Dunga stands his ground

The Selecao had travelled to Beijing as one of the favourites, but were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by great rivals Argentina in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Brazil can still come away with a bronze medal if they beat Belgium in the third-place play-off on Friday, but Dunga is aware that will not appease a nation used to success on the global stage.

Yet the coach remained defiant in the face of criticism.

"Despite the defeat, I will continue with my job and keep my convictions," he said.

"This is a delicate moment and I have to be cold-minded to get over.

"We've worked very hard to clinch gold, but sometimes it is not possible so the only thing left to do is to keep morale high."

Brazil met their match in defending champions Argentina, who found the target through Sergio Aguero (two) and Juan Roman Riquelme.

Dunga's men also finished the match with nine men following late red cards for Lucas and Thiago Neves, and the coach admitted their game plan had disintegrated.

"The match was quite tough," he added. "Argentina played very well, intensively and that's a big bonus for them."

Argentina will face Nigeria for the gold medal on Saturday, and coach Sergio Batista is aware his players will need to be at their best if they are to retain their title as Olympic champions.

"We still have one more step to retain the gold medal we won in Athens. It will not be easy at all," Batista said.

"But against Brazil, we played with intelligence and personality. We knew they were going to wait for us to attack so we needed to be patient.

"We played a brilliant match."

Mutu hit by fresh setback

The 29-year-old Fiorentina star is expected to be out of action for three weeks, forcing him out of the Viola's Serie A opener against Juventus as well as the second leg of their Champions League qualifier against Slavia Prague.
It completes a miserable few days for Mutu who was last week ordered by FIFA to pay Chelsea 17.17 million euros in compensation after testing positive for cocaine while at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea subsequently sacked the player for breach of contract.

Mutu announced on Monday he would fight the FIFA ruling, labelling it "unjust" and "inhumane".

Florin Costea will replace him in the Romania squad for Wednesday's encounter in Bucharest.

Keane just happy to play

The Republic of Ireland skipper was confident the current mess involving Georgia will not affect his team.

FIFA on Tuesday ruled the game, which was scheduled to take place in Tblisi on September 6, must be played in a neutral country amid the ongoing political situation in the former Soviet state.

The Georgian Football Federation have been given until next Wednesday to nominate an alternative venue, but with his side due to travel to Montenegro four days later, Keane insists they will be ready for whatever the trip throws up.

Speaking in Oslo ahead of Wednesday night's friendly clash with Norway, the Liverpool striker said: "It was important that we did play the game no matter where it was. We have everything set out and the players were looking forward to the two games.

"They have made a decision on that now and I think it's important they have made that decision.

"At least we know we are playing that game and people are looking forward to that now.

"I know it is not in Georgia, but FIFA have made the decision and we have to respect that.

"That's just the way it has worked out. I don't think we will complain too much about it.

"It is a situation that has happened there that's go nothing to do with us.

"It is out of our hands and we have to respect the decision of FIFA.

"But no matter where the game was, we would have gone and played it anywhere because it is important for the group and it is important to get the three points."

FIFA announced their decision in a statement on Tuesday morning after several days of deliberations.

It said: "FIFA today decided that the 2010 FIFA World Cup preliminary competition match between Georgia and the Republic of Ireland, scheduled for 6 September 2008, will take place at a neutral venue due to recent events in Georgia, which have affected security in the entire country.

"FIFA reached this decision after closely monitoring the situation in Georgia and taking note that UEFA also decided to ask Georgian clubs involved in UEFA competitions to play their matches in neutral countries.

"The Georgian Football Federation has until 26 August 2008 to nominate a neutral venue to host the qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland, which will take place on the scheduled date of 6 September 2008.

"The Georgian Football Federation will serve as the host association for this match."

Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni will now have to wait to learn where they will have to play the game - Azerbaijan and Armenia have been rumoured as possible alternative venues, although there has been no official word as yet.

The Italian expressed his sadness at the situation in Georgia and his sympathy for the nation's football team.

However, he insisted he was happy the calendar had remained intact with his planning for the campaign well under way.

He said: "We will await the FIFA decision. It would have been very difficult for us to play in Georgia.

"For both teams, not only for us, the first game is very, very important.

"I am sad about the situation, but we cannot do anything about that.

It is important to respect the calendar. It is important the teams play on September 6. It is important to continue the calendar.

"I am happy FIFA has decided this. I am sad for Georgia, but that is the situation.

"It is better that we go away with that calendar."

Silvinho says no to captaincy

It was reported that new Barca coach Josep Guardiola will allow a vote among the first team squad to see who is to fill the vacant vice-captain spot left by Ronaldinho.

Carles Puyol will retain the armband while Xavi will be promoted to second-in-command. This leaves a third spot available.

According to Sylvinho, there is already sufficient leadership at the club as such he has no interest in seeking election for the third spot.

"I think we’ve got enough. I don’t want to be a captain. I’m very clear about my role in the squad and I’ll carry it out no problem," he told the official Barcelona website.

Nonetheless he pledged to use his vast experience for the good of the squad as a whole.

As for his role at the club, it is one based around his experience. The diminutive full-back made his professional debut 14 years ago with Corinthians, having since represented Arsenal and Celta Vigo - a longer career than any of his colleagues.

