Brazil 1
Germany 1
(Brazil win 5-4 on penalties)
– Niall Kelly reports from the Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro
BRAZIL WAS NEVER going to fall in love with these Olympic Games, but for a split-second at around 8.10pm local time, you could be forgiven for thinking that they had.
The simple fact of Neymar’s presence here, while his Barcelona team-mates put six past Real Betis in their La Liga opener thousands of miles away, pointed to the fact that this was an Olympic football tournament like no other for the hosts.
So after 120 minutes of excruciating tension and eight scored penalties, there was something fiercely poetic about this finale.
But first, to the unfortunate one who must come out on the wrong side of history.
Nils Pettersen, brought on as a second-half substitute, was deafened by the boos of a packed Maracanã Stadium; his penalty, pushed away by Weverton while the rest of the Brazilian team knelt on the halfway line, half in hope and half in prayer, brought the crowd to the brink of ecstasy.
And then the country turned to Neymar.
The Seleção‘s talisman was injured and a helpless bystander two years ago when the very fabric of their glorious football tradition was ripped to shreds by Germany in the World Cup semi-finals.
A 7-1 humiliation in their own backyard while the whole world watched. They called it the Mineirazo, placing the tremors of national shame on a par with the devastating defeat against Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup final.
This game was not about revenge, Brazilian coach Rogerio Micale insisted this week in a vain attempt to lift the pressure on his players, but even he couldn’t deny that a first Olympic gold medal in the country’s national obsession would bring a considerable measure of redemption.
And when Neymar curled a picturesque free-kick off the underside of Timo Horn’s crossbar and in to give Brazil the lead in the 27th minute, the unhinged roar of the Maracanã crowd was one of sheer catharsis, rather than celebration.
There was no masking what this game meant to the hosts. The past fortnight has been plagued by the spectacle of empty seats, a stark reminder of the divisions in Carioca society and an ugly truth from which the organisers could not hide, beamed into billions of homes around the world.
But more than two hours before kick-off, public transport was an excitable sea of yellow and blue. Hundreds of fans queued outside in the torrential Rio rain, hopeful of snaffling a golden ticket at the last minute; inside, there wasn’t a seat to be found.
The weight of history aside, this was in many respects the perfect final pairing. Brazil’s slow start — goalless for the first 206 minutes of the tournament — left many pointing once again towards the stagnation that has seen this side win just one major trophy (the 2007 Copa America) in the last 10 years.
But their next generation, anchored around the majestic talents of 19-year-olds Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa and Manchester City’s new £30 million man Gabriel Jesus, eventually shone through.
Until captain Max Meyer swept the equaliser past Weverton in the 59th minute, they had not conceded. The goal was Germany’s 22nd of this tournament.
Their determination to draw Brazil out early on did not play well with the home fans. Any fears that the crowd’s expectation might suffocate Micale’s young side proved unfounded as they oscillated between wails of optimism and anguish, feeding energy to the players below. Julian Brandt’s looping shot in the 11th minute, clipping the top of Weverton’s bar, was the first of many signs that this would be a nervy night.
And after Neymar struck to give Brazil the lead, the Maracanã crowd was noticeably on edge, the stakes now even higher. The nerves weren’t helped by Germany’s resurgence as they hit the woodwork two more times in the space of four minutes. Meyer’s free was nicked onto the bar off a Brazilian leg, and then the Schalke man drew a fine parry from Weverton before Sven Bender glanced a header off the paint as well.
Brazil survived to take their lead into the break but they were punished for their sloppy defending when Germany equalised just before the hour mark. With the hosts on the back foot after a misplaced clearance, Jeremy Toljan pulled the ball back; Meyer, arriving on the penalty spot, swept the ball across his body and out of Weverton’s reach.
The atmosphere punctured, Germany could have pressed on for a second sucker punch but hesitated. The uncertainty of extra-time and penalties was none too appealing for Brazil, and Micale sent on the fresh legs of Felipe Anderson to replace Barbosa. Had the Lazio man been a moment quicker, he would have got his shot away before Lukas Klostemann’s toe could get in the way; similarly, a bit more composure from Jesus with 10 minutes to play would have surely seen him hit the target instead of dragging his shot harmlessly wide.
By that point, Germany had long been holding out for extra time, but when they found themselves in the additional 30, little changed in their approach. Luan had a glorious chance as he raced free one-on-one but he wouldn’t back his left foot, and by the time he had turned back inside onto his right, the German defenders were able to crowd him out.
Felipe Anderson then drew a smart save from Horn at the start of the second period, but with no breakthrough forthcoming, it was their turn to panic. Germany threw caution to the wind; Brazil threw bodies at the ball, nobody wanting to be the one found lacking at the decisive moment.
The tense atmosphere of the penalty shootout made everything that had come before seem placid. This was everything and nothing, all at once.
Neymar scored and dropped to his knees, his outstretched arms raised to the sky.
This was an Olympic moment for all of Brazil to savour. Decime qué se siente.
BRAZIL: Weverton, Zeca, Marquinhos, Douglas Santos, Rodrigo Caio, Renato Augusto, Walace, Luan, Neymar (c), Gabriel Barbosa (Felipe Anderson 70), Gabriel Jesus (Rafael Alcantara 95).
GERMANY: Horn, Klostermann, Ginter, Suele, Toljan, S Bender, L Bender (Proemel 67), Meyer (c), Gnabry, Selke (Pettersen 76), Brandt.
Referee: Alireza Faghani (IRI).
