Nothing but gold
Brazil looking for first Olympic Games crown
RIO DE JANEIRO: Playing at home, with their biggest star on board and an unexpected last-minute change at the helm, Brazil are looking to win their first Olympic men’s football gold medal. No pressure, right? Coach Dunga opted to include star striker Neymar as one of the three Over-23 players allowed in the Olympic squads instead of taking him to the Copa America.
That plan backfired when Brazil were eliminated by Peru in the group stage of the tournament being played in the United States.
That result prompted the dismissal of Dunga, who was replaced by Tite as the senior team coach. Dunga was also slated to coach in the Olympics, but now the job falls to the usual Under-23 coach, Rogerio Micale.
This will be the third straight Olympics in which Brazil brings some of their best players looking for that elusive gold medal.
The five-time World Cup champions failed with a team led by former FIFA Player of the Year Ronaldinho in 2008, eliminated by Argentina in the semi-finals, and with Neymar in 2012, losing to Mexico in the final.
Brazil’s men’s team have won the silver medal three times and the bronze two.
The pressure to win gold will be higher after the elimination at Copa America, and with local fans still smouldering from the embarrassing 7-1 loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals at home.
Brazil open against South Africa tomorrow in Brasilia, one day before the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.
Three-time silver medallists Denmark and Iraq are also in Group A.
Local organisers will take advantage of the stadiums built for the World Cup, and the Olympic tournament will be played at seven venues, including two in Rio and one in the Amazon city of Manaus.
STARS TO WATCH
Neymar will be the main attraction, the only top soccer star to make it to the Games. The striker is coming off an excellent season with Barcelona and will be rested after skipping the Copa America.
Brazil will also have two up-and-coming players who have been targeted by big European clubs: Gabriel Barbosa, known as “Gabigol” and Gabriel Jesus.
Colombia will feature veteran forward Teo Gutierrez, while defending champions Mexico will count on striker Oribe Peralta, who scored four goals in the team’s winning campaign in London four years ago. Defender Matthias Ginter, World Cup champions in 2014, will play for Germany, and experienced midfielder John Obi Mikel will star for 1996 Olympic champions Nigeria.
TEAMS TO WATCH
Defending champions Mexico will field a strong squad, led by Pachuca striker Hirving Lozano, the only Under-23 player on the Mexico team in Copa America.
The Mexicans will face Germany, South Korea and Fiji in Group C.
Colombia beat the United States in a playoff in March and their squad include several players from the Copa America squad, including up-and-coming strikers Roger Martinez and Marlos Moreno.
The Colombians face stiff competition in Group B from Sweden, Japan and African powerhouse Nigeria.
Looking for their third gold medal, Argentina lead Group D against Portugal, Algeria and Honduras.
Germany will be playing in the tournament for the first time since 1988, when current United States coach Juergen Klinsmann was on the team.
Brazil and Germany could meet in the semi-finals at Maracana Stadium, a rematch of the World Cup semi-final from two years ago when the German senior team embarrassed Brazil at home.
VENUES
Football is the only competition played outside Rio. The other host cities will be Salvador, Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and the jungle city of Manaus.
Rio will host matches in two venues: Maracana, site of the World Cup final two years ago, and the opening and closing ceremonies for these Games, and the Olympic Stadium, which will also host the track and field events.
Sao Paulo will host matches at the Itaquerao Stadium, home of the World Cup opener.
JUNGLE OLYMPICS
Manaus will be one of the most unique cities hosting football matches at the Games. Located about 1,800 miles from Rio in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, the city was picked as a host by local organisers even though FIFA said it was not “a suitable first option for a hosting venue”.
Rio organisers said they added Manaus in part to “integrate all of Brazil” in the Games.
The city will host six men’s and women’s matches in the group stage, including Colombia-Sweden in the men’s tournament and US-Colombia in the women’s. — AP