Argentina beats Nigeria 1-0 for Olympic gold
BEIJING (AP) On a day when the heat on the field topped a punishing 107 degrees, and the referee twice stopped play because of the sizzle, Argentina proved itself a champion again.
Angel di Maria provided the finish to another piece of magic from Lionel Messi, helping Argentina defeat Nigeria 1-0 for its second straight gold medal in Olympic soccer.
Di Maria collected Messi's expertly timed pass in the 58th minute Saturday and nonchalantly lobbed it over the goalkeeper. Nigeria, the 1996 champions, settled for the silver medal.
OLYMPICS_DOLY_SOC Headlines
- Argentina beats Nigeria 1-0 for Olympic gold
- Soccer final temporarily stopped because of heat
- Nigeria settles for Olympic silver without star
- Messi makes the most of first Olympics
- Di Maria scores another clutch goal for Argentina
- Dunga summons squad for World Cup qualifiers
- Brazil beats Belgium to claim Olympic bronze
- The style of play in soccer is a-changin'
- Brazil trying to find answers for another loss
- Messi hopes to justify appearance with gold medal
| Medal Count | ||||
| Soccer | ||||
| G | S | B | Total | |
| AFG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ALB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ALG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ASA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AND | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ANG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ANT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Full Medals Table | ||||
Soccer
How many substitutions are allowed in a soccer game? What’s the difference between a yellow card and a red card? When is a corner kick awarded? This AP interactive has the answers to all your questions about the sport of soccer.
© 2009 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.