Bordeaux v Evian, Friday, 8pm
IT'S time for the last game of this French season, with the Coupe de France final.
It is an unexpected final between a former big club who is on the wane and a team who has been fighting for its Ligue 1 life pretty much all season.
Evian reached the Final after beating huge favourites Paris St Germain in the quarter-finals (after penalties) and Lorient in semi-finals with an amazing 4-0 home win.
Bordeaux had a much better draw, beating Lens on their pitch (3-2) and then Troyes (2-1).
Bordeaux finished the Ligue 1 season in seventh position which is not so bad but they have never managed to join the fight for European tickets.
They are now just 90 minutes away from qualifying for the next Europa League which is nearly mandatory for this club in recession.
Evian ended up in 16th position saving its Ligue 1 life just a couple weeks before the end of the season. They were into the relegation zone not that long ago so are already happy with their final ranking. This cup is just a huge bonus for this squad.
Both teams actually just played against each other in the last Ligue 1 game of the season. Bordeaux won 2-1 on their pitch thanks to two goals from Cheick Diabaté.
Evian will rely on their striker Khelifa who has been in great shape lately with a few extraordinary goals.
Bordeaux has a more talented squad and most importantly much more experienced in this kind of games. They are used to go far in cups and are regularly playing in the Europa League.
The only danger is they have been thinking about this game for a few weeks now but they will do what it takes to finish this season on a positive note.
Recommended Bet
Bordeaux
(21-20, Ladbrokes)
Milesey (Betfair)
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
Treble – Sachter Soligorsk – Haka – Ferencvarosi
Double – Din.Minsk – Dacia Chisinau
Single – Osters – Gothenborg DRAW
Goal Scorer Action – Cheick Diabate and Saber Khilifa to score at anytime only bookie I can see at the moment giving oods is william hill and they have priced it 6/1
Hi…I’m new here and don’t know how to put a pic/name and save here everytime i post smth.
Difaâ El Jadidi – Olympique de Safi (full time 1)
4-0 :)
The Allsvenskan’s the only place to be at this time of year
Osters are new to the Allsvenskan but have both scored and conceded in 3/5 home games so far this season. IFK Goteborg are old hands and both teams have scored in 12 of their last 20 away matches, including each of the most recent three.
Recommended Bet: Back Both Teams to Score @ 1.95 in Osters v IFK Goteborg
Milesey
lol another one i think i need to stay away from this site had a lot to win but btts let me down :(
EVIAN 2 – 3 BORDEAUX
FULL-TIME RESULT
Milesey
FRENCH OPEN TENNIS
———————————-
Day Five of the 2013 French Open was a washout as far as any of my players getting onto court was concerned on a day decimated by rain in Paris.
Rafa Nadal almost poked his head onto court for a moment, but only 17 singles matches were completed across the men’s and ladies championships, leading to another backlog on Friday.
The perpetual drizzle is frustrating for players, fans and punters alike, but at least it gives us a chance to take a look ahead at some of the third round matches that with any luck will be played today.
Out on Court 7 at around 2pm UK time there is what could be a very interesting clash between two big serving types when Milos Raonic takes on Kevin Anderson and I like the chances of the latter as underdog in this one.
Anderson has improved leaps and bounds on clay in the last year or so and in a match that looks highly likely to go to at least four and possibly five sets I wouldn’t have the Canadian as short as 1.7 for this.
Neither man is particularly good on return of serve and I would expect at least one tie break and the 3.5 game start given to Anderson on the handicap might well be pivotal in this match.
Their one previous encounter, which took place at San Jose, where Raonic has never lost a match, ended in a 7-5, 7-6 win for Milos, but I just fancy that this will be even closer, with Anderson +3.5 games at around 1.80 a good bet.
Another favourite, who I feel is too short in the betting is Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who takes on compatriot Jeremy Chardy at around 3pm UK time on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Chardy is one to keep on your side when his confidence is up, as he showed by reaching the last eight in Melbourne with no previous recent form to speak of and although he may not beat Tsonga today he should at least take a set from the number six seed.
Jeremy has the power in his forehand to match Tsonga, as he showed by beating him in their most recent meeting on a hard court Masters 1000 in Toronto last season and in their first encounter on clay I would only have Tsonga as around a 60/40 chance to win this, as opposed to the odds of around 1.27 that he starts today.
