Argentina Defeated Brazil 3 - 0 to Reach Final in Olympic Men's Football

Sergio Aguero scored two goals and was fouled in the penalty area to set up a third, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Brazil in the semifinals of men's Olympic soccer Tuesday at Workers' Stadium. 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.

Argentina, which won the gold medal in 2004, extended its record winning streak in the Olympics to 11 games to set up a final against Nigeria on Saturday. Argentina's last Olympic loss was to Nigeria in the 1996 championship.

In front of a packed house of more than 52,000 Argentina served notice that they have a generation coming through to be feared, a side who have grown together and play football by common instinct. Argentina will play for the gold medal, while Brazil have the anticlimax of a bronze medal playoff with Belgium.

It was the first victory for Argentina against Brazil in three years. It hadn't beaten Brazil since a 3-1 victory in a World Cup qualifier in June 2005.

"It's not a score you see every day when Brazil and Argentina play," Argentina coach Sergio Batista said. "Argentina had a great match, with intelligence and personality."

Argentina display glorious attacking and wonderfully intelligent football, with Barcelona's prodigy Messi at the hub but all of this wonderful team playing their part. After some initial brilliance Ronaldinho - allowed to leave Barcelona this year in a sign of the changing times - was a peripheral figure and Brazil's Olympic challenge never really threatened to catch fire.

Brazil midfielder Lucas was sent off in the 81st after a foul from behind on Liverpool teammate Javier Mascherano. Substitute midfielder Thiago Neves was red-carded just three minutes later after another hard foul on Mascherano.

Brazil's hopes vanished when crowd favourite Ronaldinho's free kick slammed into the upright and a follow-up goal was disallowed for offside just after Aguero's second goal. Yet again Brazil, five-time World Cup champions, leave the Olympics without a gold medal and pressure is expected to build on their coach Carlos Dunga, who has now lost five games out of 36 games at the helm of Selecao, considered unacceptable for Brazil's high expectations.

"It was Argentina's best match in the Olympics so far," Batista said. "It was a well-deserved result."

Match Highlights



53′ [1 - 0] S. Agüero
57′ [2 - 0] S. Agüero
76′ [3 - 0] J.R. Riquelme (pen.)
81′ L. Lucas (red card)
84′ T. Neves (red card)

Aguero Scored 1st Goal


Aguero Scored 2nd Goal


Riquelme Scored from Penalty


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