Sport - Olympic Games

The Netherlands in quarterfinals

BEIJING: A send-off in the second minute cost the United States dear on Wednesday as it lost 2-1 to Nigeria, ending its Olympic football tournament.

Meanwhile, a late Gerald Sibon penalty put the Netherlands into the quarterfinals when it scraped home to a 1-0 win over Japan in its final Group ‘B’ match here on Wednesday.

Faris Haroun scored off a header to give Belgium a 1-0 victory over New Zealand and a place in the last eight, while Italy and 10-man Cameroon reached the quarterfinals after they fought out a 0-0 draw in their final Group ‘D’ clash.

Elsewhere, a brace from Thiago Neves set up Brazil’s 3-0 win over China and end the latter’s hopes of making the quarterfinals, while Ezequiel Lavezzi and Diego Buonanotte scored a goal each to help Argentina post a 2-0 victory over Serbia. It was a must-win game for the Dutch who went into the match trailing the U.S. and Nigeria by two points.

The luckless and winless Japan was already destined to go home early, but it held the European under-21 champion for 73 minutes before Sibon fired in the winner.

The sole goal was enough to lift the Netherlands past the U.S., but it came at a price with Liverpool striker Ryan Babel stretchered off after being brought down in the box in the incident that led to Sibon’s penalty. — Agencies

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