It’s worth a lay of the favourite in this one to win 3-0 at around 2.4.
Recommended Bets
Back Anderson 3.5 games to beat Raonic at 1.80
Lay Tsonga to beat Chardy 3-0 at 2.4
Milesey
ATP – SINGLES: Roland Garros
Raonic M. (Can) 0-3 Anderson K. (Rsa)
didn’t need the handicap, as anderson wins 3-0
Anderson win was 7/5
Milesey
Kevin Anderson provided a nice winning bet on Friday, with a straight sets victory over Milos Raonic.
I said yesterday that Raonic was too short at 1.7 and in the end it was comfortable for the big South African, whose game was too big for the Canadian on the day.
Unfortunately, Jeremy Chardy was in wasteful mood and only made a single set competitive against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Robin Haase dropped serve in the final game of his clash with Jerzy Janowicz to foil my handicap bet by that one game.
As for Rafa Nadal, it’s getting to the stage now with Rafa that you have to check the weather forecast at the exact moment he’s about to step on court because it makes such a big difference to the effectiveness of his game on this surface.
Being shunted on at 10am did not please Nadal one bit as he showed in the post-match interview and in cold, damp conditions his forehand is nowhere near as effective and consequently he doubts himself and becomes less aggressive and less of an offensive force.
Klizan was able to push him around and a lack of belief was the main barrier between the Slovakian and a shock win.
The match of the day on Saturday at Roland Garros has to be an eagerly awaited rematch between Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov, with the young upstart looking to back up his victory over the world number one in Madrid.
Conditions here will be a fair bit slower than those prevailing that day in the Spanish capital and it will be fascinating to see if Dimitrov can push Djokovic again in different conditions.
Djokovic may well have been struggling with an ankle problem that day and it has to be noted that Dimitrov is as yet unproven over the longer best of five set format.
The Bulgarian has played just three matches that have gone to five sets in his career and for me his stamina is suspect, but he has what it takes to grab a set and I think that’s all he’ll take from this and the options for my money are to lay Djokovic 3-0 at around 1.7 or back him to win 3-1 at 4.3 for a more expansive wager.
I also like the chances of Tommy Haas and Phillip Kohlschreiber in a double that pays around 1.77 today.
Haas is taking on an exhausted John Isner, who had a five set marathon against fellow countryman Ryan Harrison yesterday and Haas can make it a quickfire American double after beating Jack Sock yesterday.
The only time that Isner has won his next match at a slam after going five sets the previous round was against Louk Sorenson in Melbourne in 2010 and with all due respect to Louk, he’s no Tommy Haas.
I would fancy Tommy for this anyway on clay, but I can’t see Isner lasting the distance on a quick turnaround.
Hanescu has been rather fortunate to get to this stage so easily after both of his opening round opponents retired and particularly in the match with Dmitry Tursunov who was leading when he quit and over five sets I can’t see him beating Kohlschreiber, who himself will be fresh after a walkover in round two.
Recommended Bets
Back Djokovic to beat Dimitrov 3-1 at 4.3
Back Haas and Kohlschreiber in a double at 1.77
Milesey
Danny can u have a look at your emails mate
Treble for cheeky chops cod n chips supper:
Ferencvarosi 6pm
Oster vs IFK Goteborg Over 2.5 6pm
Bordeaux 8pm
4/1 Skybet
well done with the 20/1 horse I should push myself to get into horse racing because I would get plenty of good wins following yourself
Irish Cup First Goal Scorers
James OBrien (Drogheda)@ 5/1
Jason Byrne (Bray) @ 3/1
Pat Hoban (Dundalk) @ 3/1
The Dundalk one is dodgy but good money to be made they are so short and it amazes me that there 3 top men are all 3/1 @ Ladbrokes Hoban is an out and out guess as Mulvenna and Bryne are just as capable at the same price
U recoverd Danny boy anything on for the night mate. U still haven’t sent any pics of the house
there is something wrong with my computer mate not letting me into my documents pictures and not had time to fix it a feel like crap mate and its only 3.0oc sitting with my hood up under the covers not been this cold since last winter I was in Scotland going to my bed the now dont want to be up all night and sleeping all day its gone midnight
I let me know mate when it is fixed been waiting for ages to c some pics. Dodgy cold like that prob cause it’s so hot then just drops like that. Do the heaters not work
Milesay that was close with Bordeaux :)
Nearly had a few heart attacks watchin that game, Evian looked better than I thought, every time the ball went to a winger I was all over the place. That said I thought they deserved the win and just aswell they got it in normal time, not been graced with a last min goal with a big stake like that since Mexico beat Bosnia/Herzegovina in a friendly ages ago:-)
GOLF BLOG
——————
We’re not quite at the halfway stage at the Memorial Tournament, where play has been interrupted a few times because of the threat of thunder and lightning, but over at the Nordea Masters the third round is in full swing.
