Betting Guide [SOCCER – Asian Handicap]: Serie A 2012-13 Fiorentina vs. Juventus

Match Date: September 26, 2012 (Wednesday)
Match Time: 2:45 am (+08:00 GMT)
Venue: Stadio Artemio Franchi (HOME: Fiorentina)

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON (Last Five Matches)
2011-12 Serie A (March 18, 2012)
Fiorentina	0-5	Juventus
2011-12 Serie A (October 26, 2011)
Fiorentina	1-2	Juventus
2010-11 Serie A (April 17, 2011)
Fiorentina	0-0	Juventus
2010-11 Serie A (November 28, 2010)
Fiorentina	1-1	Juventus
2010 Club Friendly (May 26, 2010)
Fiorentina	1-0	Juventus

Fiorentina will play host to Scudetto winners Juventus on Wednesday, September 26. In their last five fixtures, Fiorentina won once, Juventus won twice and both teams drew twice.

12BET Asian Handicap: 0-0.5 (0.25) for Fiorentina

At 12BET.com, Fiorentina has a handicap of 0-0.5 (0.25). They are playign against tough oponnent side Juventus, who were league champions last season and unbeaten in 42 straight Serie A games. Refer to the betting guide tables below before you pick your bet.

EXAMPLE 1: BET MYR 100 ON FIORENTINA

REAL GAME RESULT	RESULT WITH HANDICAP	HOME (Fiorentina)	AWAY (Juventus)	COMMENTS:
HEADSTART	HEADSTART	0-0.5 (0.25)	0	Fiorentina has a 0-0.5 (0.25)-goal handicap
0-0, 1-1, 2-2 (ALL DRAWS)	0.25-0, 1.25-1, 2.25-2 (+0.25 for HOME)	+100%	-100%	Fiorentina “wins” by 0.25 goals, WIN MYR 214.00
1-0	1.25-0	+100%	-100%	Fiorentina “wins” by 1.2 5 goals, WIN MYR 214.00
0-1	0.25-1	-100%	+100%	Juventus “wins” by 0.75 goals, LOSE MYR 100.00
0-2	0.25-2	-100%	+100%	Juventus “wins” by 1.75 goals, LOSE MYR 100.00

EXAMPLE 2: BET MYR 100 ON JUVENTUS

REAL GAME RESULT	RESULT WITH HANDICAP	HOME (Fiorentina)	AWAY (Juventus)	COMMENTS:
HEADSTART	HEADSTART	0-0.5 (0.25)	0	Fiorentina has a 0-0.5 (0.25)-goal handicap
0-0, 1-1, 2-2 (ALL DRAWS)	0.25-0, 1.25-1, 2.25-2 (+0.25 for HOME)	+100%	-100%	Fiorentina “wins” by 0.25 goals, LOSE MYR 100.00
1-0	1.25-0	+100%	-100%	Fiorentina “wins” by 1.2 5 goals, LOSE MYR 100.00
0-1	0.25-1	-100%	+100%	Juventus “wins” by 0.75 goals, WIN MYR 180.00
0-2	0.25-2	-100%	+100%	Juventus “wins” by 1.75 goals, WIN MYR 180.00

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Photo credits:

Fiorentina vs. Juventus [Photograph]. (2012). Retrieved 24 September 2012, from < http://www.sundul.com/review/prediksi-rayo-vallecano-vs-real-madrid-2012-2013/#axzz27LkR6iHV >

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Arsenal Needs Olivier Giroud to Step Up

Last season, Olivier Giroud netted a haul of 21 goals in Ligue 1. That was the joint highest scoring total in the top French league, and his goals, along with nine assists on the season, helped fire Montpellier to their maiden French title. The 25 year old Giroud will be the centre of attention on Tuesday night, as his new club Arsenal head across the English Channel to face his former club on the opening night of this season’s Champions League group matches.

Giroud has yet to open his account for Arsenal in the Premier League, but he was drafted in over the summer, along with German international Lukas Podolski to offer Arsenal something extra up front. The young Frenchman was deemed to be cover for established Gunners striker Robin van Persie, but with the exit of the Dutchman to Manchester United in the summer, Olivier Giroud has found himself having to deal with the weight of expectation upon his shoulders. It is a pressure which has has yet to handle in the Premier League, and was resigned to the substitutes bench for Arsenal’s league match against Southampton on the weekend.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted that there is pressure on Giroud to find the back of the net for the first time in an Arsenal shirt. Giroud looks to be struggling, even when coming off the bench as Arsenal romped to a 6-1 victory over the Saints on the weekend, the Frenchman could not make any impact in the game. The player himself has said that he will never forget the beautiful season which he had last season with Montpellier, but in facing his former club, all sentimentality must go out of the window.

