By Steven Zoine
Vienna, Austria 05.23.2006
Although Austria did not qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Germany, the National Team is still playing friendly matches to give continuity to the National squad and give opportunity to young players to demonstrate their skills in the international scenario.
One of those friendly matches will take place on May 23rd when they face Croatia in home soil, as part of the programmed FIFA dates for the teams to prepare for the World Cup.
Austria was in group 6 of the European zone, a very hard group that counted with the presence of England and Poland, which were the two, teams that qualified to Germany 2006.
Austria has a great canter of young players that given the continuity needed might accomplish great things in the future for their country.
Now other story awaits for Croatia a team that is qualified to the World Cup and will use this match up against Austria to give the final tune up to their squad before the World Cup Starts.
This will be their third successive appearance to the final stage of the tournament since they are an independent country. Croatia finished on top of the qualifying round in group 8 from the Europe zone.
In teams news Croatia’s coach Zlatko Kranjcar announced on Friday an expected 24-man squad for the FIFA World Cup in Germany next month where he said he hoped his team would reach the second round at least.
"I earlier said I would pick the players who carried the burden of qualifying so I've had a pretty clear picture of who to choose for some time," Kranjcar told a news conference.
In the group stage Croatia faces Brazil, Australia and Japan and Kranjcar said he saw his team progressing. "I can feel a great team spirit in the squad and I think we're well capable of doing it," he said. As we see the Croatian team is very motivated toward the start of the World Cup and is a team that can give big surprises if they keep playing like they did in the qualifying round.
Most sports books will have lines for these friendly matches that might not be as exciting as the World Cup matches but still is a chance for the sports betting fans to track the progress of their favorite teams.
July 6th- 9th
Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Illinois
Live on XM 146/USA/ABC
Purse: $5,000,000
Last Champion: Jim Furyk
The Cialis Western Open, conducted by the Western Golf Association, has a history unparalleled by all but one golf championship in the United States. First held in 1899, the Western Open is the oldest championship on the PGA TOUR and the second oldest professional golf championship in the nation. Only the U.S. Open, first conducted in 1895 by the United States Golf Association, is older.
When the PGA TOUR professionals come to Chicago each year to compete in the Cialis Western Open, they are following in the hallowed footsteps of golf’s all-time greats. Past champions include golf’s greatest legends, including Chick Evans, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The past two decades have seen Tom Watson, Hale Irwin, Tom Weiskopf, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price and Tiger Woods add their names to the Western Open’s J. K. Wadley Cup’s impressive roster of champions.
Today, the Western Open is considered the founding event of the PGA TOUR. Much has changed since 1899, including the prize money. This year’s 102nd Western Open purse totals $5 million, with the winner earning $900,000. In the Western Open’s initial year, the total purse was $150, with the winner earning $50.
On last year’s tournament Furyk , after finishing second three times last year, including a devastating loss the previous weekend, Furyk against all Sportsbook odds answered Woods' charge with three straight birdies and hung on to win the Cialis Western Open. It was his 10th PGA TOUR victory and the first since the 2003 Buick Open.
After tapping in for a birdie, Furyk took off his cap and shook hands with third round co-leader Ben Curtis. Furyk then turned and pumped his fists to the cheering crowd before sharing a long hug with caddie Fluff Cowan.
"You take the combination of last week, surgery and not winning since surgery, you put all that together and it was an emotional win," said Furyk, who missed half of last year after having wrist surgery.
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WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
