OS Beijing 2008 Paralympics Olympics Pekin

With or without Penny Taylor, Opals seem to be too strong and devoted. Smashing against the host nation China 90-56, they prove to be as strong on the field as on the bench seats.

For the Aussies, defense was as good as offense in this game against the dragons that fell into the trap of turnovers 20 times, and 10 stolen balls.

Despite a close 1^st quarter, the 2^nd part made the difference for the kiwi girls, who out-scored China by 14 points (21-7) and seizing control over the rebounded balls (56-34).

Biana Lan’s game high of 20 points led the scoring aside of Belinda Snell for Australia by 16, while Suzy Batkovic had 10 dots and 13 boards. The match’s star was point guard Kristi Harrower whose dynamism, energy and performance (10 pts., 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) motivated the whole team and sending it into a 1 sided game that ended with a score average of 34 points.

Opals’ average scoring is 84.7 per game (ranked 2^nd in Olympics)

China’s average in scoring is 70.01 (ranked 4^th in Olympics)

Despite the 3 points average of China that exceeds the Australian’s middling, the Aussies proved that they deserve moving on into a final battle before wearing the gold medals.

While China can play for a bronze, an achievement that Yao and friends couldn’t do, Kiwis have already guaranteed a medal, but it doesn’t seem enough for them; beating the eagles is Beijing’s primary goal for them.

Penny, who stayed on the bench seats, will be hittig the field against the States of America, on the clash for gold. Australians who had already vanished twice against the USA in Olympics, are betting on changing the records and turn around the odds. I wonder what the sports betting sites have to say about that!!!

For the crowds and TV viewers, 96 minutes of anticipation and mental strain were needed to hear the final whistle and see the winner of this football carnival! As for the players, it was definitely the longest minutes of their lives, thus the greatest feeling ever for the Americans who won again in Olympics, beating Brazil by 1 goal after 6 minutes from the additional period.

The 1^st 30 minute of the match illustrated the intense fear and respect shared among the 2 poles of the game, with 22 ladies fighting for every ball and a crowded defensive area at each side of the field. What started like an American domination was terminated by a parade of skills from Marta and Cristianne, who made the Yankees get into a very stressful 20 minutes. Luckily, the score was 0 to 0 at the break and no damage was made.

USA’s won 3 Football gold medals in 4 Olympics; 2 rewards in a row (Beijing’s2008- Athens2004)

FIFA’s best player of the year, Marta, was closely guarded and insistently double teamed with every ball possession, in order to paralyze the master Samba’s key to success. German policy of bugging Marta was a good placed bet to keep her away from scoring.

Both teams proved to earn a final game, and went into over time; another chance to end the game before the penalty lucky kicks. Extra time is an advantage to the North Americans who proved to have a better physical endurance in the last minutes. Carli Lloyd put the surplus of power and energy into action and stroke Brazil’s web (96th minute) with the most precious goal in Beijing’s Olympics.

Simply, it was gold worthy goal, and that’s all what mattered in fact for the BACK to BACK champions. As for the Samba girls, a nation’s bidding on them to achieve what the men’s team couldn’t do failed again; Beijing’s a disaster for Brazilian football, yet, a paradise for the USA.

The Russian team was playing aggressively, fighting over every ball and leading the game on many occasions all along 3 quarters. Despite a Russian lead over the 1^st quarter and a part of the 2^nd, the final minutes of the 3^rd period were a wake-up call for the Americans who knew that their only way to regain leadership is through a good defensive line up especially that bidding on shooting from long range (area of expertise) wasn’t much of a winning bet.

Out-rebounded Russians were starting to lose grip, while making plenty of turnovers allowing the Basketball jerseys of America to pull out 22 steals!!

Russia’s counting on American’s origin Becky Hammon to lead the score was a badly placed bet;

she scored 3 points with 0 out of 4 from long range.

Maria Stepanova led Russia in scoring with 14 points.

Diana Taurasi made the top of the scoring sheet with 21 points and

9 re

bounds, Tina Thompson hit 15 and 4 boards. Defensively, Silvia Fowles caught 10 recoveries next to Tamika Catchings’ sickly sweet defense.

Becky Hammon who gave up for the strength of Uncle Sam’s defense will face China for a bronze medal; USA moved into the final game against Aussies to play on gold.

A match that’s much anticipated by all fans, sports betting sites and sports news for being an ultimate attraction.

Coach Anne Donovan said that Russia has improved a lot, and that victory is due to the calm nerves. This was a very important introduction

to what the final game will look like against the Opals.

Rainy day in Beijing and a very wet grass to play on, as Japan and Germany play for bronze medal in football. The 1^st half witnessed 4 major Japanese occasions but none of them found the back of the net. Japs clearly bidding on an early opening to struck the Deutschland’s ego turned into a losing bet; German goal keeper, Nadine, made a terrific job in saving all 4 Geishas’ attempts, especially a long range shot and a ball off the line with the help of her defenders. On the break, the score was 0 to 0 as crowds were expecting a different type and style of playing after watching 45 minutes of ball movement in midfield, filled with a lack of ball control and strategies.

