“We found it more hard [tonight], and we must learn to overcome this”.
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“It is not just a case of turning up and winning the gold medal”.
New Manchester City signing Gabriel Jesus came close to giving Brazilian fans something to cheer when he hit the post 22 minutes from time, the Guardian reported.
Brazil and Neymar go for their first win at the 2016 Summer Olympics when they play Iraq on Sunday. South Africa will play Denmark in the first game of the doubleheader.
Meanwhile, Iraq settled for the same 0-0 draw with powerhouse Denmark in the opening game on Thursday in Brasilia, which had surprised football pundits as the Danish squad is predicted to advance in the quarterfinals.
“I feel really bad for getting a red card and I feel as though I made a big mistake which was unnecessary, but I had to do something in the situation”, Mvala said.
“I will not sleep tonight”, the 19-year-old said.
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.
Three goals in 10 minutes in the second half put Mexico 2-1 ahead as Oribe Peralta and Rodolfo Pizarro struck either side of Arsenal’s Serge Gnabry’s reply for Germany.
Nigeria arrived in the Amazonian city of Manaus just hours before a thrilling 5-4 win over Japan as the original plane meant to take them from their training base in Atlanta on Wednesday was deemed “too small” for the squad and staff.
Two-time gold medalists Argentina faces Algeria after suffering a 2-0 opening defeat to Portugal. “Coming back to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, our team beat Brazil at the first round and they ended up not qualifying”.
Defending champion Mexico opened with a 2-2 draw against Germany, but is expected to pile more misery on Fiji, who lost 8-0 to South Korea Thursday.
Group “B”: Sweden 2 (Ishak 43, Ajdarevic 62) drew with Colombia 2 (Gutierrez 17, Pabon 75-pen).
Brazil also finished second at the Olympic tournament in 1984 in Los Angeles and in 1988 in Seoul, the second time with a team that included Romario and Bebeto.
Neymar skipped the Copa America to try to help Brazil win Olympic gold, but he was far from his best as Brazil struggled against South Africa.
South Africa defeated Brazil 3-1 in the group stage of the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
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Brazil’s Gabriel Jesus, left, kicks the ball as South Africa’s Rivaldo Coetzee looks on during a group A match of the men’s Olympic football tournament between Brazil and South Africa at the National stadium, in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016.
