Japan will be battling Mexico in the semi-finals after the latter was able to survive a dramatic counter attack by Senegal to win 4-2. Senegal, managing to launch a fightback, came from trailing 2-0 at London's Wembley Stadium, in front of a crowd of more than 81,000 to force extra-time.

The Mexicans grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute as Jorge Enriquez headed in a dos Santos free kick home. They doubled it in the 62nd minute when Javier Aquino scored from a tough angle off a good build-up by dos Santos and Marco Fabian.

But Senegal, just making its Olympic soccer debut this year, would not give up. Moussa Konate, the tournament's top scorer, pulled a goal back in the 69th minute, for his fifth goal the first that Mexico had conceded this Olympics.

Seven minutes later, we witness that it’s already 2-2 when surprisingly, substitute Ibrahima Balde headed in from a corner.

In extra-time Giovani dos Santos restored Mexico's lead before the outcome was put beyond doubt in the 109th minute when Hector Herrera, who will miss the semi-final through suspension, headed into an empty net.

Meanwhile Konate, being a good sport and an excellent athlete, put defeat in perspective by saying: "Today it was our bad day. I'm so happy for my team. This is the first time we have ever played in the Olympics." "Wow, that was a difficult game," Mexico coach Luis Fernando Tena said. "What I am most happy about is that after Senegal fought back to 2-2, we were able to pull away and play a high-spirited game. But it was hard."