U.S. men's soccer done after loss to Nigeria
BEIJING -- Promise Isaac and Victor Obinna scored to lead Nigeria over a short-handed United States team 2-1 Wednesday, earning a place in the quarterfinals of the Olympic football tournament and eliminating the Americans.
Isaac scored in the 39th minute with an easy tap-in off Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi's centering pass and Obinna curled a right-footed shot into the top of goal in the 80th.
Sacha Kljestan converted an 88th-minute penalty for the Americans and Benny Feilhaber headed onto the post in the 90th as the United States was eliminated from Group B after the Netherlands beat Japan 1-0.
The Americans played a man short from the third minute when defender Michael Orozco was ejected for swinging his elbow into Solomon Okoronkwo's chest while the players wrestled for the ball.
"I can't say if it's justified or not," said U.S. coach Peter Nowak. "There was a big scene from the Nigerian player, but I don't know. We didn't expect this kind of reaction. ... It's kind of unacceptable."
The nervy finish saw the Americans come close, thanks to substitute Charlie Davies. Nigeria also missed a host of opportunities to seal it as the U.S. pressed for the equalizer.
The Americans even won over the local fans for the closing moments.
"The last five minutes with the 50-60,000 chanting U-S-A, it was quite a feeling about what it means to be in these tournaments," Nowak said. "We were very close, even when we play with 10 men. We never give up."
The late U.S. surge came after Nigeria goalkeeper Ambruse Vanzekin was booked for a studs-up challenge on Maurice Edu that Kljestan would convert with a low shot into the right corner.
Under pressure, Edu's poor clearance gave the Nigerians a corner in the 18th and the game's first real opportunity but U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan covered Ogbuke Obasi's header.
Nigeria, the 1996 Olympic champion, buoyed the trumpets and drums of the tiny section of Nigeria fans and the majority of the 48,096 fans at the Workers' Stadium with attacking football generated from their quick and skillful flankers.
Guzan stretched to deny Ogbuke Obasi in the 32nd after the Nigeria forward had twisted Michael Parkhurst inside-out with a weaving run.
In the 35th, Marvell Wynne got free down the right side, but he hesitated, allowing Nigeria to keep his cross from reaching Brian McBride, with midfielder Danny Szetela free at the top of the area.
Ogbuke Obasi beat Parkhurst again with a quick sweeping move to go free along the goal line and find Isaac for the goal.
Szetela cleared the ball away from the goal to end the first half as the U.S. struggled without leading striker Freddy Adu, who missed the match to suspension.
Nowak brought on midfielder Feilhaber for striker Jozy Altidore to start the second half and the U.S. improved with McBride heading straight into Vanzekin's hands in the 49th.
Kljestan headed Stuart Holden's long ball over the goal in the 55th minute and Szetela's weak chip over Vanzekin was easily cleared moments later.
Feilhaber redirected Obinna's powerful shot onto his own goal in the 66th minute, but Guzan stopped it with his left-hand.
Obinna was sent into the left-edge of the area onside before his quick move left Parkhurst on the ground and the Chievo forward with the time and space to pick his spot for the winner.