Sinclair double leads Canada over Ghana

Soccer Betting Lines

09/15/2007 - Hangzhou, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Christine Sinclair scored two goals to lead Canada to a comfortable 4-0 win over Ghana in Group C action on Saturday.

Sophie Schmidt and Martina Franko also found the net for the Canadians, who control their own destiny heading into the final group stage match against Australia on Wednesday.

Ghana, meanwhile, has lost its first two games by a combined score of 8-1, and is all but eliminated before the knockout round for the third consecutive World Cup.

After struggling offensively against Australia in its opener, Ghana got off to a better start against the Canadians, earning two free kicks in the opening 10 minutes from dangerous spots. Although both shots failed to hit the target, it was a sign from Ghana that it was ready to play.

Canada started slow, but picked up the pace 13 minutes into the contest. The first opportunity was created by Sinclair, who was played down the left flank and crossed a ball to the top of the six-yard box for Katie Thorlakson. The striker got her head to the ball but she turned it over the net.

Three minutes later, Sinclair was on the receiving end of a cross from Kara Lang and she did not fail with her finish. Lang lobbed the cross from the right to the back post. It started to drift over the head of Sinclair, but she faded back and got her head to the ball, knocking it over the keeper and across the goal line.

Ghana came to life right before the break and had two good chances to pull even. A left-footed shot from just outside the box by Memuna Darku whistled just over the crossbar.

Moments later Anita Amankwa should have put away Ghana's opening goal but was denied by the crossbar. Some nice work on the right allowed Rumanatu Tahiru to beat her defender and carry the ball into the box. She fired a shot toward goal that was redirected on target by Amankwa from a few yards out. However, with an open net staring her in the face, Amankwa's shot slammed off the crossbar.

Ghana keeper Memunatu Sulemana was called into action early in the second half when Sinclair put a header on target from close range, forcing a nice reaction stop by the keeper.

The Black Queens continued to look for the equalizer and Gloria Foriwa put a diving header on goal that was stopped comfortably by the keeper.

However, the Ghana defense once again allowed space for the Canadian attack, giving Lang room to fire a shot from the top left corner of the box. The keeper did well to tip the shot over the net, but Canada doubled its lead on the ensuing corner kick.

Kristina Kiss swung the cross into the area and Sinclair got her head to the ball, sending it on goal. The ball was headed off the line by a Ghana defender, but it went right to Schmidt, who put a shot on target with her head. Ghana's Hamdya Abass was positioned on the goal line and tried to clear the ball with her head, but it hit the bottom of the crossbar and settled into the back of the net.

Sinclair then put the result out of reach in the 62nd minute after some good work by Lang. Jodi-Ann Robinson slid a pass into the box behind the defense, forcing Sulemana to come off her line. Lang beat the keeper to the ball and touched it toward the end line. She pulled it back and found Sinclair with a pass, and the Canadian captain knocked home her second goal of the match to make it 3-0.

Another corner kick produced the fourth goal for Canada, with Kiss bending a cross into the six-yard box that was a little too close to the keeper. Sulemana got her hands to the ball but she could not hold it, which allowed Franko to get under the ball and head it into the net from a few yards out.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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