Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Augsburg: Bundesliga champions make history with unbeaten season

Bayer Leverkusen became the first team in Bundesliga history to complete a full season unbeaten after beating Augsburg 2-1 on the final day.

Xabi Alonso s treble-chasing team also stretched their European record unbeaten run across all competitions this season to 51 matches.

Victor Boniface intercepted a ball from Augsburg keeper Tomas Koubek to tap in for the lead in the 12th minute before Robert Andrich, part of Germany s Euro 2024 preliminary squad, doubled the advantage from close range.

Augsburg cut the deficit when Mert Komur scored just after the hour.

Leverkusen captain Lukas Hradecky made a smart stop to maintain Leverkusen s clean sheet, as the Bundesliga champions held on to make history.

Alonso s team, who face Atalanta in the Europa L…

UEFA has no plans to move Euro 2020 semi-finals and final from Wembley

UEFA insists there are no plans to move the Euro 2020 semi-finals and final away from Wembley.

England s national stadium is due to host five knockout matches, but UEFA confirmed last week there is a contingency plan in place should overseas supporters be forced to quarantine for 10 days in line with coronavirus protocols in the United Kingdom.

Cases of COVID-19 have been increasing in recent weeks in the UK, fuelled by the Delta variant first identified in India, with a further 10,633 positive tests on Monday.

Recent reports suggested UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was prepared to move the semi-finals and final to Budapest, while Italian prime minister Mario Draghi has called for the prestige fixtures to be played elsewhere, with Rome touted as another alte…

San Jose Earthquakes v Real Salt Lake: Russell targets strong finish at home

Ian Russell says San Jose Earthquakes are determined to get a positive result in their final home game as they welcome Real Salt Lake to PayPal Park in MLS.

San Jose are looking to finish a disappointing season strongly and snapped a five-game winless streak with their 3-2 win over FC Dallas in midweek.

No matter the results in their final two matches, they will finish bottom of the Western Conference, but Russell is determined to give the fans something to celebrate before the end of the season.

We want to finish the season strong; we know it s not been a great year, Russell said.

We re not hiding from that, and we want to give the fans something to be happy about in this last home game.

I can tell you that they will work hard and try to get t…

Euro 2008: Low needs to make changes

Germany have reliquinshed Euro 2008 favouritism after their 2-1 defeat to Group B winners Croatia and Joachim Low will have to make major changes if they re to have serious ambitions on lifting the trophy.

The pre-tournament favourites, who are now of 7 to win it, can still reach the quarter-finals with a draw against co-hosts Austria on Monday, but Low needs to switch his personnel or formation or even both once the knock-out phase arrives.

The Germans were beaten by a harder working and more creative Croatia outfit on Thursday and Low must address his team s failings ahead of a likely meeting with Portugal in the quarter-finals.

Low will have to alter a midfield who too often allowed Croatia players to run beyond them leaving Torsten F…

Dyche hails ´mixed football´ as Burnley eclipse 2016-17 away points total with Everton win

Sean Dyche says Burnley s increased ability to mix up their tactics has led to improved away results after a 1-0 win at Everton on Sunday saw his side move up to sixth in the Premier League.

Dyche s men have taken eight points from testing trips to Stamford Bridge, Wembley, Anfield and Goodison Park this season, collecting two wins and two draws against four of last season s top-seven sides, topping last season s points total on the road already.

Often pegged as long-ball spoilers, Burnley have demonstrated greater flexibility in their style this season and Jeff Hendrick scored the only goal against Everton, finishing off a flowing 24-pass move midway through the first half.

Although the hosts dominated possession in the second half and recorded 23 shots to Burnl…

2008/09 Premier League Predictions: Places 1-10 (Part II)

1 Chelsea

Having lost the Champions League Final on penalties and been pipped to the Premiership title by just two points, Chelsea were the ultimate bridesmaid last season.
After a summer to lick their wounds, the Blues will come back stronger in 08/09.

With Luiz Felipe Scolari now at the helm and having captured Deco and Jose Bosingwa this summer, Chelsea have what it takes to beat United to the league title this time around.

The Stamford Bridge club have achieved a massive victory in maintaining Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, even if its only for another year. Time in which to win a league title.

2 Manchester United

United are likely to be without Ronaldo for August and September, meaning their star winger will miss trips to Liverpool (13 …

Week 16 NFL Parlay Picks: Chiefs Put Steelers in Early Hole

This bizarre and altered NFL week has been great thus far, jammed with daily football action and tons of betting opportunities. The action doesn’t slow down anytime soon, with 15 games scheduled from Saturday through Monday. 

Amid much pandemic uncertainty, here’s a look at my favorite spreads player props and totals I’ll be targeting in Week 16.

Dak Prescott Thanksgiving Day Spotlight: Player Props for New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys

The New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys are always good for a game with juicy storylines, and this Thanksgiving Day matchup is like a perfectly-cooked turkey. 

The Giants are 7-3 but just took arguably their worst loss of the season to the Detroit Lions. Meanwhile, the Cowboys are fresh off perhaps the most impressive win by any team this year, a 40-3 thumping of the Minnesota Vikings on the road. Odell Beckham Jr. is apparently interested in signing with both teams — perhaps this game will be an audition for his services.

This holiday affair is must-see TV, and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott goes a long way in making that so. But I’m a bit bearish as to just how much he’ll stuff the stat sheet in this one, and my prop wagering stra…

Lions vs Vikings Odds, Picks, and Predictions Week 16: Lions Maul Vikings

The Detroit Lions head to U.S. Bank Stadium for an NFC North clash against the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Eve. The Lions are atop the division standings with a 10-4 record while the 7-7 Vikings can’t afford to keep losing if they want to stay in the playoff picture.

NFL odds opened with the Lions as 3-point road favorites with the Over/Under at 47 for this Week 16 showdown. Here are my best free NFL picks and predictions for Lions vs. Vikings on Sunday, December 24. 

Lions vs Vikings odds

Lions vs Vikings predictions

The Detroit Lions offense has been a well-oiled machine and while they have occasionally struggled outdoors (especially in cold or windy conditions), they’ve excelled indoors on turf.…

American Gaming Association Projects $35 Billion To Be Wagered During 2024 NFL Season

The American Gambling Association (AGA) announced Tuesday it expects $35 billion to be bet on the NFL through legal sportsbooks during the 2024 season, which would easily surpass 2023’s total of $26.7 billion. 

The U.S. gambling industry trade group cites the expansion of legal sports betting to North Carolina, Vermont, and Maine and continued market maturation as the driving forces behind its projection, which would make this the most wagered NFL season since PASPA was overturned in 2018. 

This is the first time the AGA has listed an NFL betting projection before a season, which gets underway Thursday when the Baltimore Ravens visit the Kansas City Chiefs.