Argentina beats Netherlands and is poured into the semifinals

The selection of Olympic soccer semi-finals Argentina will be measured in 2008 from Beijing to Brazil in a new edition of the classic South American, after classified tonight in Shanghai after a game in which he suffered beat Holland 2-1 in the extension.

The match began with a game loaded with nerve and speed on both teams, although Holland tended to cede some space to start the Argentinians to try to recover the ball in the closing defense and betting for a swift and forceful counterattack.

Despite an early opportunity to Emanuelson (min. 6), Argentina reacted quickly and Lionel Messi, alone, was responsible for the 1-0 mark.

After snatch the ball to a defence, the striker escaped from Rosario and Marcellis, followed by Jong-A-Pin, arrived to driblar to Vermeer to mark a pleasure crossing shot from the left of the goal (min. 14).

The goal was warmly celebrated in the gallery of personalities by Diego Armando Maradona, who had lunch today with the Olympic selection argentina, according to Efe was able to confirm, and who witnessed the match sitting to the right of the president of the football associations of Argentina (AFA) , Julio Grondona.

After several arrivals with danger for both teams, and shortly after a lack of Babel that earned him the yellow Young, a new shot of lack favourable to the Netherlands ended up bringing the goal of a tie (min. 36).

Emanuelson, instead of throwing to door, he passed the ball to Sno, who knew how to send it over to the heart of the area Ustari, where he appeared Bakkal, right in front of the goal for the 1-1 mark with ease without the Argentine goalkeeper reached to react.

The game hardens
In the Last minutes of the first part of the nerve Netherlands intensified and the game was tightening, but the rest came without further goals, with three shots to door by two of Argentina versus Holland.

In the second Argentina began to look over his good touch and approach the area Vermeer more slowly, trying to create more danger, as in a header from Agüero (min. 54) that went off, but while still insisting, the marker was they resisted.

The difficulties for albicelestes worsened in minute 71 when Ustari injured left foot to try to hit a ball that came in deep and had to leave and be replaced stretcher at the door by Romero (min. 74).

Shortly after Messi saw the yellow card for a dangerous entry that finished pounding the knee Zuiverloon (min 80).

The Madrid Drenthe was about to give them the shock end, when De Guzman served a ball between the defense just before the door Romero, though his finishing high cross by left little (min. 86), and if Messi came close to mark similarly immediately (min. 89) also achieves what almost immediately after Babel (min. 90 ).

With the 1-1 at the end of regulation time, had to resort to the 30-minute extension.

The Argentines showed again broader than its rivals, but without being decided the match, until a providential long pass from Messi, which Cole diagonally between the Orange defense allowed Di Maria, pursued in vain by Beerens, signing 2-1 in the final minute of extra part.

The combined albiceleste won today with the emblem of the AFA booted his shirt, despite lucid and in the three matches prior to probably not contradict the Olympic standard by which should not jump to the field with the coat of his national federation but with the symbol of the committee Olympic his country.

One of the best players in the history of American basketball league is fan of football and stated that he would like to meet the star of Barcelona. "I love football and I hope you can hear," he confessed.

The Los Angeles Lakers guard and took photos with Kun Agüero during a luncheon in the dining room of the villa. Now going by La Pulga.

At the Beijing Olympic village can generate a large gathering of world sport: the star Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi and the U.S. NBA Kobe Bryant.



It was stated publicly that Bryant unconditional follower of the player from Barcelona and when the news service of the Games asked him if he had any athlete who would like to know, in a perfect Italian replied: "Yes, yes, of course: Messi" .

The escort also Los Angeles Lakers confessed his passion for the sport king, "inculcada in the years he spent in Italy while his father, Joe" Jellybean "Bryant, played in several basketball teams in the Italian league. "I love football, I love football and I hope you can hear", topped Bryant, who went last year and a training team Barca in the Nou Camp, while on vacation in Barcelona.

