Crisis-hit Argentina and holders Mexico exit Olympic football

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – Crisis-hit Argentine football suffered another blow Wednesday when they were dumped out of the Olympics at the group stages by Honduras, whilst 2012 gold medallists Mexico were also sent packing. Hosts Brazil hope to avoid the same fate as their eternal rivals later when they take on Denmark in Salvador needing to win to guarantee their place in the last eight. Freiburg striker Nils Petersen scored five times as world champions Germany smashed Pacific islanders Fiji 10-0 to seal their place in the last eight behind South Korea, who beat Mexico 1-0 thanks to Kwon

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Hosts Brazil hope to avoid the same fate as their eternal rivals later when they take on Denmark in Salvador needing to win to guarantee their place in the last eight.

Freiburg striker Nils Petersen scored five times as world champions Germany smashed Pacific islanders Fiji 10-0 to seal their place in the last eight behind South Korea, who beat Mexico 1-0 thanks to Kwon Chang-hoon’s stunning strike in Brasilia.

Colombia also moved into the quarter-finals by beating Nigeria 2-0 with captain Teo Gutierrez and Dorlan Pabon on target.

The Africans had already done enough to top Group B rendering Japan’s 1-0 win over Sweden meaningless.

Portugal secured top spot in Group D with a 1-1 draw against Algeria in Belo Horizonte to set up a quarter-final meeting with Germany on Saturday.

South Korea face Honduras in the last eight.

Argentina needed to win to secure a place in the quarters due to their inferior goal difference with the Hondurans after both had lost to Portugal and beat Algeria in their opening two group matches.

However, the Central Americans sprung a huge surprise as Antony Lorenzo’s penalty 15 minutes from time put them in front in Brasilia and, despite Mauricio Martinez’s equaliser deep into stoppage time, Argentina bowed out in embarrassing fashion.

The Albiceleste’s chances were severely hampered by chaotic preparation for the Games.

Coach Julio Olarticoechea, who had been coaching the Argentine women’s team, was put in charge just weeks before the tournament began after Gerardo Martino resigned citing power squabbles at the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and clubs not releasing players for the Olympics.

Martino’s resignation also came after losing a second Copa America final to Chile in as many years in June which provoked a tearful Lionel Messi to announce his retirement from international football.

After Martino’s coaching staff also resigned, Olarticoechea was the only coach still contracted to AFA.

– ‘Mafia’ –

Legendary former player Diego Maradona has branded AFA’s management a “mafia,” and raged against football administrators in Argentina once more on Wednesday.

“Honduras can’t beat us. A country for which I have a lot of respect, but they play baseball they don’t know anything about football,” he told Radio La Red.

Argentina’s conquerors in the 2014 World Cup final Germany remain on course for another Brazilian party at the Maracana on August 20 as they brushed aside the hapless Fijians in Belo Horizonte.

Fiji benefited from New Zealand’s disqualification for fielding an ineligible player to qualify for the Olympics and conceded 23 goals over the course of their Group C games having also been smashed 8-0 and 5-1 by South Korea and Mexico respectively.

Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry also scored twice to lead the competition’s scoring charts along with Petersen on five.

Despite hitting double figures, Germany still fell short of their own record 16-0 victory at the Games over Russia in 1912, held jointly with Denmark’s 17-1 drubbing of France at the London Games 1908.

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