Benfica bags manager Santos after season's first match

Soccer Betting Lines

08/20/2007 - Lisbon, Portugal (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Benfica fired manager Fernando Santos on Monday just two days after the club opened its season with a 1-1 draw against promoted side Matosinhos.

"Benfica have reached agreement with Fernando Santos to end his (two-year) contract," the club said in a statement on Monday.

Fernando Chalana, a former Benfica player and current assistant coach will take over the squad's training this week.

Former Benfica boss Jose Antonio Camacho is the favorite to replace Santos. Camacho helped guide the team to a second-place finish in 2004.

The 52-year-old Santos replaced Ronald Koeman after the 2005-06 season and lead the club to a third-place last year, two points behind league champions FC Porto.

Santos is the first coach to be fired this season, while Benfica will take on Guimaraes on Saturday.

Wwwlakings Soccer Betting News

<< Broncos deal Warren to Oakland
Englewood, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Broncos have traded defensive tackle Gerard Warren to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for an undisclosed pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Warren spent the past two years with the Broncos after

<< Derby completes signing of American Lewis
Derby, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - United States international Eddie Lewis completed his move to Premiership side Derby on Monday for an undisclosed fee. The 33-year-old Lewis has signed a two-year deal with the promoted club after spen

<< White Sox hope to end freefall against Royals
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox try to put the brakes on their season-high eight-game losing streak this evening, when they open a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals at U.S. Cellular Field. Chicago extended its l

<< Twins host Mariners in matchup between streaking clubs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners try to stay atop the American League wild card standings when they begin a three-game set with the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome this evening. Seattle completed a three-game sweep of the Chica

<< Defense United in quest for MLS Cup
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.C. United goalie Troy Perkins started to move to his left before he realized the ball was bending the other way. Perkins couldn't change direction in time, instead dropping his hands to his hips as he st

Rudd to retire at end of season >>
Brooklyn, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While waiting out yesterday's rain, 50-year- old Ricky Rudd announced that he would retire at the end of the 2007 season. "I've been fortunate that it's something that I've loved to do, had fun doing and m

Klose to miss next game with injury >>
Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose will miss the team's next league contest on Saturday against Hannover because of a knee injury. Klose suffered the injury in Bayern's 4-0 thrashing of Werder Br

Gerrard among list of withdrawals for England >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was among a list of four more players who have withdrawn from the England squad that will meet Germany in a friendly on Wednesday at Wembley Stadium. Gerrard played in

European Solheim Cup squad tabs nine players >>
Macclesfield, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ladies European Tour announced the first nine players for its 2007 Solheim Cup team on Monday. Those nine players include two rookies and seven others that have combined for 35 previous appeara

Bellamy withdraws from Wales for friendly >>
Cardiff, Wales (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wales captain Craig Bellamy withdrew from the team on Monday for the upcoming friendly with Bulgaria. The 28-year-old striker pulled out of Wednesday's contest because his wife, Claire, is due to give

Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.

Get free Super Bowl XLIII Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting with credit cards

Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

For more March Madness odds go to MySportsbook.com

For more College Basketball betting lines go to BettingExpress.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.