Playing with a man down most of the match, Belgium twice came from behind to beat Italy 3-2 in Beijing on Saturday, setting up a semi-final with either Nigeria or Ivory Coast. The match ended with both sides reduced to ten men as the full moon in Beijing seems to have an effect on one of the most replete with incidents of these Olympic Games end.
The Italians began the contest fashionable live with their tiny creator, Sebastian Giovinco, at the helm. In six minutes, the tiny jewel Juventus cut inside the penalty area after a cross from Riccardo Montolivo, but he can only push a seemingly simple tap on the wrong side of the near post.
Robert Acquafresca following was looking dangerous for the Italians, his header just look the wrong side of Logan Bailly far post. The pressure was mounting on the Belgian back-line, 17 minutes and suffered a major blow double. Thomas Vermaelen was sent off for pulling down Acquafresca in the area, and Argentine referee promptly pointed to the place.
Giuseppe Rossi stepped cheekily looming home the resulting penalty on 18 minutes and suddenly the Belgians were a goal - and one man -. Bur demoralizing away from the re-dressed Europeans, when the double life difficult acted as a spur.
In 24 minutes, Moussa Dembele spoke with a level head. Defender Italian Luca Cigarini and scrambled expect that have cleared off the line but the assistant referee raised his flag to indicate that the ball had crossed the finish line and the man in the middle promptly drew the centre circle to indicate a goal . There was little in the way of remonstration Italian.
Giovinco who rue missing a one-on-one opportunity with the keeper with finishing as the middle man ten Belgians were ahead one minute in the first half hour stoppage. Kevin Miralles was brilliant in the box to elude his marker and hit a trickle past the wrong-footed Emiliano Viviano.
Italy were trying desperately to come back in the game in the early stages of the second period. They had the ball in the net on 53 minutes but it was felt that Rossi was in an offside position in the context of the preparation.
In the 68 th minute, Belgium are replacing their first choice goalkeeper. Bailly injured his shoulder after falling to the ground at a subsequent meeting with Rossi (so that the Italian was booked for simulation), and his understudy Yves Ma-Kalambay entered the fray.
Just five minutes after entering the new man was forced to face a ground shot after Rossi Sepp De Roover was judged to have harmed Paolo De Ceglie in the area. The Villarreal forward was not mistake with his second penalty of the day, after a shipment of stutter-step to level the score.
The Belgians, undeterred by the setback, sailed directly back up field and took the lead in the last minute, again through Dembele. After giving a clear-and-go with substitute Anthony Vanden Borre, the striker slammed home low and hard from 18 yards in 79 minutes to send the Belgian fans wild celebrations. Viviano Italian goalkeeper was expelled in a tussle with Miralles while trying to retrieve the ball.
With the sides, even to ten men each, Belgium were able to survive the rest of regular time and five minutes of stoppage time free and now meet Ivory Coast or Nigeria in the last four in Shanghai on August 19.
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