Italian Olympic coach Pierluigi Casiraghi will be smiling after yet another great showing from his Under 23 troops in their second match at the games against the Korean Republic, winning 3 – 0 and qualifying for the next round.

The Azzurrini started brightly, with Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi scoring in the 16th minute to put the Italians in the lead. Lazio striker Tommaso Rocchi made it 2 – 0 32 minutes after the start, going into the change rooms for the half time break up by two goals to nil.

The second half began with the Azzurrini in attack, Rocchi missing a chance to go 3 – 0 up. Soon after a Korean elbow caught the head of talented and troublesome Sebastian Giovinco, knocking him to the floor. Thankfully the Italian was able to continue. Italy continued to come close to the third goal numerous times in the half, trying to repeat the win against Honduras last week.

The second half started brightly, but mid way through the Koreans were visibly out of the game, and the Italians were fully in control, slowing the pace of play and comfortably playing out the rest of the period with the win firmly in their grasp. Finishing off a good day for the Azzurrini, Montolivo scored Italy’s third with a volley to equal the tally in their first Olympic outing.

Three yellow cards for the Koreans sums up the disciplinary situation. The Italians can go forward comfortably qualified for the quarter finals with the next game against Cameroon on Wednesday perhaps a formality to be used as a warm up to the knockout rounds. The first place spot in the group is not yet assured however, and the Azzurrini would do well to achieve that milestone in the next game, thus avoiding the top team in another group.

Italy 3-0 South Korea
Scorers: Rossi 16 (I), Rocchi 31 (I), Montolivo 88 (I)
Italy: Viviano; Motta, Coda, Criscito, Bocchetti; Montolivo, Cigarini, Nocerino; Giovinco (Abate 77), Rossi (Dessena 82); Rocchi (Acquafresca 58)
South Korea: Jung Sung Ryong; Shin Kwang Hoon, Kim Jin Kyu, Kang Min Soo, Kim Dong Jin; Oh Jang Eun (Cho Young Cheol 85), Ki Sung Yong, Kim Jung Woo; Park Chu Young, Shin Young Rok, Lee Keun Ho
Ref: Eimwaller (Aut)

Peter Pedroncelli - footballitaliano.org

Belgium 2-0 China

Belgium clinched a 2-0 win over China in a hot-tempered encounter at the Shenyang Olympics Sports Centre on Sunday evening.

Belgium, who crashed 2-0 to Brazil in their opening game, were looking to put behind their defeat against the Brazilians. China, on the other hand, were spared their blushes against New Zealand when Manchester United’s Dong Fangzhuo came off the bench to score a late goal for the Chinese.

With both teams needing a victory, Belgium and China battled doggedly in front of the partisan crowd at the Shenyang Olympics Sports Centre.

A first-half strike from striker Moussa Dembele and 80th minute goal from midfielder Kevin Mirallas helped seal victory for Jean Francois de Sart’s team.

First Half

Both teams were fired up straight from the kick-off but clear-cut opportunities were few and far between.

China were fired up by the voracious support in the opening minutes, as they forced Belgium goalkeeper Logan Bailly to an early save in the second minute. Midfielder Jiang Ning threaded a pinpoint pass to Gao Lin, who was waiting outside the penalty box.

But the Shanghai Shenhua striker’s shot was comfortably collected by Bailly.   As China looked like they were going to take the lead, it was Belgium who went ahead in the eighth minute.

Moussa Dembele controlled the ball superbly, and the AZ Alkmaar beat two Chinese defenders from the left to stab the ball into the net.

Dembele’s goal silenced the capacity crowd at the stadium, as the Belgians attempted to pry open the Chinese defence.

Despite being a goal down, China were desperately unlucky not to draw level on 43 minutes.

China skipper Zheng Zhi skipped past Belgium defender Sebastien Pocognoli and dragged the ball into the penalty box, only for Sepp De Rover to intercept the Charlton Athletic player to put the ball out for a corner.

Second Half

The second 45 minutes was a ill-tempered affair, which saw China reduced to nine men.

