Prinz sets record as Germany downs Japan

Soccer Betting Lines

09/17/2007 - Hangzhou, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Birgit Prinz became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, scoring her 13th goal as Germany defeated Japan, 2-0, on Monday to wrap up the top spot in Group A.

Prinz's goal was her fourth of this year's tournament and Renate Lingor added her third goal in the closing minutes for Germany.

Germany (2-0-1) finished the group stage unbeaten, outscoring its opponents, 13-0. The defending champions play the second-place team from Group B, likely the United States or North Korea, on Saturday.

Prinz, a three-time FIFA Player of the Year, has scored in all four World Cups she's played in (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007). She was tied with the United States' Michelle Akers for the all-time lead. Akers scored 12 goals in three events, including 10 in 1991.

Japan (1-1-1) had a chance to advance with a win or tie against Germany, but was eliminated with the loss and England's 6-1 win over Argentina.

Germany controlled the pace of the game from the start as Petra Wimbersky had two great scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes, but couldn't finish a pair of one-on-one chances.

Wimbersky was alone in the box for the first time in the fourth minute, but her hard blast was knocked over the bar by Japan goalie Miho Fukumoto. She was alone in the box again in the 20th minute, but again tried to shoot high and had her shot turned away by Fukumoto.

Although Wimbersky failed to finish either chance, a corner off the second miss led to Prinz's record-setting goal.

Lingor swung the corner into the box and it sailed over traffic to Prinz at the far post. Prinz touched the ball down and, from just a few yards, unleashed a shot that skimmed off the head of Japan's Tomoe Sakai and into the roof of the net.

Prinz had a couple more opportunities in the half, shooting wide in the 33rd and having a shot saved by Fukumoto in the 46th minute.

Germany's Sandra Smisek, who had three goals in an 11-0 win over Argentina, hit the frame late in the first half.

Japan was more aggressive after the restart, creating one of its few scoring chances four minutes into the second half off a header. Although Japan was more dangerous, it could never connect enough passes to get any good chances on goal.

Fukumoto came up big for Japan again in the 67th minute when she made a nice save to deny Fatmire Bajramaj on a breakaway.

Germany threatened again in the 76th minute when Prinz found Smisek on the left wing and she crossed to the middle of the box. Wimbersky got under a shot, putting the ball high.

Prinz misfired on another chance in the 79th minute, heading a ball wide of the left post.

Germany finally put the game away in the 87th minute when Lingor converted a penalty kick for her third goal of the tournament.Wimbersky helped set up the chance by passing to Martina Mueller, who was taken down in the box.

Lingor scored easily by getting Fukumoto to dive to the left post and she scored to the left side of the net.

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Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.