It would be a meeting between Olympic stars to be in the medallero Beijing 2008: Bryant next to the "Dream Team" of the United States will try to recover gold, in the hands of the selection argentina, and Messi will seek to hold together the team of Chechen Batista, presea golden obtained in Athens.

Every four years, cites this world produces changes in the behavior of some athletes who are transformed into what is often uncomfortable: their fans. Those who are more accustomed to being photographed claimed not hesitate to take the maximum now in session from sports stars to portray them with some admired colleague.

Rafael Nadal, the world number one, acknowledged that attitude when asked if he had asked someone photographed together: "This same Sunday, I asked one by Phelps," the great American swimmer who could become the great figure of these games, for the moment already has two gold medals hanging on his neck.

In the meantime, the star of the NBA already has photos with Sergio Agüero, with whom was found in the dining room of the Olympic village during a luncheon.

But Bryant not only admires the Argentine kid. The very Diego Buonanotte, deputy natural footballer Rosario, admitted that it welcomes the chance to play alongside Lionel and said: "I am amazed, is impressive. This is the first time you see it from so close. When you have more confidence I am going to request a T-shirt, "he said with the freshness of his own 20 years.

Although the TAS has offered the opportunity to Barcelona to claim the return of the player, the selection argentina wants to remain part of the team which revalidated the gold in Athens 2004.

The coach of the Olympic selection argentina, Sergio Batista, said today that Messi "wants to stay with the team throughout the tournament" and confirmed that tomorrow will vest in the debut of the albiceleste against Ivory Coast. "Lionel (Messi) told me he wants to keep the campus" Argentine explained the technician at a press conference, adding that "I will not get into legal issues, but I know that will continue playing for us throughout the championship."



Batista said that the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) "in total tranquillity", despite statements by Messi, who a few days ago said that if needed Back to Barcelona, would return. "Lionel what could have said at that time," said Batista, but "now says that stays here with the rest of the team." Messi "requests the Barcelona who understands their situation," added the coach, who believes that "people Barca means to Lionel and I do not think there will be no problem."

The Barcelona wants Messi is not involved in the JJOO and joins the team for the preliminary phase of Champions, about what they felt that Batista "We know well what they were playing Barcelona, but I do not think you feel angry about the decision we might take the player, nor that it can move to higher". Batista pointed out that he would like to chat with Pep Guardiola, the coach of Barcelona, "to explain the urge that Messi has to stay" and what that is happy with Argentina.

The AFA says that Messi is left to play Games
The president of the Association of Wrestling (AFA), Julio Grondona, and Argentine selector, Sergio Batista, assured today that the striker Leo Messi will stay with his selection in China to participate in the Olympic Games in Beijing, despite the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has determined that no FC Barcelona is obliged to release the player for the Olympic tournament. Grondona said the Argentinian channel TN that "Messi plays and stays in Beijing", while Batista also stated that the first footballer to play tomorrow partido de la argentina selection in the Olympic Games, before Ivory Coast, and that "the player will be responsible for Barcelona to express their desire to be here." "Messi is going to be tomorrow and will play throughout the tournament with us, although I am not going to get into legal issue," he said.

"I am calm and confident because I spoke with the player and I know his thinking. The will to Barcelona express its wish to be here," Batista said in a press conference in Shanghai, as reflected various means Argentines. In addition, noted that no cree "Barcelona to claim that call." "I have great faith and also thought the player is all we want," said the coach of Argentina. Batista has also explained that "understood" that Barcelona can not cause any problems "Messi if he got with the selection and that if he were coach of Barca," never denied anyone playing with the selection. " With regard to statements Messi week Last, which ensured that Barca to go back to if they ruled the TAS, said: "I read what could have said in a moment, but I DJI who will speak with executives."

In its resolution, the TAS has the right to FC Barcelona to rule today that clubs have no "legal obligation" to cede their players to teams for the Olympic Games, so that the club could claim the player for the round Prior to the Champions League. The ruling also supports the TAS to Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen in the cases of their respective players and the Brazilian Rafinha Diego.

