China and Belgium will play a decisive game in order to advance into the next round here on Sunday.
In their first matches, nine-man Belgium lost narrowly to medal favorite Brazil and China drew with Olympic debutant New Zealand with one goal apiece.
Belgium need to find substitution for captain and defense lynchpin Vincent Kompany and midfielder Marouane Fellaini when dealing with China. Kompany had been sent off by referee Khalid Al Ghamdi for a second yellow card shortly before Brazil netted in a lone winner.
Fellaini also left in the closing moments in controversial circumstances for an innocuous foul with minimal contact.
Belgium surprised Brazil by effectively resisting its attacks while also found ways to counter-attack.
The host country has set their target on a semifinal berth and was dissatisfied with pocketing only one point from New Zealand, which is seen as weaker than Belgium and Brazil.
But China scored the first goal in World Cup and the Olympics, when subsititute forward Dong Fangzhuo, who plays for Manchester United, scored a last-gasp goal with a header two minutes before the final whistle.
China scored none in their only World Cup appearance in 2002 and previous Olympics experience in the 1988 Seoul Games, where they conceded a total of five goals.
Dong didn't hide his intention to appear in the starting line-up in the match against Belgium. "I hope I can get more chances for the team," he told a post-match press conference.
Chinese coach Yin Tiesheng said the bottom-line is reaching the knockout stage, which means they must at least beat either Belgium or Brazil.
"It's always possible to turn tables," veteran defender Li Weifeng said after the match.
Belgium peaked early as far as the men's Olympic football tournament is concerned. Winners of the title on home soil in 1920, the Red Devils last appeared at the competition in 1928.
(Xinhua New Agency August 9, 2008)