2016 RIO OLYMPICS: BRAZIL WINS FIIRST FOOTBALL GOLD
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 21 Aug 2016
Host Brazil finally captured its first ever Olympic gold medal in football, the sport they love most. Captain Neymar was tearful after he led his country to the historic first men's soccer title with the winning penalty in a 5-4 shootout victory over arch-rival Germany in an exciting final at the Maracana stadium on Saturday.
The game finished 1-1 after extra-time, with Neymar first scoring for Brazil with a magnificent free kick in the 27th minute before German skipper Maximilian Meyer tied it with an amazing goal to force an overtime period.
No goals were scored in extra time so the game was decided by a shootout. Germany's Nils Petersen the first to miss with their fifth spot kick. Neymar took his turn to notch the title clinching goal and drove the 78,000 full-house crowd wild.
Five-time world champion Brazil lost the Olympic gold medal match three times in 1984, 1988 and 2012 but now they have garnered the only international crown that eluded them by winning over the country who defeated them 7-1 in the World Cup semi-finals in the Brazilian homecourt in 2014.
A unified Germany is the now the only country to have won the World Cup but have not won the Olympic gold medal.
But in the women's football, Germany won their first ever Olympic gold by beating Sweden, 2-1 at the Macarana Stadium.
Photo: Brazilian team captain and hero Neymar with the gold medal.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025LEWIS CROCKER IS CROWNED THE NEW IBF WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Undercard Inferno: Mbilli and Martinez Deliver a Super Middleweight War Ending in a Thrilling Draw
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Crawford to defy odds?
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Inoue and Akhmadaliev Make Weight for Sunday's Battle, Watch it LIVE on Facebook!
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025IIEE North Cotabato and Metro Central are the Golden Champion on 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Chess
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Sydney Sy Tancontian is Female Awardee of Sports Hero of the Year
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Sep 2025Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Size Matters
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 13 Sep 2025