Ronaldo 'goal' is costly decision

Ronaldo 'goal' is costly decision

First goalscorer punters took a kick in the teeth when UEFA interfered to give the first goal of the Manchester United-AC Milan European Champions' League semi-final clash at Old Trafford to Cristiano Ronaldo.

There is no doubt that it was an own-goal by Milan keeper Dida and that is how the referee saw it.

Initially, it went up on television screen as an own goal which of course, does not count in the first goalscorer market.

After a while, UEFA credited the goal, wrongly in my view, to Ronaldo and that being the official line, was what the Press Associaiton put out.

Most markets are settled on PA decisions and hence the dismay from many a disgruntled customer who was on Kaka to hit the net first.

But those who backed Kaka with Boylesports were on a winner as the Dundalk firm paid out on both the Milan star and Ronalado.

It is cost them in the region of £40,000.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are the 13-8 favourites to go all the way and lift the trophy in Athens following their narrow 1-0 lead over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

William Hill quote Man United at 15-8, AC Milan at 4-1 and have the Anfield Reds as the 9-2 outsiders.

There will be a few Liverpool fans who will take a bit of that because if they overcome Chelsea, they will start firm favourites in the final.

However, they are up against it as reflected in the Chelsea odds of 2-5 to reach the decider with Liverpool at 7-4.

Jose Mourinho's boys at one time 100-1 to lift four trophies are now down to as low as 9-1 in view of huge bookmaker liabilities.

But they still have much work to do to stop the Premiership trophy going to Old Trafford.

It is 2-1 that Chelsea fail to win another trophy and 6-1 that the Red Devils finish the season potless.

With the pair due to clash in the FA Cup final, it is only 6-5 that Chelsea face United again in the Champions' decider.

Alternatively, those who fancy Chelsea-AC Milan, can have 21-10; it's 100-30 for United and Liverpool and 5-1 AC and Liverpool.

There is an opportunity for forecast betting with Hill's going 11-4 for Chelsea to beat United and the same price for the other way round.

Chelsea to leave Milan runners-up for a second year running, is 7-2 while punters can have 11-2 for Milan to down Mourinho's boys.

The other permutations are: 17-2 Man United to beat Liverpool; 10-1 Liverpool to beat Man United; 12-1 Milan-Liverpool or Liverpool-Milan.

McGrath goes in search of final victim
Cricket's World Cup has been like the curate's egg - good in parts and not so in others.

From an organisational point of view, the event has been much too long and drawn out.

Ireland's performances were the stuff of fairytales and kept Irish and British interest alive, even more so than England who produced nothing of note.

But maybe this afternoon's final between the current two best one-day sides in action, namely Australia and Sri Lanka will provide something to remember at the very end.

Naturally, the Aussies are red-hot at 2-5 and most observers will be looking to the 'specials' for a betting interest.

Paddy Power, never behind the door for originality, are making Sri Lanka's Chamara Silva and Tillakaratne Dilshan 6-1 joint-favourites to be Glen McGrath's last international victim before he retires.

McGrath is the top wicket-taker in the tournament with 25 and all bets will be void if he takes no further wickets.

Who will be McGrath's last wicket? 6-1 C Silva, T Dilshan; 13-2 R Arnold; 7-1 M Muralitharan, K Sangakkara, L Malinga; 15-2 M Jayawardene, 8-1 S Jayasuriya, U Tharana, C Vaas; 9-1 F Maharoof, D Fernando.

Scholes must play his cards right
Paul Scholes does not want a repeat of 1999 when Manchester United lifted the treble.

That does not mean he isn't keen on United winning the treble again.

It's just that he doesn't want to suffer the same fate of missing out on a Champions' League final place.

Scholes was gutted eight years ago when picking up a yellow card in the semi-final triumph over Juventus which ruled him out of the clash with Bayern Munich.

The midfielder is one booking away from suffering the same fate and that would certainly be unbearably gut-wrenching for him.

Bet365 go 5-2 that Scholes will pick up another booking in the San Siro Stadium next week and 2-7 that he keeps his nose clean.

Wayne Rooney and Cristiano have each scored 22 goals in all competitions this season and Skybet have installed Rooney at 4-7 to finish the season with more than the recent PFA Player and Young Player of the Year.

Cristiano is 5-4 and in his current form and in a two-horse race, that has to be the bet.

The same firm are offering odds about AC Milan and United coming from behind to win the match only in Italy next Wednesday.

In other words, which team goes through does not count.

Milan are 7-1 and the Reds 10-1 to come back from a goal down and win.

Meanwhile, Paddy Power are seeing red this weekend on another front.

They have opened up betting on the first 'ginger' to score, based on the time elapsed in the respective matches.

Scholes is 9-2 second favourite behind Reading's Steve Sidwell with Liverpool's John Arne Riise at 7-1.

The list is 4-1 Sidwell; 9-2 Scholes; 7-1 Riise; 11-1 Butt; 14-1 Collins (West Ham); 16-1 Wes Brown and even that none of them find the net.

Reading are at home to Newcastle on Monday night and Sidwell is worth supporting.