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 BEIJING : Brazil won the bronze medal in the Olympic Men's Football competition by defeating Belgium 3-0. The first two goals were scored in the first half by Diego and Jo in the 27th and 45th minutes. Jo scored his second goal in the 92nd minute to seal the victory.
Both sides ventured into their respective forward lines at the opening of the first half. Although Brazil looked marginally better, it didn't create many good chances. The deadlock was broken 27 minutes into the first half when Rafinha's cross found its way through a crowded penalty box and Diego managed to scramble in a goal despite being blocked by two defenders.
In the following 15 minutes, Belgium had a series of good chances to equalize. In the 30th minute, Kevin Mirallas' shot was tipped over the bar by Brazilian goalkeeper Renan. Three minutes later, Maarten Martens' arrow-like cross eluded his eager teammates.
In the 38th minute, Belgium conducted a swift counter-attack. Tom De Mul crossed the ball to the unmarked Martens, whose angled shot at goal was blocked by Renan and the Brazilian defense.
With the clock already ticking into injury time, Brazil scored again. Ramires' close-range shot forced a reflex save by Belgium's goalkeeper Logan Bailly, however, the ball was only partially cleared and Manchester City's Jo quickly collected the rebound and headed in a goal. The first half finished with Brazil leading 2-0
The opening of the second half was uneventful. Brazil seemed to be satisfied with its two-goal advantage while Belgium was left with a towering mountain to climb.
Far from being disheartened, Jan Vertonghen's sudden long-range shot in the 76th minute cannoned into Renan's hands at a frightening speed. Seven minutes later, Sepp De Roover's foot connected with the ball in the crowded penalty box, but his shot went straight to Bailly.
Brazil burst into life in the last ten minutes of the game. A swift counter-attack was conducted down the left wing as Marcelo ran onto a forward pass, dribbled the ball past the Belgian defenders, but he couldn't get past Bailly.
Jo's second goal in the 91st minute put the game to bed. Diego's forward pass was latched onto by Jo, who burst forward, held off Thomas Vermaelen and unleashed a clinical shot into the bottom corner of Belgium's goal.
Brazil claimed two medals at the Beijing 2008 Football tournament - a bronze for the men and a silver for the women, but it will have to wait another four years to compete for the only major honor that eludes the five-time world champions, an Olympic gold medal.
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