Abuja – Brazil on Wednesday routed Honduras 6-0 to reach the final of the football event in the ongoing Rio Olympic Games.
The Nigerian Observer reports that Neymar scored a brace, including the fastest goal in Olympic history.
Gabriel Jesus got two more and Marquinhos and Luan added one each as Brazil swept past an overwhelmed Honduras 6-0 into the final of the men’s Olympic tournament on Wednesday.
The home side, playing in front of a packed Maracana Stadium and desperately seeking the only international title they have yet to win, got off to the perfect start by scoring after just 15 seconds.
Honduras knocked the ball back from the kick-off, but Neymar caught Johnny Palacios in possession on the edge of the box and bravely challenged the keeper to bundle the ball into the net.
The goal got the famously fickle Brazil fans behind the home side and Gabriel Jesus doubled the score in 26 minutes.
Luan freed the new Manchester City signing from the offside trap, and his assured finish went under the advancing keeper from 18 yards.
The same player made it three eight minutes later, when he ran onto a superb 30-yard pass from Neymar to lift the ball over the keeper and into the roof of the net.
Marquinhos got a fourth in 51 minutes, which he hammered home from three yards at the second attempt when the ball fell kindly to him at a corner.
Luan got the goal his hard work deserved 12 minutes from time, side-footing the ball home from close in after nice set-up work from Gabriel Barbosa and substitute Felipe Anderson.
Neymar made it six when he calmly slotted home a penalty in the final minute after Luan was upended.
Brazil will play Germany in Saturday’s final.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s U-23, the Dream Team, on Wednesday failed to progress to the final of the men’s soccer Olympic tournament as they lost o-2 to Germany at the Corinthians Arena.
The Nigerian Observer reports that Lukas Klostermann got an early goal and substitute Nils Petersen added another in the closing minutes of the second half as Germany defeated Nigeria.
The first five minutes were a very lively affair as both sides attempted an early goal. However, it was the Germans who utilised their very first chance at goal.
Serge Gnabry slipped a clever first-time pass into the path of German’s captain Max Meyer who squared for Klostermann to tap home at the back post after only nine minutes into the game.
Nigeria was presented with an opportunity of theirs a minute later but Sadiq Umar missed a glorious chance to restore parity after the German goalkeeper committed a blunder.
Nigeria enjoyed a foray forward into Germany’s half and Mikel Obi found space in the box and lashed a shot towards goal but the captain was quickly closed down by the German defence.
Germany dominated the game, but Nigeria created a few chances in the final 10 minutes to give their opponents something to think about at the break.
Nigeria began the second half brightly, with Imoh Ezekiel causing problems through some direct running at the German defence, but the Germans were resolute at the back.
However, it was German substitute Petersen who turned a team-mate’s shot into a cross to score at the back post and ended the Dream Team’s hope of a final berth with Brazil.
Nigeria will now slug it out with Honduras for a shot at the Bronze medal.
