Ajax level with AZ after downing NAC
Soccer Betting Lines
12/12/2008 - Amsterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ajax is level on 32 points with AZ Alkmaar at the top of the Eredivisie table after the Amsterdam club secured a 3-0 win over fourth-place NAC on Friday.
Dario Cvitanich opened the scoring in the 26th minute and Luis Suarez added a second goal from the penalty spot early in the second half after Kees Kwakman was sent off for conceding the spot-kick.
Rasmus Lindgren then capped the scoring nine minutes later for Ajax, which has lost just once in its last 10 league games.
NAC missed two good chances early in the match, but they were punished in the 26th minute when Suarez set up Cvitanich to put Ajax ahead.
The visitors had another chance to crack the scoreboard early in the second half but failed when Joonas Kolkka's header was cleared off the goal line by Gregory Van Der Wiel.
Once again, Ajax capitalized as Siem De Jong was brought down inside the box by Kwakman, who received his second yellow card for the foul. Suarez then converted the spot-kick to make it 2-0 before Lindgren capped the scoring in the 64th minute with a blast from 30 yards.
AZ will have a chance to regain sole possession of the top spot with a win at Feyenoord on Saturday, while Twente will try to keep pace at Groningen.
PSV Eindhoven travels to Vitesse, last-place Volendam visits middle-of-the- table Utrecht, Heracles entertains Sparta, Den Haag squares off with Roda, Graafschap invades Heerenveen and Willem II plays host to NEC.
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Chris Capuano was non-tendered Friday, making him a free agent. Capuano missed all of 2008 after undergoing ligament replacement surgery, more commonly known as "Tommy John" surg
<< Hamburg's Olic undecided over future
Hamburg, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hamburg striker Ivica Olic has still to
decide whether to leave the Bundesliga club in the near future, as strong
rumors of a switch to Bayern Munich continue to circulate.
The 29-year-old Croa
<< Harris agrees to terms with Nationals
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals agreed to terms
with outfielder Willie Harris on a two-year contract Friday.
Harris, 30, batted .251 with a career-high 13 home runs and 43 RBI in a team-
best 140 games for the
<< Catania signs Zenga to contract extension
Catania, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Catania Calcio has handed coach Walter Zenga
a contract extension to keep him at the club until the end of the 2009-10
season.
The 48-year-old former Italy goalkeeper helped the club escape relegatio
<< Espanyol expects goalie Kameni to leave
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Espanyol's Cameroon international goalie
Carlos Kameni is set to leave the club next summer, having failed to agree a
new contract with the Barcelona-based outfit.
The 24-year-old's current deal runs
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox signed five free agents Friday to minor league contracts, including outfielder Paul McAnulty, who was on the opening day roster of the San Diego Padres last season. Boston also inked
Frerotte doubtful for Vikings/Cardinals matchup >>
Eden Prairie, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota Vikings quarterback Gus
Frerotte is doubtful for Sunday's tilt with the Arizona Cardinals with a lower
back injury suffered in last week's win against the Detroit Lions.
Frerotte sat ou
AC Milan's Bonera likely done for year >>
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - AC Milan defender Daniele Bonera is unlikely
to play again this year after having a hernia operation.
The 27-year-old, who has been complaining of pain in the area for several
weeks, joins a lengtheni
North Dakota football coach Mussman gets extension >>
Grand Forks, ND (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - University of North Dakota head football
coach Chris Mussman has received a two-year contract extension through 2012,
the school announced Friday.
Mussman, in his first year as head coach, led the
McCallum comes to terms with BC Lions >>
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The BC Lions have come to terms with kicker
Paul McCallum on a contract.
"Paul is a proven performer who has had some very big games for us during his
time here and we are pleased to get this deal don
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.