Brazil captain Neymar failed to impress during his country’s opening Rio 2016 match against 10-man South Africa, the forward not making a notable impact throughout 90 minutes of the 0-0 draw to raise questions over his pre-season condition.
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Brazil, who have never won the Olympic gold, started with a highly rated front three of Neymar, new Manchester City signing Gabriel Jesus, and 19-year-old Gabriel Barbosa, the Santos striker expected to head to Europe in this transfer window.
However, he endured a frustrating afternoon on a sandy and slow surface in Brasilia as South Africa held out despite Mothobi Mvala’s red card half an hour from time prompting the crowd to jeer the hosts off on the final whistle. Brazil pinned their opponents down after that but just could not score. “Sometimes the ball doesn’t go in the net”.
Neymar is struggling with fitness, according to a conditioning coach of Brazil’s Olympic men’s football squad. Jesus somehow turned the ball onto the post with the goal gaping, whilst a dipping drive from Neymar landed on the roof of the net.
A near-capacity 70,000 crowd were in attendance at the Mane Garrincha Stadium and Brazil were fancied to open with a victory.
That result was not the only surprise as its great rival Argentina lost 0-2 to Portugal.
Brazil needed about half an hour to start piling the pressure on South Africa.
Another win for the gold medal victor 20 years ago in Atlanta against Sweden will seal its place in the last eight.
Iraq and Denmark also drew 0-0 in their first game, leaving all teams tied going into Sunday’s matches.
“I had to score that goal”, he said.
Two-time gold medalists Argentina faces Algeria after suffering a 2-0 opening defeat to Portugal.
The team boarded a jet out of Atlanta on Thursday morning for the jungle city of Manaus, Brazil, where it beat Japan 5-4 later in the day. The Brazilian players left in amazement and anguish as hope began to fade for them to take the gold.
Owen da Gamas charges, who played the last half-hour with 10 men, looked confident from the first whistle as they managed to settle earlier than the opposition.
Earlier on Thursday, Iraq and Denmark kicked the tournament off with a 0-0 draw at a mostly empty National Stadium.
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“Inexplicably, Brazil did everything contrary to what they rehearsed and preached for 17 days [in preparation]”, Rio de Janeiro’s O Globo newspaper said.
