Union hopes to halt Toronto's unbeaten run

Soccer Betting Lines

07/16/2010 - Chester, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto FC will be trying to extend its unbeaten streak to nine games on Saturday when they visit PPL Park to face the Philadelphia Union.

Toronto recorded a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids last time out with a second-half goal from Fuad Ibrahim, but the young striker will have some more competition for playing time with both Maicon Santos and Mista in the fold.

Santos was picked up from Chivas USA just a few days before the Colorado match, and after looking good in a substitute appearance, he should have head coach Preki considering him for a starting spot.

Mista signed prior to the arrival of Santos, but the 31-year-old had to wait until after July 15 to be eligible because of international transfer rules.

He brings with him a wealth of experience from La Liga, where he played for Real Madrid, Valencia and Deportivo, but Preki has said he will most likely start the game on the bench.

"We will see how the game goes. We have been working on his fitness and he has been trying to push himself," the boss told mlssoccer.com. "I think he is coming along nicely. Are we going to start him? Most likely not. Is he going to see some minutes? Probably he will, but how much he plays will depend on the match."

TFC enters the game in third place in the Eastern Conference table, four points back of second-place Red Bull New York, while the Union will be trying to work its way off the bottom of table in the East.

The Union lost a 2-1 contest to the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend as they conceded a stoppage-time winner to Arturo Alvarez, leaving goalkeeper Chris Seitz to wonder how something like that happens.

"I do not know if people are turning off or what it is," Seitz told mlssoccer.com. "Obviously, in the 90th minute we're not a team at home that's going to push for a tie."

Philadelphia has lost three of its last five games, but the club is playing the second of four successive games at home, where they have earned seven points from four games this season.

Toronto has been in a good run of form lately, but they have won only once in six games away from home.

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Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.