Arsenal head to the Stade de la Mosson on Tuesday night, the team out of the two, in better form. Arsenal have looked a better and better side every time they have stepped out onto the pitch this season, and with their new forward line starting to click, and having conceded just one goal in their opening four matches, they could be a force to be reckoned with, with or without Giroud. Arsene Wenger wants to relieve some of the pressure on the French striker, and being back in familiar surroundings, and wanting to relive some of the good times that the had there, could break the forward out of his shell.

But will Wenger risk him? Giroud will know the Montpellier side well, and that could be a big advantage for Arsenal. Arsenal will face a Montpellier side from which comparisons can be drawn to Giroud. After hitting such remarkable heights last season, the defending Champions are looking like a team under pressure. The standards they set last season have not been hit so far, suffering three defeats and recording just one win in their opening five matches of the season. The Montpellier defence looks vulnerable at the moment and coach Rene Girard has a lot of holes to fix back there. The French side look short on confidence and host Arsenal on the back of another league defeat on the weekend. Therefore, this should be a game which Premier League side Arsenal, and Giroud, given a chance, cash in on.

This will be the first time that the two sides have met in a competitive match. Arsenal have never lost an away fixture against a Ligue 1 side, picking up five wins and three draws in their eight visits to France. However, the Gunners don’t’ have a great away record. When they beat Marseille in last season’s Champions League group stage, that was only their second win in 12 European away matches. However, they look the stronger of the two sides at the moment and whether he gets on to the pitch or not, Olivier Giroud should come away from Montpellier a happy man.

article source:http://www.opposingviews.com/i/sports/soccer/what-exactly-arsenal-expecting-olivier-giroud

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Soccer-PSG not among Champions League favourites, says Ancelotti

PARIS, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain made quite an impression in a 4-1 demolition of Dynamo Kiev in their Champions League Group A opener on Tuesday but coach Carlo Ancelotti rubbished talk his team could win the competition.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Alex and Javier Pastore all scored as the Qatar-backed French club swept past Dynamo but according to Ancelotti, big spenders PSG need to keep their feet on the ground.

"We are not the favourites. We need to stay focused. Our goal is to go through the group stage," the Italian told a news conference.

"We still have five matches to play. It was a very good start but it's just three points."

However, there was slightly more than three points to remember from PSG's performance on an electric night at the Parc des Princes.

"We had already been playing very well against Lille and Toulouse (in previous Ligue 1 matches) but tonight there were very good combinations between the forwards," Ancelotti explained.

"(Jeremy) Menez was key, because he opened up space for Ibrahimovic and Pastore. And our three midfielders (Blaise Matuidi, Clement Chantome and Marco Verratti) did a fantastic job."

Verratti shone the most, showing great aggressiveness as well as an eye for the perfect pass.

"We got more than a result tonight. We produced a great performance and it's good for the atmosphere (at the club)," added Ancelotti.

Having spent over 100 million euros ($130.56 million) on transfers during the close season, and over 200 million euros since they were taken over by Qatar investors, PSG may now have what it takes to target both the Champions League and Ligue 1 having not won the French league since 1994.

They somehow lost last term's title race to modest Montpellier but a return to the Champions League has been much anticipated among fans.

Such are PSG's riches in the squad that Ancelotti could rest some of his defenders at the weekend despite Thiago Silva and Alex both scoring and looking solid on Tuesday.

With Mamadou Sakho possibly back from injury on Saturday, the France centre back could start at Bastia.

"I may make some changes so some players can rest a little," said Ancelotti. ($1 = 0.7660 euros) 

article source: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-psg-not-among-champions-league-favourites-says-220652129--sow.html

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RPT-UPDATE 3-Soccer-Arsenal recover to ruin Montpellier's debut

(adds dropped R to slugline, no change to text)

* Arsenal recover to chalk up opening victory

* Podolski and Gervinho on target for visitors

* Audacious Belhanda penalty not enough for debutants

MONTPELLIER, France, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Arsenal recovered from an early setback and the absence of manager Arsene Wenger from the dugout to ruin Montpellier's Champions League debut with a 2-1 victory in their opening Group B match on Tuesday.

With all eyes on former Montpellier favourite Olivier Giroud, returning to his old club just months after firing them to the title, goals from Lukas Podolski and Gervinho cancelled out Younes Belhanda's early penalty to earn Arsenal the points as they began a 15th straight season in the Champions League.

Montpellier battled desperately for an equaliser after the break but Arsenal survived to maintain their record of never having lost a European tie against French opposition in France.