The 2^nd half was all about setting the German rules! 3 early substitutes launched the German machine in face of the tired Asians who gave it all in the1^st part. Substitute Fatmire Bajramaj was behind the big bang of the match placing the ball into the red dot’s web in the 67^th minute putting Germany in the lead.

Germany’s medal in Beijing’s games is the 3^rd successive bronze in 3 Olympics

Japan’s trials to equalize came to a complete failure; Bajramaj skillfully scored again in the 87^th minute, killing any Asian’s odds and leaving no room for Japan on the podium. A 2^nd half totally different from the 1^st sent Geishas back home with no medals.

Thriller game joined the dual striped white and blue teams; maybe the most beautiful match in Beijing until now. Sports news will definitely talk a lot about it, while the thriller movie kept Sports betting sites confused about the winner’s identity.

Un-ended until the final seconds, everything was possible, especially an equalizer for Spanioulis whose ball rimmed out in his way to level the game and go into an over time. Unfortunately for the Greek star, Argentina’s efforts paid off in the end, winning by 2 points 80-78.

Ginobily led the game with 24 points, 6 of 13 from long range. Argentina scored 14 out of 32 from long range.

The semi final will place the USA in face of Argentina in a South American derby… although Argentineans’ chance of winning is scrawny, thus they will be determined to give their fans a first class basketball game.

Some are betting on surprises in the game, placing bids over Argentina who is definitely under huge pressure. Playing against the Dream Team is a bit unfair in the semi-finals; they think they deserve to meet in a final game.

Cuban Hernandez is a silver medalist of 2005 world championship, and was too strong for McWilliams in quarter finals (51 kg), out-running and out-scoring him in a 1 sided game by 11 to 2.

In 75 kg category, Emilio Correa (Pan America champion; 2005 world championship bronze medalist) was placed head to head with the claimed best Asian’s games winner Elshod Rasulov. The game was a marathon and demanding on the physical level, where Emilio was proven to be better in a score of 9-7.

2 points are enough to put the Cuban into the semi-finals, while his medal is already guaranteed.

Carlos Gongora couldn’t handle the enthusiasm and the motivation of India’s new hero, who was fighting to get into the national books as the 1^st fighter to earn a medal in boxing.

Elephants country, who was betting on her boxing fighter, was delighted by the victory and the qualification, with its eyes on the semi-final: who knows? Maybe Vijender can affect the sports betting sites again!

Ecuador’s boxer, who was eliminated, clearly expressed his pride in getting so far, and that he’ll be preparing for the next games in 2012.

As for Vijender, whose job is an inspector, reflected all his achievements to his parents’ prayers and to his coach, who in fact, did a pretty nice job.

India’s other hope, Jitender, of bringing another medal back home was gone after his loss against the veteran and experienced Russian Georgy Balakshin whose qualification to the final 4 is his 1^st after being eliminated 4 times in world championships and once in 2004’s games of Athens.

India’s fighters Vijender (75) and Jitender Kumar (51kg) can write history! Since the beginning of Olympics, India has failed to get so far, while those 2 national heroes can hit expectations and roll over the odds. Their bid is on winning matches in quarter finals.

Vijender will face Carlos Gongora from Ecuador in a chance to qualify into the semi-finals.

231 objections and protests about judges, referees and counting techniques have been all turned down in boxing.

Out of 231 complaints, only 3 of them were declared by Chinese fighters or coaches.

In what’s close to become a scandal here in Beijing Olympics, some grapevines and sports news are circling around bribery or pre-set games!

Australia survived for 18 minutes, disallowing the basketball jerseys of America from flying with the game in their pockets. A good and organized defense was crowned by a strong finishing under the basket, with 20 year old Mills on the play making! Opals were magnificent on the ball movement and determined to walk along with the States in scoring. In a pre-game interview, Australians declared that they will the smiles off the Dream team’s faces, a betting that almost came true, but …. It was Kobe Bryant’s show time to start, saving the states from the stress that Uncle Sam was facing with the 2^nd quarter coming to an end.

After the break, Kobe and friends were already warm to start the show, cherishing the crowds is a must, leaving no space for Australians to breath. After missing a lot of free throws and 3 pointers in 1^st part of the match, luck was starting to smile to the Eagles. Kobe leading his Dream team with 25 points was performing the true displays of an MVP sending angry Aussies back home.

US out-rebounded the Opals 57 to 28 of which 9 “second chance” scored from 13 offensive boards.

Australia’s primary bet of embarrassing the States was whooshed far, and so did their plan B, which consisted on keeping the score divergence under the 30 points; a bid that they struggled to achieve: actually it’s too good to be true, and they had 2 losing bets in 1 night!!!

USA’s points’ average for winning is still over 30 points after today’s game

USA will face the winner of the game joining Argentina and Greece in semi-finals, and still has 2 more games to wear gold medals. Basketball tickets are definitely sold out with a Dream team that puts on the flame to the game. For the 1^st time since Athens 2000, bidding on Basketball games hadn’t been that easy!