Udinese deals Juventus first loss of season

Soccer Betting Lines

09/16/2007 - Turin, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Udinese gave Juventus its first loss of the season on Sunday at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino as Antonio Di Natale scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win.

It was a nice way to rebound from a 5-0 loss to promoted side Napoli last time out, although the hosts were unlucky to come away with nothing after Alessandro Del Piero was denied by the woodwork on two occasions, including one in stoppage time.

Roma is now the only perfect team in Serie A after securing a 2-0 victory against Reggina on Sunday.

The first half was positive for Juventus, and the hosts were able to create a couple of chances throughout the opening 45 minutes.

The first came when David Trezeguet sent a header just wide from eight yards out, and then Del Piero was given a pair of opportunities to put Juve on the board.

Pavel Nedved lobbed a short pass over the defense and into the box for Del Piero, who beat keeper Samir Handanovic to the ball and chipped a shot over the sliding netminder. However, the ball sailed over the crossbar.

In the 32nd minute, Del Piero was unlucky not to put the home side ahead from a free kick. He sent a dipping shot over the wall that left the keeper standing, but luckily for Handanovic, he watched the ball slam off the left post.

Gyan Asamoah had the two best chances for Udinese in the opening half, but both times he failed to hit the target from inside the box after getting into good positions.

Less than two minutes into the second half, the visitors moved in front. Gokhan Inler did well to hold off a defender inside the box and play a one- touch ball to Di Natale, who headed past keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Nedved created a chance for himself in the 59th minute, cutting the ball back on the left inside the box, but firing a poor shot well wide.

Asamoah nearly doubled the lead for Udinese minutes later when his half-volley from the right smacked off the inside of the near post, but Juventus came right back with another dangerous Del Piero free kick. The Juve captain came close again after curling his shot around the wall but up and over the net.

With the final whistle just minutes away, Udinese once again dodged a bullet from a Del Piero free kick. The Italian international cracked his shot past the wall but it struck the bottom of the crossbar and bounced down inches from the goal line.

In other Serie A play on Sunday, Riccardo Zampagna scored in the 86th minute to give Atalanta a 2-2 draw with Fiorentina, Genoa and Livorno shared the points in 1-1 fashion, Inter Milan recorded a 2-0 victory over Catania Calcio and Napoli won its second straight game by beating Sampdoria 2-0. Torino played to a draw in its third consecutive match by finishing 1-1 with Palermo and Parma tied Cagliari 1-1.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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