SHENYANG, China -- Hernanes scored a late goal and Brazil began its quest for a first Olympic gold in soccer with a 1-0 win over Belgium in Group C play.
Hernanes netted the winner in the 79th minute, firing a hard shot from inside the area into the left-upper corner of the net at the nearly packed Shenyang Olympic Stadium.
Thursday's victory gives Brazil the lead in Group C. China and New Zealand will play the group's second match later in Shenyang.
Ronaldinho, Diego, Alexandre Pato and the rest of Brazilian stars were kept in check by the Belgians during most of the match until defender Vincent Kompany was ejected in the 72nd after receiving a second yellow card.
The Olympic tournament is the only significant title Brazil has never won in soccer.
The men's Olympic football tournament is for players 23 and under, with three exceptions for older players. The tournament began a day before Friday's opening ceremony in Beijing to accommodate its lengthy schedule.
Belgium surprised the more-experienced Brazilians by marking well and even threatened at times at the 60,000-capacity Shenyang Olympic Stadium.
The Europeans had the first scoring chance when striker Kevin Mirallas controlled the ball in good position inside the area but misfired from close range in the sixth. The Belgians came close again in the 27th after midfielder Marouane Fellaini had an open shot on goal but missed wide. Full story
Argentina 2, Ivory Coast 1
SHANGHAI, China -- Lionel Messi scored to help Argentina beat the Ivory Coast at the Olympics after FC Barcelona allowed its star forward to play at the Beijing Games despite a court ruling.
Barcelona and two German clubs won a decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport that they didn't have to release players to the Olympic competition, but Barcelona allowed the 21-year-old Messi to stay in China after Argentina coach Sergio Batista had pleaded on the player's behalf.
Messi scored in the 43rd minute at Shanghai Olympic Stadium to give Argentina a 1-0 lead, before teammate Lautaro Acosta turned in the rebound from Messi's shot for the winning goal in the 85th.
In a move seen as a test case in the power battle between clubs and national teams, Barcelona, Schalke and Werder Bremen won their appeal to CAS on Wednesday to gain the release of Messi and Brazilian players Diego and Rafinha from their Olympic squads.
While the Bundesliga clubs then allowed the Brazilians to stay and play at the Olympics, Argentina had to wait on Barcelona's decision on Messi.
China 1, New Zealand 1
SHENYANG, China -- Substitute striker Dong Fangzhuo scored a late equalizer to give host China a draw against 10-man New Zealand in its opener at the Olympic soccer tournament.
Dong's 88th-minute header from near the penalty spot went over New Zealand goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley and into the far post, delighting the loud home crowd at the nearly packed 60,000-capacity Shenyang Olympic Stadium.
Midfielder Jeremy Brockie had opened the scoring for New Zealand with a right-footer from inside the area in the 53rd minute, completing Craig Henderson's pass over the Chinese defense.
New Zealand played a man down after Steven Old was ejected for a handball that prompted his second yellow card in the 39th minute.
Italy 3, Honduras 0
QINHUANGDAO, China -- Italy got first-half goals from forwards Sebastian Giovinco and Giuseppe Rossi, and Robert Acquafresca added another in the second as Italy beat Honduras in its opening Olympic soccer match.
Giovinco put the Italians ahead in the 41st with a powerful left-footed strike from 30 meters out into the top left corner.
Four minutes later, Slovakian referee Damir Skomina awarded Italy a penalty after defender Quiarol Arzu's handball in the box, and Rossi slotted the ball inside the right post just before halftime.
Acquafresca then converted a penalty minutes into the second half after being taken down inside the box by Hernandez to finish off the scoring.
Nigeria 0, Netherlands 0
TIANJIN, China -- Nigeria held the gold-medal favorite Netherlands to a draw, competing evenly with the reigning two-time European under-21 champion in their Olympic opener.
Bolstered by Liverpool forward Ryan Babel and veteran senior national team striker Roy Makaay, the Dutch were picked in many pre-Olympic predictions to challenge Argentina and Brazil for the title.
Using three forwards, the Nigerians created several quality chances but were lacking a final touch. The Dutch also were dangerous, mostly with Jonathan de Guzman out of midfield.
Australia 1, Serbia 1
SHANGHAI, China -- Slobodan Rajkovic equalized with a header from a corner and Serbia rallied to draw with Australia at the Beijing Olympics.
Ruben Zadkovich gave Australia a 69th-minute lead from David Carney's cross at Shanghai Olympic Stadium, but Rajkovic equalized in the 78th for a deserved draw. The two other teams in Group A are Argentina and Ivory Coast, which played later Thursday at the same venue.
Australia scored when Carney burst through and crossed from the left. Archie Thompson missed the ball, but an unmarked Zadkovich squeezed the ball in from a tight angle at the far post.
Serbia leveled after Aleksandar Zivkovic floated a corner to the near post and Rajkovic met it with a firm header that flew past goalkeeper Adam Federici.
Cameroon 1, South Korea 1
QINHUANGDAO, China -- Midfielder George Mandjeck scored late goal to rally Cameroon to a draw with South Korea in their opening soccer match at the Beijing Olympics.
Both teams created a host of quality scoring opportunities in the physical, seesaw game until Cameroon defender Paul Bebey fouled Park Chu-young.
On the ensuing free kick, Park hit a low, spinning ball that bounced once, slipping by onrushing Kim Don-jin and past Cameroon keeper Amour Tignyemb.
But Mandjeck, who replaced Alain Olle in the 64th minute, equalized nine minutes before full time. Frank Songoo crossed to Gustave Bebbe in the box, who turned and dropped the ball to Mandjeck to finish.
