The final carried extra weight given the two teams’ recent history. Two years earlier, at the 2014 World Cup on home soil, Brazil had suffered one of the most infamous results in the sport’s history, losing 7-1 to Germany in the semi-final.
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The Olympic final in Rio offered a direct chance at redemption. Neymar opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a dipping free-kick past goalkeeper Timo Horn, before Germany equalised through Max Meyer midway through the second half. Neither side could find a winner across 120 minutes, sending the match to penalties.
With the shootout finely poised at 4-4, Brazilian goalkeeper Weverton saved Nils Petersen’s spot-kick, leaving Neymar to step up and convert the decisive penalty, sending the Maracanã into raptures and completing Brazil’s first-ever Olympic football gold.
Photo: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
