New York hopes to snap losing skid at Dallas

Soccer Betting Lines

07/03/2009 - Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red Bull New York ends a tough seven-match streak Saturday night at FC Dallas, hoping to snap a nine-game winless skid and a road losing stretch that dates back to last season.

New York (2-12-4) contests its sixth road match in its last seven games against Dallas, and with an 0-9-1 record away from Giants Stadium this season - and 22 straight regular season road losses - could still struggle again in a clash vs. another one of the worst teams in MLS.

FC Dallas (3-7-5) has lost just once in its last seven games, but are still in need of more points as it tries to overcome a poor start to the season. Dallas has just four more points than New York.

New York hasn't won since May 8, and has scored just one goal - while allowing 17 - on the road this season.

"Certainly you read it and go, Holy cow," New York's Seth Stammler said about the road losing streak. "We treat road games with the same importance as home games so it's not like we're doing something strategically to let that happen."

The Red Bulls lost to the Columbus Crew last week, 1-0, in a rematch of the MLS Cup. Crew defender Chad Marshall scored the only goal late in the first half. New York has allowed a league-high nine goals in the last 15 minutes of a half.

"If it happened once it wouldn't be that big a deal but we've been talking about it for the last couple of weeks because we continue to do it," Stammler said. "That's how it's been the last two months. Stupid mistakes defensively and we give up goals and then we're not converting our chances. We've got to step up and take care of our responsibilities."

New York was without forward and leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel last week, as well as defender Kevin Goldwaithe. Forward Macoumba Kandji and Dane Richards were on the bench, but neither played.

Goldthwaite is ruled out this week, along with fellow defender Carlos Mendes. Angel and Kandji are questionable, and Richards and Alfredo Pacheco are playing in the Gold Cup for Jamaica and El Salvador, respectively.

The Red Bulls acquired veteran MLS goalie Bouna Coundoul earlier this week - and released Jon Conway - and hope he can make a difference in the back.

"With our past experiences it seems players come to this club and it takes a little more if not much more to play here," New York coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "But, hopefully Bouna can sustain what is needed to play for the Red Bulls and hopefully he will do well."

If New York can snap its road woes this weekend, it plays six of its next seven at home, starting on July 16 when Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham returns to MLS from his loan deal with Italy's AC Milan.

Dallas is coming off a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids, but is also dealing with injuries and losses to the Gold Cup.

Most notably, striker Kenny Cooper and his team-high seven goals will be with the U.S., and coach Schellas Hyndman is still not positive what changes he will make.

"It really does [leave] not only an offensive void for everything Kenny brings plus the experience," Hyndman said.

Second-year forward Brek Shea, who has one assist in seven games, could replace Cooper in the lineup, or Hyndman could turn to veteran Jeff Cunningham.

"I think [Shea] is ready [to play a full 90] but whether he will or he won't, we don't know," Hyndman said.

Defenders Steve Purdy and Daniel Torres, and midfielders Alvaro Sanchez and Marcelo Saragosa are out this week, and Ray Burse will make his 10th straight start in place of usual No. 1 goalie Dario Sala - who is still recovering from a knee injury.

"He started a little shaky in the first four or five games," Sala said of Burse. "Then, he made a transition. He started to do better in Houston when we lost 1-0 there. And from there, he picked it up and has been doing well."

Wwwlakings Soccer Betting News

<< Sturridge secures Chelsea switch
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Highly-rated Manchester City striker Daniel Sturridge has completed his transfer to FA Cup winners Chelsea. The 19-year-old, who has penned a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, will join up the rest

<< Owen agrees to join United
Manchester, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Owen is determined to repay the faith Sir Alex Ferguson has shown in him after penning a two-year contract with Manchester United. The 29-year-old moves to Old Trafford on a free transfer

<< NL Central: Astros creating a buzz
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros were one of the National League's premier teams during the early part of this decade, capturing four division titles during a five-year span from 1997-2001. A driving force behind that impressive run was an

<< Gibbs commits future to Arsenal
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal's England Under-21 international Kieran Gibbs has pledged his long-term future to the club by putting pen to paper on a new contract. The 19-year-old made his debut for the Gunners almost two

<< Bayern remains hopeful over Bosingwa
Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bayern Munich remains hopeful of being able to sign Jose Bosingwa from Chelsea. The German giants revealed their interest in the Portugal right-back last month and chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stil

Reds activate 3B Encarnacion from DL >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cincinnati third baseman Edwin Encarnacion was activated from the 60-day disabled list prior to Friday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Encarnacion had been on the DL since late April due to a chip

Turkoglu to join Blazers >>
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sharp-shooting forward Hedo Turkoglu is leaving Orlando for the Great Northwest, reportedly coming to terms on a five- year, $50 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Oregonian newspap

Cano, A-Rod homer as Yankees top Toronto >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez each homered as the New York Yankees doubled up Toronto, 4-2, in the opener of a four-game set. Mark Teixeira added a hit and an RBI for the Yankees, who have won eight of

D.C., Columbus clash for top spot in East >>
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.C. United coach Tom Soehn was excited to have last weekend off in MLS and thinks the Eastern Conference leaders are refreshed for Saturday's trip to the Columbus Crew, even though they continued defense of thei

Daytona qualifying rained out, Stewart awarded pole >>
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rain washed out Friday's qualifying session for the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. A thundershower moved over the 2.5-mile track shortly before the start of qualifying. Track

MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.