August 20, 2016
Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro
Brazil 1-1 Germany
Neymar 27’ Max Meyer 59’
Brazil finally gets a gold in Olympic football.
After a 1-1 draw over 120+ minutes, it took penalties to split the two teams. Neymar gave Brazil the lead in the 27th minute from a freekick, but things were leveled in the 59th minute by Max Meyer.
The players must have trained well for their penalty kicks as the first 4 kick takers for both teams made no mistakes in converting their spot kicks into goals. Germany was first to take the penalty, which meant that if things go to plan, Brazil was going to be the last team to kick in the first five kicks before it goes into sudden death.
Nils Petersen, the fifth kick taker for Germany had his shot saved by Brazilian goalkeeper, Weverton. Unlucky as Germany was to have missed their last kick, things were worse as Brazil had saved their best player for the final spot kick. It was Neymar time to give his nation a gold medal in Olympic football. Inside the joy and hope of Brazilian fans was pressure you could feel even if you were not at the Maracana.
Neymar showed why he was the captain, and why is a world class player. Under the pressure, he was able to misdirect the German goalkeeper and give his team the winning goal.
| Penalties | |||
| Germany | Brazil | ||
| Ginter | Scored | Renato Augusto | Scored |
| Gnabry | Scored | Marquinhos | Scored |
| Brandt | Scored | Rafinha | Scored |
| Süle | Scored | Luan | Scored |
| Petersen | Missed | Neymar | Scored |
He might not have the World Cup to his name yet, but Neymar has achieved for Brazil what none of his predecessors have managed to get the national team.
Brazil had been silver medalist on three occasions, 1984, 1988 and recently in 2012. With two back to back silver medals in their history and their painful 7-1 defeat to Germany, losing this final might shake Brazilian football federation to its core.
What makes their victory sweeter than just the record breaker is that it was over Germany, the team that ended their World Cup dreams two years ago. It was revenge that the team needed. Losing the World Cup hurts, but Brazil has 5 to their name already. Losing the Olympics to Germany would be totally different kind of pain, as they have never had their hands on the gold medal in Olympics football. Germany has never won a gold in Olympic football either, so a win for any of the two teams would be historic.
