Hearts hands Rangers first defeat of season

Soccer Betting Lines

09/15/2007 - Edinburgh, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hearts entered its contest with Rangers on Saturday having won just one of its first five games this season. However, the Edinburgh club stunned the previously unbeaten Glasgow side 4-2 at Tynecastle Stadium.

Rangers had gone a perfect 5-0 to start the campaign, but were not prepared for the effort that the home team put forward. Andrew Driver and Ibrahim Tall had the home side ahead 2-0 after 27 minutes, and after Daniel Cousin converted from the penalty spot for Rangers shortly after the break, Hearts answered back with two goals of its own.

Michael Stewart made the most of his spot kick, and Kestutis Ivaskevicius scored four minutes later to give Hearts a commanding 4-1 lead.

DaMarcus Beasley scored in the 74th minute to bring Rangers to within two goals, but another win was never in the cards for Rangers on this day, and they dropped their first points all season.

Marius Zaliukas tried to find Andrius Ksanavicius with a pass inside the box. However, defender Carlos Cuellar poked the ball away. It ended up on the foot of Driver, and he cracked a shot towards goal that took a deflection off Alan Hutton and found the net.

Tall then doubled the lead for Hearts when he picked up a loose ball 20 yards from goal and smashed it past keeper Allan McGregor.

Barry Ferguson earned a penalty kick for Rangers shortly after halftime, and Cousin converted to tighten things up.

However, Hutton's day got worse as he was whistled for a foul inside the area on Ivaskevicius. Stewart then struck the penalty low into the right corner to restore the two-goal edge for Hearts.

Ivaskevicius put it out of reach four minutes later, and Beasley continued his good start to the season by pulling one back for Rangers in the 74th.

In other action in Scotland on Saturday, Celtic took over the top spot in Scotland with a 5-0 pounding of Inverness, Motherwell stopped Aberdeen 2-1 at Pittodrie Stadium, Kilmarnock held off Gretna 2-1 and Falkirk and Hibernian split the points in 1-1 fashion.

The league will finish up on Sunday as St Mirren will try to move to .500 with a victory over fourth-place Dundee United.

Wwwone-and-only Soccer Betting News

<< Mariners continue set with Devil Rays
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive this evening when they continue a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Safeco Field. Seattle won in dramatic fashion in the second game of this s

<< Angels resume set with White Sox hoping to keep Thome in the yard
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago slugger Jim Thome will attempt to become the 23rd player in major league history to reach the 500 home run mark this afternoon when the White Sox resume their three-game series with the visiting Los Angeles Angels of

<< Bazardo set for first start as Tigers battle Twins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In the midst of a playoff chase, Yorman Bazardo will make his first major league start for the Detroit Tigers this evening when they resume their three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome. Bazardo takes t

<< Winning bids announced on historic Bonds home run balls
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -Barry Bonds' record-breaking 756th home run ball was auctioned Saturday for $752,467, well more than the estimates by memorabilia experts.Home run No. 755, the ball that tied the record, went for $186,750, including the bid and f

<< Rhodes has late comeback in 10-7 victory over Birmingham-Southern
HOOVER, Ala. (AP) -Chris Catalanotto kicked a 31-yard field goal with 22 seconds left to play to give Rhodes College the lead in their 10-7 come-from-behind victory over Birmingham-Southern on Saturday.Rhodes (2-0 Southern Collegiate Athletic Confer

Klose strikes again as Bayern ties Schalke >>
Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miroslav Klose ended a long scoring drought against Schalke, scoring his fourth goal of the season to give Bayern Munich a 1-1 tie in a battle of unbeatens on Saturday. Klose hadn't scored against Schalke s

Always A Virgin tops Little Brown Jug field >>
Delaware, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cane Pace winner Always A Virgin heads a field of 16 for Thursday's $480,000 Little Brown Jug at the Delaware, OH County Fair. Two elimination races, each worth $78,000, will contested. Always A Virgin h

Bjorn joins Hansen in lead at Mercedes Benz >>
Cologne, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thomas Bjorn fired a six-under 66 on Saturday to join fellow Dane Soren Hansen in the lead after three rounds of the Mercedes Benz Championship. Hansen, the overnight leader, bogeyed his last thr

Europe leads in suspended matches at Solheim Cup >>
Halmstad, Sweden (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Europe leads in three of the four fourball matches Saturday at the Solheim Cup, but darkness suspended play before any could come close to finishing. The U.S. holds the lead in the competition, 6 1/2 -

N. Iowa dominates second half in 31-17 win over S. Dakota St. >>
BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) -Corey Lewis scored three touchdowns, and Northern Iowa came from behind in the second half to beat South Dakota State 31-17.Lewis rushed for 125 yards and scored on runs of 7, 5 and 2 yards for the fourth-ranked Panthers (3-0).

El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.