"It was great to score again. I like these situations, it was a great pass by Olivier (Giroud) and I feel good in those moments," Podolski said.

"We played well in the first half but not so good in the second. But we got the three points and that is important. We know we can improve."

Montpellier coach Rene Girard told reporters: "We can have a lot of regrets because the match was almost over in two minutes for us. You cannot be happy when you lose but I think we bothered them like they rarely are."

It had all started so well for Montpellier.

There were just nine minutes on the clock when Thomas Vermaelen was adjudged to have fouled Belhanda on the edge of the area and the Moroccan got up to chip his spot kick past Arsenal keeper Vito Mannone.

The raucous crowd loved it, but they were silenced after 16 minutes when Giroud demonstrated just why Arsenal had sought his signature, supplying a neat flick for Podolski to beat home keeper Geoffrey Jourdren.

Two minutes later Arsenal struck again. Carl Jenkinson's low cross into the area was seized upon by Gervinho who guided the ball into the net from close range.

The double blow knocked the stuffing out of Montpellier as Arsenal settled into their possession game although Remi Cabella did force Mannone into one fingertip save before the break.

Arsenal were forced to show defensive resilience in the second half as Montpellier chased the equaliser.

ANXIOUS MOMENTS

There were some anxious moments for Wenger, watching from high in the stands as he begins a three-match European ban for his behaviour towards match officials after Arsenal's exit against Milan last season.

Cabella's fine lob come back off the woodwork while Belhanda found himself in front of goal with 10 minutes left but only managed to fire his shot straight at Mannone.

Apart from his assist, Giroud was fairly quiet against his old club and was substituted with 20 minutes remaining, leaving the field to a warm ovation from the home fans.

"I'm happy with the match. I think I was decisive setting up Podolski's goal, so i'm satisfied," Giroud told reporters.

Arsenal assistant manager Steve Bould, thrust into the limelight for the night, said the tiring Gunners rode their luck a little after the break but did a "team job".

"We looked a little bit tired in the second half. It was tough. It is quite an intimidating place to come and play so we're glad to get the result," he told reporters.

Bould will also be on duty at pitch-side next week when Arsenal, who have not lost on the opening day of the Champions League since 2003, host Olympiakos Piraeus while Montpellier visit Schalke 04 who started with a 2-1 win over the Greek side. (Reporting by Gregory Blachier; Editing by Martyn Herman)

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Marseille beats Nancy 1-0 to stay top of league

PARIS (AP) — French leader Marseille won 1-0 away to Nancy on Sunday to maintain its perfect start to the season, with forward Jordan Ayew scoring in the second half after heading in a pass from his older brother.

Photo: AP Lyon's Bafe Gomis reacts during their French League One soccer match against Ajaccio at Gerland stadium, in Lyon, central France, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012.

 Marseille, which was in disarray at the end of last season and sold two key players in the summer, totally dominated as it recorded a fifth straight win to stay two points clear of second-place Lyon. "There's a lot of determination in our squad, we're all working for one another," coach Elie Baup said. "I think the victory is deserved, we should have been two or three goals up at halftime."

Striker Andre-Pierre Gignac had four chances to score in the first half, but was denied three times because of fine saves by goalkeeper Guy Ndy Assembe. "To go into the break at 0-0 was a miracle," Nancy defender Sebastien Puygrenier said. "They are really good, and Gignac is unstoppable at the moment."

Marseille got a deserved breakthrough in the 53rd minute when Ayew met a cross from Andre Ayew, and his bullet header gave Ndy Assembe no chance. "We really played well as a unit and there is a real team spirit in this team," Jordan Ayew said.

Although Marseille was in total control, goalie Steve Mandanda made a great save in the 61st to keep out Yohan Mollo's curling free kick. Earlier, Lyon kept the pressure on Marseille after beating Ajaccio 2-0 on Sunday, thanks to goals from center half Dejan Lovren and striker Lisandro Lopez.

Lyon took the lead in the 25th when Lovren rose above goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa and headed home Clement Grenier's corner. "Thirteen points out of 15 is good, even though three of our games have been at home," Lyon coach Remi Garde said. "We had an awful lot of possession and it was difficult to get the ball in behind a massed defence of a team."

Lyon's next two matches, against Bordeaux and Lille, will offer a bigger test of the club's title credentials. Ochoa then kept Ajaccio in the game, saving Grenier's clever chip and making a brilliant point-blank stop from striker Bafetimbi Gomis' diving header.

But after midfielder Ricardo Faty hit the post for Ajaccio, the visitors fell further behind in the 74th when Lopez ran onto veteran midfielder Steed Malbranque's pass and hit a low shot that gave Ochoa no chance.

