L.A. escapes Chicago with dramatic draw

Soccer Betting Lines

09/04/2010 - Bridgeview, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Omar Gonzalez scored in stoppage time and the Los Angeles Galaxy escaped Toyota Park with a 1-1 draw against the 10-man Chicago Fire on Saturday, despite a missed penalty from Landon Donovan and a late goal from Collins John.

Donovan's first-half penalty was stopped by Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson, then John scored the opening goal in the 88th minute to put Chicago in position for its second win over L.A. in just over a month.

L.A. responded just seconds into stoppage time through Gonzalez, who jumped to meet a corner kick from Donovan and headed powerfully past Johnson from just a few yards out.

The Galaxy (13-5-5) avoided their fourth loss in their last five games, a span that started with a 3-2 loss to the Fire on Aug. 1.

Chicago (6-7-7) followed that win over Los Angeles with a tie against Red Bull New York and a win over New England, but then lost back-to-back matches to the Houston Dynamo and Seattle Sounders FC. The Fire are now winless in three.

L.A. had the best chances in the opening half, including a header over the bar by MLS leading scorer Edson Buddle in the 15th minute and another header over the bar in the 39th from Donovan.

The key play of the first half was in the 23rd minute, when Donovan failed to convert a penalty kick after Gonzalo Segares was sent off for a foul in the area. The U.S. star drove his penalty to the right but did not place it well, and Johnson dove to his left to deflect the shot.

L.A. nearly erased the frustrating first half midway through the second when a nice back-flick pass from Donovan set up Sean Franklin, who fired just wide of the left post.

Chicago notched the first goal two minutes from time off a free kick as John, who just entered the match minutes earlier, drove the ball around L.A.'s wall and into the bottom-right corner from 22 yards.

Gonzalez spoiled Chicago's celebration seconds later, as Donovan delivered the corner from the right, and the central defender soared to reach the ball near the edge of the six-yard box. His strong header left Johnson no chance.

Johnson, who finished with seven saves, was called into action one final time, and he responded with a one-handed save on Franklin two minutes into stoppage time.

Chicago continues its busy September on Wednesday, when Toronto FC visits. The Galaxy host the Columbus Crew on Sept. 11 in a battle of two of the best teams in MLS.

Rouleette Soccer Betting News

<< Quality Road rebounds to win Woodward Stakes
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Odds-on favorite Quality Road shook loose at the head of stretch Saturday to win the $750,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. It was the colt's fourth win in five starts this year. The c

<< Bengals chop 22, including WR Jones, K Rayner
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wide receiver Matt Jones and kicker Dave Rayner were among the players released by the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, as the team reduced its roster to the 53-man NFL limit. Jones, a former first-round pick

<< Snedeker joins Day in Deutsche Bank lead
Norton, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brandt Snedeker fired a seven-under 64 Saturday to join Jason Day in the lead after 36 holes of the Deutsche Bank Championship, the second of four FedExCup series playoff events. Day, who shared the first-round

<< Buccaneers cut 20, including WR Clayton
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former first-round draft choice Michael Clayton was among the players released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, as the team reduced its roster to the 53-player NFL maximum. Clayton, who posted 221 catches

<< Pickens: Gundy's done a good job at Oklahoma St.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -Prominent Oklahoma State booster T. Boone Pickens says he's pleased with the performance of football coach Mike Gundy and is predicting an eight-win season for the Cowboys.Pickens spoke Saturday before Oklahoma State hosted W

Texans release 21; officially sign RB Ward >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Texans released 21 players, sent three others to various reserve lists, and officially signed running back Derrick Ward as part of their roster maneuvers on Saturday. The Texans released quarterback

Hamlin edges Newman for Atlanta pole >>
Hampton, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Denny Hamlin earned his first pole of the season by topping Ryan Newman in Saturday's qualifying for the Emory Healthcare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hamlin turned in a lap of 187.380 m.p.

Ducks dominate in opener against New Mexico >>
Eugene, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kenjon Barner rushed for 146 yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries as 11th-ranked Oregon used a powerful first half to dismantle New Mexico, 72-0, in the first-ever meeting between the schools

25th-ranked West Virginia opens by blanking Coastal Carolina >>
Morgantown, WV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Geno Smith completed 20-of-27 passes for a career-high 216 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate start and Noel Devine ran for 111 yards and a score to lead West Virginia to a 31-0 drubbin

Giants make cuts, QB Bomar among them >>
East Rutherford, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Quarterback Rhett Bomar was among the players released by the New York Giants on Saturday, as the team reduced its roster to the 53-player maximum. Bomar, a fifth-round 2009 draft choice out of Sam Hous

MySportsbook.com - The World's Leading Online Sportsbook

For more than 11 years now, MySportsbook.com has been the World’s BEST online sports book website, providing a safe and secure place for sports wagering. Our world-class level of experience and industry sportsbook expertise is unmatched.

Offering a wide array of sports to wager on, MySportsbook.com leaves no stone unturned in our search to provide you with great football betting lines and online blackjack options. From teasers to parlays, from futures to wacky propositions, we add more game excitement than any other sportsbook. Fully licensed in two gaming jurisdictions, MySportsbook.com is open and eager to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Whatever the sporting event, this online sportsbook has you covered. Enjoy some of sport’s most memorable moments that much more with MySportsbook.com. With increased interest, follow the game-winning field goal, the walk-off homerun, the buzzer-beater or the hole-in-one shot. Bank on that clutch glove save, the upset TKO or an incredible Hail Mary pass. MySportsbook.com quenches your thirst for action.

To visit this online blackjack got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts credit cards needs.

Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.