KEIR RADNEDGE in RIO DE JANEIRO —- Brazil’s Olympic Games reached a triumphant climax – at least for their fans – when captain Neymar rapped home their decisive fifth kick in a penalty shootout after a high-tension gold medal final against the old foes from Germany in Maracana.

The final almost everyone had wanted – no-one more than Brazil with so much riding on the outcome, in terms of national pride and expectation – ended 1-1 after extra time. They had come up teasingly short on ideas over the 120 minutes against a cool, calm, well-organised German side.

But then it came to penalties – where Brazil’s women had stumbled and fallen in their semi-final. Not so the men. All eight kicks were put away decisively. Then keeper Weverton saved from Nils Petersen . . . and it was left to Neymar to seal redemption.

The definitive Golden Neymar Moment in Maracana

Brazil’s captain had been the man who provided their 27th-minute breakthrough, clipping a curling 25m free kick over the wall and against the underside of Timo Horn’s crossbar and down behind the line. The explosion of joy in Maracana might have been heard in the 2020 Olympic host city of Tokyo.

But early in the second half the Brazilian defence fell invitingly open and German captain Max Meyer swept home an equaliser which sent a frisson of fear trembling through the crowd.

Team choice

Hosts’ coach Rogerio Micale had lined up the same team familiar with Maracana from the six-goal despatch of Honduras in the semi-finals including their ‘secret weapon’ in right-side midfielder Renato Augusto who plays his football in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.

Germany coach Horst Hrubesch also kept faith with his semi-final winners, lining up the same starters from the 2-0 voctory over Nigeria. Hence he played, in Matthias Ginter, the one member of the German squad who celebrated the historic 7-1 demolition of Brazil in Belo Horizonte at the 2014 World Cup.

Either way, a new Olympic champion would be rewarded with gold. The nearest Brazil had come was silver on three previous occasions, most recently in London against Mexico in 2014.

West Germany, with Jurgen Klinsmann, had won bronze in Seoul in 1988 though the former East Germany were Olympic champions in 1976 in Montreal.

Both teams started at pace in a packed stadium and the Germans nearly claimed first blood in the 11th minute when rival Leverkusen midfielder Julian Brandt cracked a 20m drive from just beyond the corner of the penalty box against Weverton’s crossbar.

A period of scrappy play followed with both sides pressing the pattern out of the game. Luan had a shot blocked by a headed clearance and then Renato Augusto side-footed wide from a right-wing corner before Neymar snapped Brazil ahead.

Germany came right back at them. A free kick on the left was cleared by Brazil over their own goal before Brandt provided a perfect right-wing free kick  which Sven Bender headed against the top of the bar.

While their goal led something of a charmed life, Brazil had more poise in midfield where Renato Augusto controlled the pace and direction of attack while the tyros around him imposed their own former of ‘Brazilian pressing’ to prevent the Germans developing their own favourite passing game.

Half-time lead

Brazil were content to go in at the interval with the advantage which they maintained comfortably in a low-key start to the second half. But that proved dangerous for the hosts who allowed themselves to be lulled into  false sense of security.

Germany finally put a neat inter-passing move together on the right and Max Meyer was unmarked in the penalty box to sweep his shot on the turn beyond Weverton’s right hand.

Now that time and fatigue were taking the snap out of Brazil so Germany were better able to develop their passing game. Neymar thus woke up to the challenge. First he put Felipe Anderson in but the substitute was too slow to capitalise then the Barcelona star delivered a curling effort of his own which flew wide of Horn’s right-hand post.

Now, suddenly, the entire Brazilian attack came to life again and it was the Germans’ turn to race and chase back in defence. Fortunately for them, Brazil were better at opening up space around the penalty box than capitalising on it.

Hence, with more scares than clear opportunities, the game ran into extra time.

Brandt was just over the bar after a German counter-attack in the first half of the extra period and then Horn made a fine save from the breaking Felipe Anderson at the start of the second period.

