Defending champions Brazil?have advanced?to?the?final?of?the?Olympic?football?competition?for?men after the game ended goalless in the regular. While in extra time, Brazil managed to defeat Mexico on penalties.

The game was almost settled in the 82nd minute of the game when Richarlison’s header struck the post. Yet, the Mexicans somehow managed to push the game till penalties.

Brazil has a flourishing victory

At?the?

final?whistle,?

Brazil’s?

players?

were?

facing?a?possible?

shootout?

loss?

to?a?

CONCACAF?

opponent,?

with?the?

possibility?

of?a

bronze medal?

as?a?

consolation?prize.?

Last?week,?

their

women’s?

team?faced?

a

similar?dilemma?

when?

they lost to

Canada (

a?

CONCACAF?

opponent) in the penalties.

However,?

they?

were?

fortunate?

enough?to?

win?

the?

coin?toss?

and?

chose?

to?go?with?

experience.

Ochoa?

got?a?hand?

to?

Alves’?

opening?kick,?

which?

landed?

low?

to?

his?

right,?

but that was?not?enough?to?

keep?

it?out. A single save or a miss can make it or break it for a country.?

In the shootout, Brazilian goalkeeper Santos saved Eduardo Aguirre’s initial attempt. With Mexico’s second attempt, Johan Vasquez slammed the crossbar. Brazil scored goals through Dani Alves, Gabriel Martinelli, Bruno Guimaraes, and Reinier in the shootout. As a result, Mexico lost the shoot out 4-1.

They now await Saturday’s final in Yokohama, where they will face either Spain or hosts Japan.

History of the remaining contenders

On the other hand, Japan

is?

making?

its?

seventh?consecutive?

appearance?

in?the?

men’s?

competition. They qualified for the semi-finals

after?

defeating?

New?Zealand?

on?

penalties?

in?the?

quarter-finals. Whereas

Spain?

won?gold?

at?the?

1992?Barcelona?

Olympics.?

In?the?

previous?

round,?

they?

required?

a?last-gasp?

equalizer

against?

Ivory?Coast?

before?

winning?

5-2?

after?

extra?time.