OLYMPICS /
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Argentina, Brazil advance, Italy out
Agencies
Updated: 2008-08-17 15:05
SHENYANG, China - Ten-man Belgium pulled off a stunning 3-2 quarter-final win over Italy in the Olympic soccer on Saturday, while Brazil and Argentina both won in extra-time to set up a semi-final meeting.
Nigeria also made the last four with a 2-0 win over fellow Africans the Ivory Coast.
Belgium found themselves 1-0 down and reduced to 10 men after 18 minutes when Thomas Vermaelen was sent off for dragging down Italy's Giuseppe Rossi, who scored from the spot.
But Moussa Dembele equalised with a 24th minute header which was deemed to have crossed the line despite Luca Cigarina's block and Kevin Miralles fired Belgian ahead in first half injury-time.
Rossi equalised with another penalty in the 74th minute but
Dembele struck the winner in the 80th minute.
Rafael Sobis and Real Madrid full back Marcelo scored in a four-minute spell in extra-time to give Brazil a 2-0 win over Cameroon in a match of 12 yellow cards and a red card for Cameroon's Albert Baning in the 52nd minute.
Lionel Messi scored Argentina's first goal in the 14th minute and set up an extra-time winner for Angel Di Maria, who atoned for a double penalty miss against Serbia, in a 2-1 win over the Netherlands.