Hence the final went to penalties for only the second time since Cameroon beat Spain 5-3 after a 2-2 draw in the gold medal final in Sydney in 2000.

Nigeria defy late Honduras fightback to claim football bronze

BELO HORIZONTE: Nigeria withstood a late fightback from Honduras to claim the bronze medal in the Olympic Games men’s football tournament with a 3-2 win in the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte.

Coach Samson Siasia’s side enjoyed a three-goal advantage shortly before the hour thanks to a double from Sadiq Umar and Aminu Umar’s 49th-minute strike but Honduras hit back late with goals from Antony Lozano and Marcelo Pereira.

Nigeria started brightly and came close to taking the lead on seven minutes when Mikel John Obi set up Aminu Umar whose effort struck both posts. Umar had another good opportunity minutes later but was denied by goalkeeper Luis Lopez.

Honduras manufactured their own openings. Nigeria goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel was called into action to deny Alberth Elis on 11 minutes. The forward then had a golden opportunity on 33 minutes when he accelerated through the Nigeria defence but was foiled by Daniel.

Honduras were made to rue that missed opportunity whe n Nigeria took the lead just a minute later. Mikel demonstrated his splendid technique by dribbling into the box and finding Sadiq Umar, who fired the Africans into the lead.

Aminu Umar doubled Nigeria’s advantage four minutes after the break, while Sadiq Umar’s second of the game left Siasia’s side cruising on 56 minutes.

Honduras, with nothing to lose, sparked back into attacking life. Lozano pulled one back for Jorge Luis Pinto’s side on 71 minutes before Pereira headed home an Oscar Salas free-kick.

FROM START TO FINISH . . .

Aug 4 – Gp A: Iraq 0, Denmark 0; Brazil 0, S Africa 0. Gp B: Sweden 2, Colombia 2; Nigeria 5, Japan 4. Gp C: Mexico 2, Germany 2; Fiji 0, S Korea 8. Gp D: Honduras 3, Algeria 2; Portugal 2, Argentina 0.

Aug 7 – Gp A (Brasilia): Denmark 1, South Africa 0; Brazil 0, Iraq 0. Gp B (Manaus): Sweden 0, Nigeria 1; Japan 2, Colombia 2. Gp C (Salvador): Fiji 1, Mexico 5; Germany 3, S Korea 3. Gp D (Rio, Olimpico): Honduras 1, Portugal 2; Argentina 2, Algeria 1.

Aug 10 – Gp A: Denmark 0, Brazil 4 (Salvador); S Africa 1, Iraq 1 (Sao Paulo). Fjnal standings: Brazil 5pts; Denmark 4pts; Iraq 3pts; S Africa 2.

Gp B: Colombia 2, Nigeria 0 (Sao Paulo); Japan 1, Sweden 0 (Salvador). Final standings (all three matches): Nigeria 6pts; Colombia 5pts; Japan 4pts; Sweden 1pt

Gp C : Germany 10, Fiji 0 (Belo Horizonte); S Korea 1, Mexico 0 (Brasilia). Final standings (all three matches): S Korea 7pts; Germany 5pts; Mexico 4pts; Fiji 0.

Gp D: Algeria 1, Portugal 1 (Belo Horizonte); Argentina 1, Honduras 1 (Brasilia). Final standings (all three matches): Portugal 7pts; Honduras 4 (gd 0); Argentina 4 (gd -1); Algeria 1.

Sat, Aug 13 – Quarter-finals: Portugal 0, Germany 4 (Brasilia); Nigeria 2, Denmark  0 (Salvador); S Korea  0, Honduras 1 (Belo Horizonte); Brazil 2, Colombia 0 (Sao Paulo).

Wed, Aug 17 – Semi-finals: Nigeria 0, Germany 2 (Sao Paulo); Brazil 6, Honduras 0 (Rio Maracana).

Sat, Aug 29

Bronze play-off: Nigeria 3, Honduras 2 (Belo Horizonte).

Gold medal final: Brazil 1,  Germany 1 (5-4 on penalties after extra time: Rio Maracana).

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