last season? It’s Miami’s fourth consecutive trip to the Finals and there is no reason to believe that streak will end as long as the Big Three stays intact.

For the Spurs, time is running out on Tim “Old Man River Walk” Duncan at age 38. Along with Manu Ginobili (36) and Tony Parker (32), San Antonio features one of the best threesomes in NBA history. The Spurs’ trio has won 114 playoff games, surpassing the Lakers’ 1980s Showtime of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper, which won 110. But the last time the Spurs won the title in 2006-07, Ginobili wasn’t in the starting lineup. The team the Spurs beat? The Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James.

When you open a betting forum you will inevitably come across at least ten topics in which experienced punters are trying to produce a mathematical model predicting the winner in a football match. In this post I will try to express my opinion on how this is simply not possible and how football is not suitable as a sport for creating mathematical models.

The main argument I have against statistical and mathematical models for betting predictions on football matches is related to the very nature of the game. This is a sport in which often a single goal decides the match and with pure statistic it is quite difficult to predict whether any particular shot will be realized as a goal, will be saved by the goalkeeper or will hit the crossbar.

Of course, it’s easy to make statistics on what number of goal attempts are needed to score a goal (in the Premier League statistics show that around 7.5 goal attempts are needed for a goal) , but unfortunately this is not enough to make a really worthwhile betting prediction.

Whichever other item to add to this mathematical model, you again will come to the moment that it is a pure luck will а shot become a goal or not.

The same goes for tennis. We often have matches in which both players have equal number of scored points in the match, but at the end one of them win by 6-4, 6-3. How mathematics or statistics can predict which of them will be the winner?

That’s why I believe the only option in which such statistical models can be successful is when they are applied in sports, where we have many points scored. These are mostly handball and basketball. In these sports the statistics is crucial for each betting prediction and the large number of points scored reduce the element of chance in modeling the stakes.

Cardiff City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes they can win their battle against Premier League relegation.

His side’s 1-1 draw at home to Stoke leaves Cardiff two points adrift of possible Premier League safety in 18th place with three games to go.

Cardiff’s next match is away to bottom side Sunderland and Solskjaer says it will be like a “cup final”.

“It’s going to be two even teams. They’ve got games in hand so nothing’s impossible for them either,” he added.

“In this league you can beat anyone at anytime if you turn up and the other team is not really at it.

“We’ve just got to be ready for Sunderland.”

The Black Cats made history by inflicting Jose Mourinho’s first home Premier League defeat in 78 games as Chelsea manager in Saturday’s evening game.

That left Sunderland one point behind the Bluebirds, who drew with Stoke earlier in the day.

Before that match Solskjaer said seven points from the Bluebirds’ remaining four fixtures could be enough to secure their top-flight status.

Stoke’s Marko Arnautovic and Cardiff’s Peter Whittingham both scored from the penalty spot in Saturday’s 1-1 draw.

Cardiff then had a goal disallowed before Stoke’s Oussama Assaidi was denied by a superb save from goalkeeper David Marshall – and Solskjaer admits Marshall may well have kept alive Cardiff’s hopes of Premier League survival.

“As Assaidi jinked inside of Kevin Theophile Catherine you think that’s it, he’s going to score there because it’s a nailed on 100% chance, but David’s been absolutely phenomenal this season and he’s saved us again today.

“In a split second there you think [our chance to win and stay up is gone] of course.

“But then he saves it, then they have a chance after and it hits the bar and you think you take a point today.”

Cardiff face title-chasing Chelsea on the last day of the season at home but before that comes trips to Sunderland and Newcastle, with Solskjaer targeting six points from the two games in the North East.

First up is Sunderland, who are just one point behind the Bluebirds following their 2-1 win at Chelsea on Saturday.

“It’s going to be tough,” said the Cardiff boss. “It’s a big one for both teams.”