The Summer Olympics continue as the soccer prelminaries heat up when host Brazil takes on Denmark as part of the Rio Games in Group A prelminary action.
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After drab goalless draws in its first two matches, Brazil needed a win to calm the nerves of a soccer-mad nation and guarantee a place in the last eight, and first-half goals by Gabriel Barbosa and Gabriel Jesus provided a flawless platform.
Brazilian legend Zico does not think that Neymar should be the country’s captain at the Rio Olympics, he told Globoesporte ahead of Wednesday’s match against Denmark. “He is young. I know that at times he behaves in a way that we may not like, but at his age, wouldn’t we do the same things that he does?”
“Neymar will become the best player in the world, so we need to respect him more”, Micale said.
The quarterfinals will begin on Saturday, with Brazil facing Colombia, Denmark playing Nigeria, Portugal taking on Germany and South Korea meeting Honduras. They ended up first in group A with five points, one more than Denmark, who also advanced and will play Nigeria in Salvador.
The tournament favourites had surprisingly drawn blanks in 0-0 draws against South Africa and Iraq but had no such problems when beating the Danes in Salvador.
The Brazil team has come in for heavy criticism after drawing both of their group games 0-0, against Iraq and South Africa, and are under pressure to win the Olympic title on their own soil.
Rogerio Micale’s side were not content to end their onslaught there, though.
Neymar was fantastic from set-pieces, delivering a pinpoint ball on a platter for Rodrigo Caio at the far post in the 14th minute, but the Sao Paulo defender couldn’t poke it in, smothered by Danish goalkeeper Jeppe Hojberg.
Brazil was in danger of another humiliating elimination just two years after the 7-1 loss to Germany at its home World Cup.
Brazil: Weverton; Zé Carlos (William, min. 74), Rodrigo Caio, Marquinhos (Luis Garcia, min. 84), Douglas Santos; Walace, Renato Augusto (Rodrigo Dourado, min. 79); Gabriel Barbosa, Luan, Neymar; Gabriel Jesus.
Honduras claimed the second qualifying spot by virtue of a superior goal difference over Argentina, which missed a penalty in their match, with both sides finishing with four points. “The first two games we didn’t play badly, but the goals didn’t come and sometimes the fans focus exclusively on the result”. Gabigol and Gabriel Jesus, the 19-year-old forwards touted as two of Latin America’s most promising players, also improved and finally found the net.
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Argentina crashed out at the group stage on Wednesday after drawing with Honduras 1-1 in Brasilia. Brazil is still trying to erase memories of the disappointment from the 2014 World Cup, and a poor showing at the Copa America Centenario.
