Brazil’s Neymar celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal on a free kick during the final match of the mens’s Olympic football tournament between Brazil and Germany at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday Aug. 20, 2016.
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In the 26th minute, Neymar’s lovely free-kick gave the home team the lead, after which the Brazilians created chances through the excellence of the two Gabriels, Jesus and Barbosa. The Germans went first in the shootout, scoring the first four of their penalties, but when 27-year-old Freiburg striker Nils Peterson had his effort saved by Brazil stopper Weverton in the fifth kick, there was only one man left: Neymar.
Like Usain Bolt on a running track, whom else was it ever going to be apart from Neymar who would seal the fate of Brazil in the Men’s Olympic Football Final in the Maracanã? I just want to thank my teammates, my friends and my family, who have been by my side during the most hard moments.
Germany also defeated Sweden 2-1 on a golden goal to win the 2003 Women’s World Cup, which was held in the United States because of the SARS outbreak in China. Olympic soccer features under-23 teams while the World Cup is for the top national squad. The Olympic drought was over, and Brazil had beaten Germany on Brazilian soil, 1-1 (5-4). She’s had an equally illustrious coaching career, winning gold medals with USA national team at both the Beijing and London Games.
For Brazil, the win goes some way to eradicating the painful memories of its home World Cup two years ago when it was humiliated 7-1 by Germany in the semifinals.
Both teams had chances to secure a victor in the dying moments with extra-time looming.
“I don’t have words to say anything”, Neymar said later, sobbing.
“Beloved nation, the gold is ours”, Weverton said, still holding on to the game ball. It helps that most of our players are in mid-season, not between seasons like those who play in European championships.
Brazil’s arrival in the gold medal match capped a remarkable rebound for the men’s team, who were widely ridiculed after their early struggles in this tournament – which included a 0-0 draw with Iraq, which was then ranked No. 99 in the world.
But in truth, not a single player on the field in the Olympic final had been in that semi, with Neymar having been injured and Germany´s Matthias Ginter an unused substitute two years ago.
RIO DE JANEIRO Germany refused to be intimidated in the hostile cauldron of Rio’s Maracana stadium but they faced an uphill task against 11 Brazilian players roared on by 80,000 vengeful and passionate fans. We see that not all was lost, our football is still alive. “We have great potential and hope to achieve great things in future”.
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Other than the Christ the Redeemer statue that watches over this city of 6 million people, Neymar, the 5-9 Barcelona star, is the largest figure in Rio after that game. One fan said it feels like a nightmare, as if there’s no way what actually transpired could have been real. Now we can aim high again..