The Memorial Tournament
-9 Bill Haas – 4.7
-6 Matt Kuchar – 7.0
-6 Charl Schwartzel* – 7.4
-6 Bubba Watson* – 9.2
-6 Kyle Stanley* – 11.0
-5 Scott Stallings* – 34.0
-4 Robert Karlsson – 70.0
-4 Justin Rose* – 14.0
-4 Charlie Wi* – 80.0
(* after name indicates a player who is yet to complete their second round)
With almost 50 players still to complete their second round the picture isn’t quite as clear as it could be at Jack’s Tournament, though perhaps we shouldn’t try to over-complicate matters too much.
All the players listed above who are still to complete their rounds started on the first tee, which means when they do return they won’t have any easy birdie opportunities with the back nine holes playing much tougher than the front nine.
Having said that, if the PGA Tour’s play-by-play is to be believed then Kyle Stanley has a tap-in birdie on 14 to come before playing the relatively easy par 5 15th, while Bubba Watson should have a straightforward up and down from the bunker on 15 to make his birdie.
But don’t be fooled – those birdie opportunities have already been factored into each player’s current odds to win and the mindset should be to assume both Stanley and Watson are on -7, two shots off the lead, with a few holes to play. Of course, it may not work out like that but that’s what you’re banking on if you want to back either of the pair.
At this stage I believe the 4.5 about Bill Haas converting is more than fair. A fast start is usually a huge advantage at Muirfield Village and you don’t get much faster than holding a three-shot clubhouse lead.
Haas came into this tournament on the back of two missed cuts but the 2011 FedEx Cup winner is too good a player to be out of form for long. Prior to those missed cuts he had failed to finish in the top 25 in just two of his previous 10 PGA Tour outings, five of those resulting in top-10 finishes.
This is the first bit of form Haas has shown at Muirfield Village but he looks to be playing well and has a good advantage at this stage. What’s more the field is well spread out – T16 is fully seven shots back – while Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy already look out of contention. It’s an easy course to make bogies, but equally it’s an extremely difficult course to play catch up so Haas is in the ideal position.
Matt Kuchar is in good form and rates the main danger as I see it now. But perhaps it’s best to wait to see how the players finish their second round before getting involved too heavily.
Aa a side note, the third round will be played in 3-balls with players going off the 1st and 10th tees, and it might be an earlier start than usual with more inclement weather forecast for today. A 54-hole tournament will be great news for Haas backers surely?
Recommended Bet
Back Bill Haas @ 4.5
Nordea Masters
-13 Matteo Manassero – 2.22
-11 Mikko Ilonen – 6.4
-10 Peter Whiteford – 23.0
-9 Joost Luiten – 20.0
-8 Pablo Larazzabal – 25.0
-8 Jonas Blixt – 21.0
-8 Alex Noren – 13.0
Superb young Italian Matteo Manassero continues to ride the crest of a wave at Bro Hof Slott and is certainly the man to beat in his current form, but I have to admit that I wouldn’t touch 2.22 about him converting his two-shot lead with stolen money.
Yes, he’s in superb form, he’s young and healthy, and he knows how to win. But it’s never easy to win back-to-back tournaments, and surely a bit of fatigue could well set in over the weekend after his magnificent BMW PGA Championship victory last weekend. He’s easily opposable in my book.
The call is to stage a three-pronged attack here with talented Scandanavians Alex Noren and Jonas Blixt, and flamboyant Spaniard Pablo Larazzabal doing the chasing.
All three are capable of going low on their day and at odds of 6.0 by dutching the trio, I believe that’s a great wager as opposed to the 2.22 about Manassero winning.
