Hits

Monday, July 30, 2012

Olympics: Brazil bounce back, Uruguay in shock, Japan and Korea victorious

ALL content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_sports/view/1216493/1/.html

Neymar showed just why the world's top football clubs want to sign him with a virtuoso display as Brazil came from a goal behind to beat Belarus 3-1 at a packed Old Trafford on Sunday.

Belarus took a shock lead in front of a crowd of more than 66,000 at the home ground of English giants Manchester United when Renan Bardini Bressan opened the scoring with an eighth minute header.

But from then on, Brazil battled back in this Group C clash, with Neymar setting the seal on a superb display with a 65th minute free-kick bent over the wall and beyond the reach of diving Belarus keeper Aleksandr Gutor.

Brazil, the five-time world champions are still seeking a first Olympic gold medal.

>>>

Earlier at Old Trafford, Egypt's last eight hopes suffered a setback when they were held to a 1-1 draw by New Zealand.

The All Whites took the lead through a 16th minute strike from Chris Wood, who plays his club football for English Premier League West Bromwich Albion.

Mohamed Salah equalised from close range shortly before the break and the Africans could have had several more goals by the final whistle but instead squandered a host of chances.

Egypt must now beat Belarus on Wednesday to get to the quarter-finals while New Zealand will have to cause one of the great upsets by defeating Brazil if they are to go any further in this tournament than the group stage.

>>>

Meanwhile, 10-man Senegal opened up Group A with a shock 2-0 win over well-regarded Uruguay.

Teenager Moussa Konate scored twice, either side of Abdoulaye Ba's first-half dismissal for a foul on Luis Suarez.

>>>

Japan qualified for the quarter-finals with a 1-0 Group D win over Morocco secured by Kensuke Nagai's goal six minutes from time at Newcastle's St James' Park in north-east England.

>>>

Asian rivals South Korea also enjoyed victory, with a 2-1 win over Switzerland at the City of Coventry Stadium drawing them level with Group B leaders Mexico.

Arsenal's Park Chu-Young put South Korea in front only for Switzerland's Innocent Emeghara to equalise moments later.

But Kim Bo-Kyung, who recently signed for English second-tier side Cardiff, volleyed home a deflected cross to settle the match in thew second half.

>>>

Earlier, Tottenham Hotspur's Giovani dos Santos scored both goals in Mexico's 2-0 Group B win over Gabon at the City of Coventry Stadium.

Giovani, who struggled to earn a place at White Hart Lane under former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp, broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute after coming on as a second-half substitute and then scored from the penalty spot in injury-time.

This was Mexico's first win of the tournament and it kept their quarter-final hopes alive.

No comments:

Post a Comment