Sat 23 Aug 2008
* Argentina face Nigeria in men’s soccer final
* Ethiopian runner seeks long-distance double
* China top medal table, prepare for closing ceremony
By Andrew Cawthorne
BEIJING, Aug 23 (Reuters) – Argentina seek another soccer title and Ethiopian long-distance runner Kenenisa Bekele attempts to become the first man since 1980 to win both 5,000 and 10,000 metres in the penultimate day of the Olympics on Saturday.
Boasting the skills of Lionel Messi and orchestration of Juan Roman Riquelme, Argentina defend their Olympic gold against Nigeria at midday on another broiling day in Beijing.
While the heat may sap strength, it should not dim passion in a re-run of the 1996 final when Nigeria won 3-2 with a last-gasp goal the South Americans claimed was offside.
“To defend against Lionel Messi is the biggest thing we have to do,” said Nigerian coach Samson Siasia.
The noon start is the price paid for hosting the game in the magnificent Bird’s Nest stadium, which is needed for the last session of track athletics in the evening. That underscored the second-tier place the ‘beautiful game’ has at the Olympics. Read More.