Brazil were far too reliant on Neymar during the World Cup-nowhere was this made clearer than the tearful memoriam for this services before the fateful semi-final with Germany-and this still appears to be the case.
Advertisement
However, South Africa resisted to add problems on the field for the hosts to a Games build-up already marred by fears surrounding the Zika virus and Brazil’s political turmoil.
The 0-0 draw was a major disappointment for the home side against a team reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark.
Neymar competed in the 2012 Olympic Games, scoring three goals and dishing out three assists as Brazil breezed through its first five matches before falling in the gold medal match 2-1 to Mexico. We played and defended so well against Brazil, a team that we admired, that had influenced so much in South African football.
Have Samba that! A ten-man South African side held on for a 0-0 draw against Olympic hosts Brazil in their opening fixture at the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília on Thursday night.
Keagan Dolly was the next to come close for South Africa, but Brazil did at least end the half on top with Felipe Anderson and Neymar coming close in the final 10 minutes of the opening 45.
And Neymar’s dipping drive landed on the roof of the net, as South Africa escaped with a point.
“I am disappointed that I could not score, it was a mistake and that shouldn’t happen”, he said.
“Brazil are a good team, with Neymar they will be unsafe, but as long as you believe, you can achieve something – and we strongly believe something good will happen”, Da Gama told South African reporters, via Goal.com.
Neymar and Gabigol threatened a few times but also couldn’t score.
Mvala received his marching orders in the 58th minute following a second yellow card, leaving his compatriots to battle it out against a strong Brazil side for just over half an hour.
A slow start may be forgiven, and it is clear that the Olympic football tournament does not hold the same lustre at major competitions without age restrictions.
“At first it looks very fast, but now I think it is not very fast at all”, Germany’s Rene Enders, twice a bronze medallist in team sprint, said after training on Thursday.
Advertisement
Group “D”: Honduras 3 (Quioto 13, Pereira 33, Lozano 79) bt Algeria 2 (Bendebka 68, Bounedjah 85); Argentina 0 lost to Portugal 2 (Paciencia 66, Pite 84).