The Argentine Olympic selector, Sergio Batista, confirmed the 18 players who will participate in the Games in Beijing. Thus, Argentina will be attended by Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero and Fernando Gago to defend the gold medal in Athens 2004 obtained.



The biggest uncertainty of the call was resolved with the inclusion of the Inter defence, Nicolas Burdisso, as a third player older than 23 years, before the negative Bayern Munich's Martin Demichelis to give in to and Deportivo La Coruna for this square had been for Fabricio Coloccini.

Besides Burdisso, Juan Roman Riquelme and Javier Mascherano will be the other two Olympic completing the list of Sergio Batista. Others who surprised by its inclusion on campus were Argentine Olympic Lautaro Acosta, new recruitment of Seville, and Boca defender youth, Luciano Munoz.

List summoned:
Goalkeepers: Oscar USTARI (Getafe) and Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar).

Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol), Luciano Monzon (Boca Juniors), Ezequiel Garay (Real Madrid), Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Federico Fazio (Seville) and Lautaro Acosta (Seville).

Midfielders: Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors), Ever Banegas (Valencia), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool) and Jose Sosa (Bayern Munich)

Strikers: Diego Buonanotte (River Plate), Sergio Agüero (athletics Madrid), Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Naples) and Angel Di Maria (Benfica).

Substitutes: Nicolas Navarro (Naples), Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht), Nicholas Young (Anderlecht) and Emiliano Insúa (Liverpool).

This was the first to zero tie between Brazil and Argentina in twenty years

Brazil and Argentina signed a draw without goals for the playoffs World Cup 2010, in a game in which predominated the strong markings in the marrow and in which both teams showed a lack of creativity.

Both Dunga as Alfio Basile changes in their respective alignments, with the aim of improving the image that gave both sets in their order commitments from the past week, when the "verdeamarilla" lost by 2-0 against Paraguay and the "albiceleste" tied at home to Ecuador.



Both strengthen the wide area. The Brazilian bet by giving entry to strong men such as Julio Baptista in the average tip and Adriano in the lead, while the Argentine team tasked to handle Jonas Gutierrez to accompany Riquelme, and the tip to Julio Cruz, to the detriment Sergio Agüero. With more offensive vocation, Brazil took the baton of the party, but found many difficulties to overcome the strong mark of Argentines in the middle of the field.

Robinho leaves the only flashes of Brazil
First Anderson and then Diego, which replaced it in the first half after being hanks ankle, were marked closely by a couple of flyers made up of Argentines Fernando Gago and Javier Mascherano, who disarmed so efficiently to the Brazilians in the line of creation. The Argentines allowed only two attacks with danger in the first half, the result of two quick actions led by Robinho.

In the first, the Madrid haggling in front of the area and he served the ball to Julio Baptista, who remató to bocajarro but encountered a providential hand of El Pato Abbondanzieri. The reject it fell to Robinho, who remató the body of goalkeeper. On the next play, Robinho received a ball long in the banda, which pilló the defense to contrapié argentina.

The striker arrived at the baseline and passed in one to one against Argentine goalkeeper outside the large area. However, to exit the race, the striker was surrounded and disarmed by three zagueros rivals. In the first half, Argentina only created danger in an auction head of Julio Cruz, a center of Gabriel Heinze, who stopped Julio Cesar smoothly.

Lionel Messi was very strong and, in the first half, only got rid of the Brazilian defenders once, in which remató very diverted. The hard markings and the constant absences on both sides returned to hinder the movement of the ball in the second half, although in the opening stages both teams searched the area harder rival.

Julio Cruz had a clear chance after a service Riquelme, but his shot was lost dry above the larguero. July Batista replied with a shot from lack poisoned forcing lucirse to Abbondanzieri, while Messi, on the opposite side, had a good time, but faded in the bottomline.