His tenacity and willingness to help press from the front forced an error from defender Johnny Palacios before slotting home the opening goal after just 14 seconds – setting a new world record for the fastest goal in Olympic football history. A sea of yellow serenaded the 24-year-old with “Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ney-mar!”
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“It was awesome to just arrive in the stadium and watch a lovely goal”, said Filipe Deliza, a 19 year-old law student from Rio.
The Germans would have the last say, as Petersen put it beyond Daniel on the dot of time after a fast break by the Germans. “He has a gift of playing football and delights everyone with his talent”. He is living through a positive period as opposed to a week ago, when there was a lot of demands and pressure on him.
“Brazilian players are not so dead”. “But I still believe in Brazilian football”. We have to be grateful for Neymar.
The one title still to elude the five-time world champions, the quest for gold has become an obsession for the Seleaco. Confidence restored, he scored two excellent goals in the drubbing of Honduras and once again looks set to star in the Selecao’s quest for gold.
Neymar is the only player on either squad to have played in the 2014 World Cup and he missed the Germany game through injury.
Ireland’s Patrick Hickey, a member of the International Olympic Committee’s executive board, in his Rio hotel in connection with an investigation into ticket scalping at the Games.
Brazil’s offense sputtered at the start of these Games, with scoreless ties against South Africa and Iraq. But the team suffered a blow the final group match when star striker Oghenekaro Etebo was injured.
The Dream Team VI defeated Japan and Sweden 5-4 and 1-0 respectively, before losing their final Group B game to Colombia 2-0.
It wasn’t that Honduras didn’t play defense; it simply couldn’t corral Neymar.
Neymar got the worst of the collision and stayed on the ground. He was carried off on a stretcher, but within a few minutes was back on the field carving his way through the Honduras defense.
Gremio forward Luan added a fifth ten minutes from time after meeting a sumptuous ball from Lazio midfielder Felipe Anderson, before Neymar finished the rout from the penalty spot.
Marquinhos and Luan both netted from close in to add the other goals.
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The same player made it three eight minutes later, when he ran onto a superb 30-yard pass from Neymar to lift the ball over the keeper and into the roof of the net. Neymar went through the interview zone without speaking, offering just a wave and smile to the throng of reporters.
