When I was in middle school I fell from probably 30 stairs, on my chest/belly, down all the way! I still remember the pain, it was unbelievable! but I had to act like a man, you know I stood up (with the help of a student of course) and pretended like nothing's happened. I don't think Pato fell that bad!



Oh come on, it can't be that bad. Nesta's injury is a pretty complicated one. Pato's is just a knock. he may lose the remaining of the Olympics, but it's not a worrying injury, I think...

Please don't say that

Exactly. Nesta has missed months on the trot, and one of the reason why he retired from the NT. Pato is young, and I'm sure he can bonce back. But I'm not sure of Brazil's chances in the semis without Pato. Let me know if any news comes up on the duck, R7, will ya?


I certainly hope you think right. Neither Brazil nor Milan can afford to lose out on Pato's services for long periods of time.

I hope so ... Cuz really isn't a joke if you slip and smack ur back on teh edge of the stairs .. ouch !

Yes, but what if Pato also knocked up his head or something during the fall? I guess we can never know until we get to know the reports and stuff.

But my fall was more impressive than yours. I put in a few somersaults for the amusement of anyone watching and by the time I landed I had blood covering most of my face. But, of course, I didn't have the wits then to act like a man... I was crying like a baby. I think it was because I was a baby

Keep it together man! Pato is a young, strong lad with a bright future ahead of him. He'll manage, certainly he will. And I'm sure there is a reason why Dunga did not play him from the start. Which is for the good of the boy.

@ R7 & Reaper

OMG, come on! he hasn't fallen! from a ten-story building. it just can't be that bad.

Now we're talking

acid ... I am refreshing the Italian sources every minute here ... I'm at the edge of my seat !!

Last time I ever felt this way was when Ronaldo got that horrendous injury last season

But what if it is? We're done for in the season. Who shall we play in the front?

Amborisini

Aww, please don't remind me of that. I feel a part of me dying every time I revisit that moment. I was following that match live on stream, and it was breaking every 5-seconds, and the last thing I saw was Pippo/R99 being subbed both at the same time. Next thing I knew was my world turned upside down. Life isn't fair, but this. This was completely different. Something else entirely. I've never been the same again. Was that too much to ask, a couple of years of Ronaldo in the red and black? Oh arivanjj, where are you?

The duck will be fine I'm sure. Keep me posted as news comes in. If it comes in. As teams usually like to keep the injury news wrapped up from the media.

You gotta be kidding, right? No one can replace Pato up front. Surely everything will be alright. Now only if Bori wasn't injured for two months. Damn you, Bori.

Brazilian news agency, ABN .. has reported that Pato had been stretched off to the hospital during half time. It is yet to be seen how bad the injury is. Team doctor says it's complicated and that there could be complications as he could not get up

I'm not worried about Milan's Pato, because no matter how hard he fell, he should be ready for the start of the season or so. I'm worried about the Brazil's Olympic team's Pato. Brazil are one of the favorites (especially now that Italy are out) and it's sad to think he won't be able to play again in the semi final, final/3rd place match. though, for me, Pato's real international journey starts from 2010 World Cup. by that time he should be a real world class striker.

+1. Though I'd give all I own to see him get a gold this Olympics. I still feel Brazil has it in them to go all the way, if they play to their potential.

How could he fall from stairs damn it!!

Yeah that sucks ! And you know what sucks even more !! That I didn't get the reaction that I wanted to get from you

Zd, we were pulling your leg .. ahah .. The duck is fine

Doesn't look that way now, does it? To quote C3PO, "We're doomed"

a tad bit too late

WHAT??

Please tell me it was a bad joke!!

Hey, I'm also watching the Arsenal game.

Arsenal sucks dude .. they barely could get past WBA

Well it was a good joke about half way through. Can't say the same towards the end. Anyway, Pato is fine. In fact, I'm sure he hasn't felt better all his life. Now, only if I can see him play in the semi final, that will make my day. Ha!

@ Zd .. come on .. It was a good joke

True. But it was the only game on. And I'm one for watching any football match that's on.

Oh man, I can't believe you got me so easy yes, it was indeed a good joke! I nearly had a stroke but it was worth it!

How desperately I tried to be optimistic


You are a meaniehead nonetheless!!

So I'm back from the market. Someone's been a meaniehead, it seems. Tsk.

It's HT for the late Olympic games. The Argies are tied with the Netherlands, 1-1.