Defender Feng Xiaoting was first to receive his marching orders from Argentinean referee Hector Baldassi in the 53rd minutes. The Dalian Haichang player let fly a high boot at Pocognoli, as the Belgian went down clutching his chest in pain.

11 minutes later, China executive coach Yin Tiesheng’s misery was compounded further, when Zheng Zhi was red carded for an off-the-ball challenge with a Belgian defender. As frustration continued to mount for the Chinese, Belgium scored their second goal 10 minutes from time.

The Belgians, who came out after the break with more zeal, consolidated the first-half lead through Mirallas.

The forward, who plies his trade in France with Lille FC, netted a spectacular goal, ghosting past the Chinese defence on the left to let fly a powerful shot that gave goalkeeper Qiu Shenjiong no chance at all.

With the clock ticking away, China threw everything they had at the Belgium goalmouth, but it was too little too late as the Belgians held on to the win to keep their hopes of progressing to the next round alive.

Belgium: Logan Bailly (gk), Jan Vertonghen, Sepp De Roover, Thomas Vermaelen, Sebastien Pocognoli, Jeroen Simaeys, Faris Haroun, Maarten Martens (capt), Tom De Mul, Kevin Mirallas, Moussa Dembele

China: Qiu Shenjiong (gk), Tan Wangsong, Feng Xiaoting, Yuan Weiwei, Li Weifeng, Zhou Xuri, Zhou Haibin, Zheng Zhi (capt), Cui Peng, Gao Lin, Jiang Ning

Goals: 8th minute - Moussa Dembele (Belgium) | 80th minute - Kevin Mirallas (Belgium)

Ref From Anthony Ralley - goal.com

Here is tournament schedule:

Round 1 August 7
Australia vs. Serbia 17:00 Shanghai Stadium
Cote D’Ivoire vs. Argentina 19:45 Shanghai Stadium
Japan vs. USA 17:00 Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium
Netherlands vs. Nigeria 19:45 Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium
Brazil vs. Belgium 17:00 Shenyang Olympic Stadium
China vs. New Zealand 19:45 Shenyang Olympic Stadium
Honduras vs. Italy 17:00 Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium
Republic of Korea vs. Cameroon 19:45 Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium

Round 2 August 10
Argentina vs. Australia 17:00 Shanghai Stadium
Serbia vs. Cote D’Ivoire 19:45 Shanghai Stadium
Nigeria vs. Japan 17:00 Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium
USA vs. Netherlands 19:45 Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium
New Zealand vs. Brazil 17:00 Shenyang Olympic Stadium
Belgium vs. China 19:45 Shenyang Olympic Stadium
Cameroon vs. Honduras 17:00 Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium
Italy vs. Republic of Korea 19:45 Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium

Round 3 August 13
Netherlands vs. Japan 17:00 Shenyang Olympic Stadium
Nigeria vs. USA 17:00 Beijing Workers’ Stadium
Republic of Korea vs. Honduras 17:00 Shanghai Stadium
Cameroon vs. Italy 17:00 Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium
Cote D’Ivoire vs. Australia 19:45 Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium
Argentina vs. Serbia 19:45 Beijing Workers’ Stadium
China vs. Brazil 19:45 Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium
New Zealand vs. Belgium 19:45 Shanghai Stadium

Quarter-finals August 16
C1 vs. D2 (Q3) 18:00 Shenyang Olympic Stadium
D1 vs. C2 (Q4) 18:00 Beijing Workers’ Stadium
A1 vs. B2 (Q1) 21:00 Shanghai Stadium
B1 vs. A2(Q2) 21:00 Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium

Semi-finals August 19
Q2 vs. Q4 (S2) 18:00 Shanghai Stadium
Q1 vs. Q3 (S1) 21:00 Beijing Workers’ Stadium

Bronze medal match August 22
S1 Loser vs. S2 Loser 19:00 Shanghai Stadium

Final
S1 Winner vs. S2 Winner 12:00 National Stadium