Luan was also on target with some 7 minutes remaining in the game at the Corinthians Arena to make it 2-nil and keep Brazil on track for their first Olympic football title.
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Brazil will now face Honduras in the semifinals round of the Rio Olympics Men’s football tourney.
Germany have again been the free-scoring side in Brazil, netting 19 times in just four games, including a 4-0 destruction of Portugal in the quarter-finals.
Their journey and fighting spirit has been so admired by a Japanese surgeon that he has offered to pay each player $30,000 if they win gold, $20,000 if they win silver or $12,000 if they take bronze.
Germany lost 5-0 to Portugal in the semi-finals of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship a year ago, but they earned sweet revenge in Brasilia thanks to a well-deserved win.
The men’s tournament is res-tricted to players aged under 23, though each squad is allowed to name three “over-age” players.
A scrappy and physical first half ended with five yellow cards, four of which went to Colombia. Having a huge dose of criticism from the press and the fans, the team has changed – the last match of the group stage defeated the Danes (4: 0), and in the quarter did not have a chance in the national team of Colombia. Unsurprisingly, the match then descended into a blood bath with Neymar being booked for sparking a brawl when he crudely chopped down Roa. In previous appearances, the team got off the field being booed.
Olympic gold medal boxer Claressa Shields has won her first bout of the Rio Games and will fight for another medal.
Brazil lost the 2012 final to Mexico in London.
Brazil got off to a slow start at the Olympic tournament, being held to scoreless draws against South Africa and Iraq and becoming in danger of another early elimination two years after the humiliating loss to Germany at the World Cup.
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The early opener proved to be an indicator of things to come for Brazil as their attacking quartet caused Honduras all kinds of problems – Gabriel Jesus made it two in the 26th minute with a calm finish after a delightful throughball from Luan.
