Olympics: Brazil samba past down-and-out China

Thursday, 14 August 2008

QINHUANGDAO, China - A brace from Thiago Neves helped Brazil beat China 3-0 on Wednesday to end any hope the host nation had of making the Olympic quarter-finals.

The Chinese team have been a disappointment, managing just one point from three games, drawing the ire of fans and the domestic media with one online commentator describing their performances as "full of shame and disgust".

They put on a more gutsy show against Brazil, but the samba boys had their foot off the medal having already made sure of their place in the quarter-finals.

In the end, Brazil topped their group to join Belgium in the next round.

Knowing they were safely through, coach Dunga rested Manchester United playmaker Anderson and Manchester City striker Jo, but included Liverpool star Lucas and AC Milan's Ronaldinho in a still formidable line-up.

The boys from Brazil were in a different league at the start, turning on the style with some slick football in the opening 15 minutes that culminated with Diego getting a goal.

Ronaldinho was dictating the game from midfield and he supplied the pin point pass that dissected the defence and allowed the Werder Bremen midfielder to round goalkeeper Liu Zhenil and give them the lead on 18 minutes.

China, missing captain Zheng Zhi who was one of two players sent off in their last game, needed to win to stand any hope of progressing to the knockout rounds and they gave it a go, but ultimately were outclassed.

Ronaldinho should have made it 2-0 after half an hour when he got the ball inside the box but tried to lift it over the advancing Liu who got his hands on it to avert the danger.

His AC Milan teammate Alexandre Pato also went close just before the break.

China too had opportunities with Jiang Ning posing problems down the left, but they were unable to convert their chances.

Dunga pulled Pato off at half time but captain Ronaldinho, still working his way back to fitness, played for the duration, although his influence on the game gradually wore off..

Thiago launched a long range drive that grazed the post 10 minutes after half-time and it was his goal that put the match beyond China's reach 14 minutes later.

Ronaldinho usually takes the free kicks in danger zones but he stepped back this time and allowed the 23-year-old Fluminense midfielder to try his luck, and it worked a treat with his curling kick flying into the net.

Thiago made it 3-0 in the 79th minute with a powerful left foot drive from the edge of the box. -