Ekun Samuel, 21 August 2016
With a mouth watering crowd of more 80,000 at the Maracana Stadium for the final of the Olympic football game between Brazil vs Germany, one could know what to expect as both sides kept the massive crowd in thrill and excitement.
Neymar who missed the Copa America tournament in other to feature for the Olympics, also was indisposed as Germany humiliates his side two years ago at the World cup in Belo Horizonte, hosted by Brazil.
It's no doubt the absence of Neymar is always the missing piece for the Brazil team as he has been inspiration for the team and picked up the "man of the match".
Brazil's golden boy Neymar repeatedly earned free kicks as he was been swarmed around from the onset by the Germans. And in the 26th minute Brazil's favourite son produced a moment befitting of the occasion, punishing the opposition after again being fouled around the penalty area by curling a superb free-kick in off the underside of the bar to score his fourth goal of the tournament.
German captain Meyer was also inspirational for his side, as he almost responded with a superb free kick which was deflected before finding it's way onto the cross bar. The Germany attacks continued after the break, and in the 59th minute the Maracana was silenced as the game's other captain Meyer expertly converted Jeremy Toljan's low cross into the bottom corner. Brazil, frenetic in both attack and defence, failed to deal with the German right-back's overlap and the Hoffenheim player was given the time to pick out Meyer to level things up.
The game been levelled up 1-1 was taken to extra time. It took penalties to decide the outcome, and after Matthias Ginter, Gnabry, Brandt and Sule scored for Germany, and Renato Augusto, Marquinhos, Rafinha and Luan also converted their spot kicks, it was substitute Grischa Proemel who saw his effort saved by Weverton and left Neymar to fire Brazil to glory – coolly planting his effort in the top corner.