Recommended Bet
Dutch Noren, Larrazabal, Blixt @ 6.0
—————————————————–
PRE SELECTIONS
GOLF
——
Memorial Tournament
Tiger Woods @ 3.7
Rickie Fowler @ 70.0
Back Branden Grace @ 190.0
Back Russell Henley @ 300.0 ** LAY @ 45.0 After first round **
—————————–
NORDEA MASTERS
—————
Bernd Wiesberger @ 34.0
Henrik Norlander @ 100.0
Morten Orum Madsen @ 110.0
Milesey
It was a week for punters that like to follow in-form players or third round leaders, with both winners in tip-top form before the off and both holding all at bay after leading with a round to go.
Finland’s Mikko Ilonen, winner of the Nordea Masters, had been placed in last year’s renewal and had come into the event in sterling form and Matt Kuchar, The Memorial winner, had led with a round to go in the previous week’s event – the Crowne Plaza Invitational.
Ilonen was matched for just a few pounds at as high as 85.0 and for decent money at 55.0, but was generally a 38.0 shot before the off, and in the States, Kuchar, went off at 30.0.
My Bets
The result in Sweden was somewhat frustrating, with pre-event pick, Bernd Wiesberger, outscoring everyone over the weekend to finish third, after a far too pedestrian start – he’d trailed by ten strokes at halfway and was ultimately beaten by just four. Still, it could have been more frustrating, last year’s selection in the event, Jonas Blixt, finished second. I wouldn’t have amused had he been the only man to beat this year’s big fancy – he missed the cut twelve months ago when my money was down!
I’ve no complaints about The Memorial Tournament, although I’m still in a confused mild state of shock with regards to Tiger Woods’ performance. he was simply never at the races. In fact, he played his worst nine holes ever during the third round.
He sits out this week’s St Jude Classic and so will line-up at the US Open a week on Thursday on the back of a truly woeful performance. He and his backers will cling to his final run of holes yesterday, when he played the last 13 of the event in four under-par but anyone that’s already loaded up for Merion won’t be overly confident.
What have we learnt for next year?
If the Nordea Masters occupies the same slot in the calendar it will once again follow fast on the heels of the US Open qualifying event at Walton Heath and we’ll again have to decide how much of an affect competing in the two-round event on the Monday before this tournament will have. On the evidence of this year, we’d have to assume none…
Ilonen, having finished tied 12th at the BMW PGA Championship last week, failed by a single stroke to make it to Merion in last Monday’s 36-hole marathon and Wiesberger, Rikard Karlberg and Alex Noren – all placed in Sweden, all played at Walton Heath.
I’d toyed with backing pre-event favourite and past winner, Alex Noren, and I’ll think hard about doing so again next year. He lives only an hour away from Bro Hof Slott Golf Club and his regular visits to the track clearly help.
I’d written in the preview about a possible correlation between Bro Hof Slott and Blackstone, home of the Ballantine’s Championship, and I’m even more convinced by the link after this week. Peter Whiteford traded at heavy odds-on in Korea this year, before losing in a playoff, and although he faded out of contention over the weekend, he shot 63 on Friday morning to hit the front here.
Both this week’s events require a fast start. Ilonen sat in second place at halfway and every winner at Bro Hof Slott has been no worse than second after 36 holes. At Muirfield Village, home of the Memorial Tournament, only two winners in the last 16 years, Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, have been further than four strokes behind after day one.
Kuchar was only the second third round leader to win in six years though, so although being up with the pace is important, being in front with a round to go is not necessarily the best place to be.
Player to follow
The American revolution on the Challenge Tour continued at pace this week when Brooks Koepka won his second event in the space of a month and in some style too. Peter Uihlein came to many people’s attention when he won the co-sanctioned Madeira Islands Open three weeks ago but fellow American, Brooks, could be the man to keep an even closer eye on.
He’d impressed in Italy at the beginning of May when he comfortably won the Montecchia Golf Open, two days after his 23rd birthday, by seven strokes but he won by even further this weekend – strolling to a ten-shot success at the Fred Olsen Challenge de Espana.
Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger will attempt to double-up in his homeland this week at the Lyoness Open and over in the States, as previously mentioned, the US Open warm-up event is the St Jude Classic.
Milesey