Egypt's PM inspects restoration work at Ramses Exchange after fire    Egypt, Pakistan boost healthcare ties – Cabinet    Egyptian pound stable in July 9 morning trading    Egypt's electricity, public enterprises ministers discuss expanding renewables in energy-intensive industries    Escalation in Gaza as ceasefire talks remain fragile amid mounting humanitarian crisis    Egyptian authorities race to contain fallout from fatal telecom fire    UK, Egypt strengthen cooperation on green transition, eco-tourism, and environmental investments    CPME shareholders approve EGP 2.8bn acquisition of Qardy, Catalyst Partners Holding    Philippines' unemployment rate falls in May '25    Egypt, Somalia leaders discuss strategic partnership, counterterrorism in New Alamein    Egypt, UNDP discuss expanded cooperation on medical waste management, human development    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Egypt's PM, Uruguay's president discuss Gaza, trade at BRICS summit    Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors    Egypt, Norway hold informal talks ahead of global plastic treaty negotiations    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger        Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



London 2012: Favorite Brazil plays SKorea in semifinals
One by one, they were all knocked out. Uruguay, Spain, Britain
Published in Ahram Online on 07 - 08 - 2012

Brazil is the only favorite left in the men's Olympic football tournament, so it has no excuse for leaving the London Games with anything less than the gold. First, though, it has to get past a South Korea team with a knack for surprises.
The two play in a semifinal match Tuesday.
"The pressure to win our first Olympics has always been there," Brazil coach Mano Menezes said. "We need to make it happen this time."
Brazil brought most of its top players to the Olympics and has been dominant so far, getting more wins and scoring more goals than any other team. South Korea, meanwhile, just barely made it through the first stage, backed by its strong defense, but is hoping for a second consecutive upset to add to its surprise elimination of host Britain in the quarterfinals.
The winner of the match at Old Trafford will play for the gold against either Mexico or Japan, which will face off in London in the other semifinal.
"There is an extra bit of tension in the matches now," Menezes said. "You are playing to try to get to a final, it's different."
It would be only the third Olympic men's football final for Brazil, and the first since the 1988 Seoul Games. Brazil won the silver medal in Seoul and also four years earlier at the Los Angeles Games. Brazil got the bronze in 1996 in Atlanta and in 2008 in Beijing, when it lost the semifinal to Lionel Messi's Argentina.
"We know that our responsibility is increasing as we get closer to the final," Brazil captain Thiago Silva said. "And to get there we know that we will have a very difficult task trying to beat South Korea."
South Korea, which has conceded only two goals in four matches so far, is making its first semifinal appearance at the Olympic Games. The team failed to advance past the group stage in Beijing four years ago.
South Korea has won outright only one match in this year's tournament, a 2-1 result against Switzerland that helped it advance past the first round following draws with Mexico and Gabon. It drew 1-1 with Britain in regulation and extra time before eliminating the hosts 5-4 on penalties in the quarterfinals.
"We are very pleased to play against one of the top teams in the world in a big tournament like this," South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said. "It will be very good for the players and their experience."
Brazil reached the semifinals by eliminating Honduras in a difficult match on Saturday in Newcastle. Brazil struggled and twice had to come back from deficits against a Honduran team which played with 10 men from the 33rd minute because of a red card.
"We expect to play better than we did against Honduras," Silva said. "South Korea wouldn't have reached the semifinals if it didn't have a good team. They certainly can play."
The Mexicans arrived at the London Games as one of the medal contenders and were considered to have an outside chance for the gold. They are trying to improve from the fourth-place finish at the home games in Mexico City in 1968, when they lost the bronze to the Japanese.
Mexico was first in its group after victories against Gabon and Switzerland and a draw against South Korea. It eliminated Senegal 4-2 in extra time in the quarterfinals.
That third-place finish was Japan's best performance so far at the men's Olympic tournament. It reached the semifinals by beating Egypt 3-0. It won its group after a draw against Honduras and victories over Morocco and gold-favorite Spain.
The Spaniards and fellow favorites Uruguay didn't even make it past the group stage, and when Britain fell to South Korea, Brazil became the only top contender fighting for the gold.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at@AO Sportsand on Facebook atAhramOnlineSports)


Clic here to read the story from its source.