Romania forward Adrian Mutu, who joined Ajaccio from Cesena, made his debut for the Corsican side and was soon booked for a reckless challenge on Malbranque. "Mutu came on and did what I expected of him," Ajaccio coach Alex Dupont said. "He's an asset for this side and will give us options."

Lorient held on with nine players to win 2-1 at Rennes and climbed up to third place. Lorient had a player sent off in each half, but withstood late pressure from Rennes as Alain Traore scored two superb goals.

Traore gave Lorient the lead in the 23rd minute when Rennes lost the ball outside the penalty area, and he curled it over the head of goalkeeper Benoit Costil from 25 meters. He again gave Costil no chance with a thumping free kick 30 meters out into the top corner shortly before halftime.

"Traore scored two goals that were out of this world," Rennes coach Frederic Antonetti said. "But we could have come back into the game if we'd played more simply." Rennes, which was a contender for a Europa League spot last season, has already lost four games and is now in the relegation zone.

"We're deep in trouble, I didn't think our season would start in such a difficult way," Antonetti said. Right back Maxime Baca and goalkeeper Fabien Audard were sent off, both for fouls on Jonathan Pitroipa, who pulled a goal back in the 71st.

 article source: http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/1566156-marseille-beats-nancy-1-0-to-stay-top-league.html#.1258-stage-set1-2

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Marseille beats Rennes 3-1 to stay top of league

Andre-Pierre Gignac – Photo: AP

PARIS (AP) — Andre-Pierre Gignac maintained his fine form while playign against tough oponnent and scored another crucial goal as Marseille beat Rennes 3-1 on Sunday to return to the top of the French league, while big-spending Paris Saint-Germain won its first match with a 2-1 victory at Lille.

PSG needed two goals from star signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the first after just 27 seconds, and it was welcome relief for under-pressure coach Carlo Ancelotti following three straight draws. Ibrahimovic is the league's top scorer with four goals, one more than Gignac.

Mocked by critics last year for his lack of fitness and excess weight, Gignac has bounced back with a vengeance this season. He scored the winning goal away to Montpellier in the last round and he also set up the opening goal for right back Jeremy Morel on Sunday as Marseille extended its perfect record.

"He has got himself into good shape," Marseille coach Elie Baup said. "He is very motivated and is showing signs of confidence." Marseille, which has been selling players in a bid to stave off mounting debts, has 12 points from four games — two more than Lyon.

"We feel that we have a real collective strength this year. It's always easier when it's like that," Morel told television channel BeIn Sport. "We wanted to start the season in the best way possible. If we carry on like this, I think that will do us."

With the match poised at 1-1, Gignac struck in the 84th minute with a stunning strike into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area after Rennes had failed to properly clear the ball. "It was a top-class goal. I hope he continues to keep scoring," Baup said. "He tries shots like that in training. It was a great goal but it doesn't surprise me because I know he can put them away."

Marseille took the lead in the 35th when Gignac got behind the Rennes defense and his cross was turned in by Morel. Rennes equalized in the 57th, winger Julien Feret running onto Mevlut Erding's pass and shooting firmly past goalkeeper Steve Mandanda from close range.

Marseille sealed the win deep into injury time through Rennes right back Romain Danze's own goal. For PSG, Ibrahimovic struck early on after being set up by winger Jeremy Menez. It was not the quickest goal in the French top flight, however, as Michel Rio scored for Caen after just eight seconds in 1993.

Central defender Aurelien Chedjou equalized for Lille in the 12th minute when he headed in Marvin Martin's corner. Ibrahimovic, who scored two goals on his PSG debut at home to Lorient, restored PSG's advantage after latching onto a fine pass from playmaker Javier Pastore and clipping the ball over goalkeeper Mickael Landreau in the 21st.

Ibrahimovic almost completed a first-half hat trick but headed just over from Christophe Jallet's cross in the 30th. Salomon Kalou came on for Lille after the break and he went close in the 75th, but PSG held on.

Earlier, Bordeaux missed the chance to move level with Lyon in second place when it was held to a 1-1 draw by Nice. Bordeaux had defender Ludovic Sane sent off midway through the second half but the hosts took the lead in the 86th minute through forward Henri Saivet. That looked to be enough until midfielder Mahamane Traore equalized for Nice in the second minute of stoppage time.

Fourth-place Bordeaux, which has qualified for the Europa League group stage, is unbeaten and has eight points. "We started badly with a player sent off and we were playing our fifth match in 15 days," Bordeaux coach Francis Gillot said. "We paid for that today."

Article Source: http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/1535410-marseille-beats-rennes-3-1-to-stay-top-league.html#.1258-stage-set1-3

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