2007 Women's World Cup Preview - Sweden

Soccer Betting Lines

09/05/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sweden forward Victoria Svensson will take on a larger role this year with the retirement of a number of World Cup veterans, but on FIFA's website she said she was still optimistic that "this could be our year."

Sweden lost the last World Cup to Germany in overtime on a golden goal. This year, Sweden is in a group with the same three teams - United States, Nigeria and North Korea - as 2003.

"To start with we've been drawn in the same group as in 2003... it looks a bit daunting," Svensson said. "I think it's the toughest group but having come through it safely once before is encouraging. We'll take it one step at a time, see how the group pans out and then see what happens."

While the start will be familiar, Sweden wants to change the ending. The club has also finished third in the World Cup in 1991.

Although Sweden returns nine players from the last World Cup, three of its top players - Malin Mostrom, Linda Fagerstrom and Anna Sjostrom - have since retired from international play. Sweden will also have a new goalie because 2003 starter Caroline Jonsson suffered a knee injury and will be replaced by Sofia Lundgren.

"Obviously it's a big blow to lose important players ... but we have a strong squad with a lot of experience and we should be able to fight for medals in China." Sweden coach Thomas Dennerby told FIFA's website.

"Clearly all three (Mostrom, Fagerstrom and Sjostrom) are great ... and we've certainly missed them," Svensson said. "That said, I think we've played well this year."

Sweden has played much like the team that advanced to the World Cup final in 2003. The team is one of the most offensive in the world, and with Svensson still around, is a threat to capture its first Cup.

"I always tell them that we have to work really hard every day, and that a World Cup game is not like any other - there's a great deal of media pressure and a lot of people watching your every move," said Svensson, who has played 136 games for Sweden. "Every game is important and you can't always play nice football; sometimes you have to dig deep, use your instinct and do everything in your power to win."

Svensson was solid in World Cup qualifying matches, scoring four goals. But she's not the only Swedish player capable of finding the back of the net.

Forward Hanna Ljungberg - who once received an invitation to play for Italian Serie A men's club Perugia - led the club with 10 goals in qualifying. She's battled a number of injuries, but the former Swedish Women's Player of the Year is expected to play.

"Hanna is fighting her way back and we all know what she's capable of, so I'm in a good mood," Dennerby said.

In addition to Svensson and Ljungberg, Sweden got big contributions from forward Lotta Schelin (seven goals) and Therese Lundin (four goals) in qualifying. Sweden was 7-0-1 in qualifying and outscored its opponents 32-6.

"Lotta Schelin, Nilla Fischer, Anna Paulsson, Caroline Seger ... These are just a few of the youngsters," Svensson said, "who I'm sure will do a great job for us."

They need to do a great job to replace Mostrom, Fagerstrom and Sjostrom, or this definitely won't be Sweden's year.

PAST ACHIEVEMENTS:

-- FIFA World Cup qualifier: 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007.

-- FIFA World Cup second: 2003.

-- FIFA World Cup third: 1991.

-- UEFA Championship first: 1984.

-- UEFA Championship second: 1987, 1995, 2001.

-- Algarve Cup first: 1995, 2001.

-- Algarve Cup second: 1996.

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Police report: Terrell Owens hospitalized after attempt

Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.

The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.

Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.

NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.

"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.

The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.

But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.

The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.

Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.

The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.

The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.

The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.

Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.

Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."

Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.

"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."

Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.

It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.

"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."

Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.

"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."

At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.

According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.

Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.

Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.

When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.

He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.

Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.

Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.

Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.

While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.

"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.

Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.

Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com

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