"Football goes beyond the 90 minutes," he said by way of imparting his wisdom.

"For matches to go well, the management of the group, the changing room, the daily work etc are all very important.

"With the experience I have in football and in the Club I believe I can help my team-mates. I feel a responsibility to help the squad."

Also able to aid the players are the Camp Nou faithful.

"As the coach said, we’ll give everything we’ve got in every match. So I’m sure we’ll have the support of the fans and, with a strong Camp Nou, we’ll be a much better team," he concluded.

Saina targets 2012 Olympics gold

"I am a bit disappointed that I missed the semifinal berth by a whisker but I am more experienced now. I have lost many such matches so the defeat won't really haunt me," Saina said.

"It was my first Olympics and I never even dreamt that I will come this far. Reaching quarterfinals was most overwhelming. I know I am playing well and I have learnt how to sustain and maintain myself by seeing the international players in the Beijing Olympics village.

"I hope I will be able to get gold in the next Olympics, which is my main aim now," said the Hyderabadi player, who is the first Indian shuttler to reach the quaterfinals in Olympics.

Saina, who was invited by Sports Minister M S Gill on her return from Olympics, did not offer any excuse for running out of steam in the crucial match and admitted that it was just her mistake.

"I can't blame coaching or anything for that matter. I was hasty during the match. If I had played like I played in pre-quarterfinals I would have definitely reached the semis. It was my mistake," she said.

"I was confident after my pre-quarterfinal and I badly wanted to win the next match. But it didn't work well that day. I didn't keep patience," she added.

The 18-year-old player, who upset World number five Wang Chen in the Olympic pre-quarters, said she was never under pressure to win a medal and was satisfied with her performance on her Olympic debut.

Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi celebrates his victory in the 1,500-meter run, 19 Aug 2008

Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain outlasted the field in the men's 1,500 meter race (3:32.94). Ramzi says the race was a personal challenge because of jet lag.

"Here in Beijing, there is a time difference of seven hours," said Rashid Ramzi. "And, I have problems sleeping. And, right now, in my country, it is a totally different time. And, I have not been able to get used to the time difference."

American Dawn Harper emerged the surprise winner of the women's 100-meter hurdles (12.54 seconds) after race favorite and teammate LoLo Jones bumped the second-to-last hurdle and lost her speed. But Harper says she has always known she would finish on top one day.

"It is a dream of mine," said Dawn Harper. "So, I would not take that from myself and say that I could not or is it really possible. I had to stay focused and say, 'it is possible for me.' And say that If it did not happen today, I [still] was not going to give up on my dream. And for it to happen today is so surreal. It is amazing. To actually say that, and have the world say that, is amazing."

Christine Ohuruogu of Britain crossed the line first in the women's 400-meter sprint (49.62).

"I am very proud," said Christine Ohuruogu. "I am very proud that we got a medal for athletics. I think this is the first Olympic medal we have won for this sport. So, it is always very hard getting to a championship and having to go through the rounds. I am just proud that I kept my head up."

Gerd Kanter of Estonia was the men's discus champion (68.82 meters). Germany was golden in men's triathlon and weightlifting. Britain picked up a pair of track cycling gold medals, while Argentina won the Madison team race.

In other Olympic action, Brenda Villa scored three times, including the game winner with one minute remaining to give the U.S. women's water polo team a 9-8 semifinal victory over Australia. The Americans will play for gold on Thursday.

The women's beach volleyball duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won their 12th straight Olympic match, getting past a Brazilian duo (Talita Antunes and Renata Ribeiro). The Americans will play for their second consecutive Olympic gold medal.

China continues to hold a comfortable lead in the medals standings. The host nation has 43 gold medals, 14 silver and 19 bronze. The United States is a distant second with 26 gold. Britain has 16.

More Medals Awarded at Beijing Olympics

China's He Chong shows off his gold medal for three-meter springboard diving, 19 Aug 2008
He Chong added to the bulging total of gold medals for China by topping the three-meter springboard diving final. Three of four events on the final day of gymnastics were also claimed by Chinese athletes.

The other went to American gymnast Shawn Johnson, who was finally a winner in Beijing after three runner-up finishes. Johnson performed a sparkling routine on the balance beam. Teammate Nastia Liukin took silver, while Cheng Fei of China was third. With five podium finishes, Liukin tied the record for most medals won by a U.S. women's gymnast at a single Olympic Games.

The United States picked up an unexpected gold medal when Henry Cejudo won the men's 55-kilogram weight class of freestyle wrestling. He scored a 2-2 and 3-0 decision over Tomohiro Matsunaga of Japan, who had reached the final by upsetting Besik Kudukhov. Cejudo had been looking forward to facing the Russian defending champion.

"I would have liked to have had the Russian," said Henry Cejudo. "But the Japanese dominated him. So I like to dominate the person that got dominated. I am the dominator [laughter]."

Russia took the day's other wrestling title. Anna Tunnicliffe came from ninth place to win a sailing gold medal in the laser radial class at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center. She finished with 37 net points to claim the first Olympic medal awarded in the class.

Russian Andrey Silnov says he had some help clearing the bar set at 2.36 meters to win the men's high jump event.

"I was a little bit excited," said Andrey Silnov. "And that is why I had to consult with a coach after every attempt. And they had to correct my jumps to a certain extent."