Two quickfire goals from Sergio Aguero powered defending champions Argentina into the Olympic final as they put Brazil to the sword with a 3-0 win yesterday.
Argentina will face a repeat of their 1996 Atlanta final against Nigeria in Saturday’s gold medal match on Saturday.
Nigeria, who defeated Argentina 3-2 in Atlanta, qualified for the Beijing decider after hammering Belgium 4-1 in the earlier semi-final played in Shanghai.
PHOTO: AFP
Atletico Madrid’s Aguero broke the deadlock seven minutes after the interval when Angel Di Maria’s pass appeared to strike his upper arm and flew into the net.
Aguero scored his second goal five minutes later after Lionel Messi released defender Pablo Zabaleta on the right and his pass was slotted home from close range with the Brazilian defense in a shambles.
Skipper Juan Riquelme killed off the Brazilians with a 76th minute penalty after Aguero was brought down by defender Breno.
It went from bad to worse for Brazil with Lucas and Thiago Neves both losing their cool and given straight red cards for chopping down Mascherano inside the last nine minutes.
Argentina, brimming with young talent, ripped their great rivals apart in the second half to ensure they will defend the Olympic title they won against Paraguay in Athens four years ago.
It was cat and mouse early as both South American adversaries gave no quarter in fierce close-marking exchanges, especially on opposing game-breakers Messi and Ronaldinho.
Argentina had the better chances, mainly when Messi was involved.
Aguero fired a sizzler just wide in the 12th minute and Messi almost put Aguero in but his pass went behind him after 33 minutes.
Messi almost broke the deadlock nearing half-time when he shook off two tackles and wriggled into a scoring position only for his shot to be deflected away by goalkeeper Renan.
In Shanghai, a goal in the first half and three in the second put Nigeria into the final.
Olubayo Adefemi opened the scoring in the 17th minute and Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi netted a brace before Chibuzor Okonkwo hammered the final nail in Belgium’s coffin.
Substitute Laurent Ciman pulled one back in the dying minutes but it was too little too late.
Nigeria came out firing on all cylinders with Belgian goalkeeper Logan Bailly called into action twice in the opening minute, parrying a tricky cross then getting down low to save a shot.
The Belgian defense was at fault for Nigeria’s first goal, failing to clear the ball. It fell to Adefemi inside the box who slotted home.
The Africans got the all-important second goal after 59 minutes, but they were fortunate as Ogbuke Obasi looked offside when Victor Anichebe fed him the ball.
He put it in the net with the outside of his left boot and referee Pablo Pozo allowed it to stand.
The match was put beyond doubt with 18 minutes remaining when Obinna laid off the ball to a rampaging Ogbuke Obasi who hit a powerful strike from 25m that gave Bailly no chance. A long-range effort from Okonkwo in the 78th minute added to Belgium’s misery.
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