Image Courtesy – Japan Times
He was Brazil’s face for these Olympics, conveying a country’s desires on his feet. The Olympic men’s soccer competition is exclusively open to players under 23, with every group permitted three special cases. However, Neymar, at the age of 24, played for his nation to convey the sort of ridiculous triumph Brazilians saw in Maracana stadium on Saturday night.
Brazil beat Germany in a 5-4 in penalty shootout to give the host country of the Olympic Games its first Olympic soccer gold medal. The teams played to a 1-1 tie in regulated time and also the extra time. Neymar scored Brazil’s first goal with a twisting free kick in the 26th moment of the match that he set splendidly into the upper right corner of the goal post; it touched the bottom of the crossbar and slipped into the net. The perfection showed that he was Neymar.
Brazil’s defence became a bit weaker in the 59th moment of the match. Germany’s Maxmilian Meyer got himself totally open in the goal box, took a cross and punched a smooth goal. Both teams had many opportunities during the regulated time and extra time, but could not score any goal. Germany appeared to play all the more conservatively, so it could drive a penalty shootout. The supporters packed in the gallery started singing shouts of disappointment accordingly.
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After the extra-time finished, it was time for penalty shootout. The two teams scored 4 penalty shootout equally before Brazil’s goalkeeper, Weverton, wonderfully dove to the left side to stop the shot by Germany’s Nils Peterson. Then, it was the tern for Neymar. It was a tremendous pressure on Neymar, because Germany mortified Brazil with 7-1 victory on its own soil in the World Cup Semi-finals.
Neymar had the opportunity to take revenge, and he did it properly. A couple of uneven strides of Neymar created confusion in the mind of the goalkeeper of Germany, while he took a shot straight into the net. Neymar’s head sank to the grass, and he emitted in tears as partners mobbed him on the field.
Fans in the stadium, outside of the gallery, in the city of Rio and all over the whole nation, went mad with the feeling of joy. Nobody needed to clear out. The platform was pulled out for the medals ceremony and Neymar took a victory lap.