Brazil 1-0 Belgium (Brazil were criticized for this result, but now people know why, after 10-man Belgium eliminated Italy)

Brazil 5-0 New Zealand

Brazil 3-0 China

Brazil 2-0 Cameroon



11 goals scored, 0 conceded. not bad! looks like Brazil are the team to beat in this tournament.

Did you bring us more cookies

THis competition is not legitimate. And the Italy-Belgium game is evidence of that. Poor refereeing and Italy in one sentence... why doesn't that surprise me?

I refuse to follow this competition any further. 10 man Belgium eliminated Italy through the assistance of referees and cheating. That simple.

I'm not all that mad about it because frankly I don't care about the Olympics. I was really only following it to see the progress of Ronaldinho and Pato.

Nothing happened to Pato right?

Er. Isn't the above contradictory?

You're not going to follow the competition because of bad refereeing, particularly in evidence at the Italy-Belgium game. But in the next sentence you're only following the competition to see how Pato and Ronaldinho do?

Tennie ur too slippery .. now my post doesnt make sense

I was saying before. The only reason I really cared about the Olympics was because Ronaldinho and Pato were there. If they weren't, I wouldn't have really followed this competition.

However, I'm torn on this subject. I'm very torn. I do want to see Pato and Ronaldinho more, but what happened in that Italy-Belgium game really pisses me off.

Well, if it's any consolation, it made lots of sense to me

But, no cookies I wanted cookies

I'm sorry, I haven't watched the game yet, but are you telling me if the ref had awarded 2 more penalties to Italy (to make it 4 penalties - which probably has never happened in football before), sent off a few more Belgians (not just one) and disallowed their goal (which we will see if the ball really crossed the line or not), it would have been a rightful refereeing?

I can't imagine that


Even if Italy deserved to be awarded 4 penalties, see the number of their opponent reduced to 9 or 8 men, still they've only got themselves to blame for this defeat. one of Belgium's goals was controversial, right? what about the other goals - which showed Italy's defense was not unlockable? we're talking about Belgium after all, not Holland, Brazil, Argentina, etc. Italy are head and shoulders above Belgium in terms of quality. I was supporting them [after Brazil] in football (in other sports it's only Italy for me), but today's result disappointed me.

Zd summed it up pretty well. The only reason worth following this Olympics football is for Pato/Ronaldinho and to a lesser extent the Brazil national team. I'd have wanted Italy through, though.

What of the Argentina match, Ten? Any news about the result and Brazil's opponent in the semis?

There are other calls that were incorrectly made against Italy that gave the other team the upper hand. I stayed up to watch the game and I'm frankly not impressed. If the refereeing was more fair then it would have been far better.

It's not about awarding more penalties. Even that one goal that was valid yet disallowed, it could have turned the course of the game in Italy's favor.



If one of their goals was controversial and not allowed, maybe the game would have turned out differently? Today's result disappointed me too. But I saw what I saw. Poor refereeing handed Belgium the game. Trust me one goal can disrupt the balance of the other team.

So if you stayed up to watch the game, it would seem you did care about what happened to Italy's chances, Giancarlo, and not just how Pato/Ronaldinho do.

Argentina-Netherlands is still 1-1 in the 75th. Argentina has just had to sub out their keeper due to injury.

I was curious to see how they would do. What are you trying to get out of me? You're not going to get the answer "I did care", when frankly this competition meant nothing to me.

Okay guys, the last few posts didn't happen. People have different preferences when it comes to teams and competitions, and I'm sure Tennie's and Giancarlo's don't particularly match. Capiche?


Hopefully Netherlands prevails. And Brazil does so in the next match. It'd be great seeing Pato/R80 in the final.

Netherlands and the Argies are going to extra time.

Appreciate the update, Ten. Both teams seem evenly matched, so this comes as no surprise. Fingers crossed the best team wins.

Just tuned in !!

Argentina 2-1 Netherlands

Peach of a ball from Messi and di Maria slotted it past Vermeer. Second period of ET underway..

Super-pass from Messi to Di Maria and the Benfica player just puts it in.

2-1

Yeah. Brazillians.

Di Maria has really impressed. Benfica did a good bit of business buying him.

Argentina 2-1 Netherlands FT
Nigeria 2-0 Ivory Coast FT

So the semi-finals will be..

Nigeria - Belgium
Argentina - Brazil