Brazil become the fifth team to win back-to-back gold medals in Olympic men’s football as they beat Spain 2-1 in the final of Tokyo Olympics 2020 men’s football on Saturday at the International Stadium Tokyo in Japan.
Before Brazil, only four men’s teams have won the gold medal in consecutive editions. Great Britain were the first to achieve the feat at the 1908 (London) and 1912 (Stockholm) Olympics.
The last team who had won two back-to-back gold medals were Brazil’s arch-rivals Argentina who won in 2004 and 2008. The most successful team in Olympics football history, Hungary (three gold medals), won two medals back-to-back in 1964 and 1968.
The five-time World Champions now equal Argentina and Uruguay’s tally of two gold medals and become the joint-successful South American teams in Olympic men’s football.
Brazil were placed in Group D alongside Ivory Coast, Germany and Saudi Arabia. Their campaign began with a 4-2 win over Germany. In their second match, they drew against Ivory Coast but came back strongly in their third game and thrashed Saudi Arabia 3-1.
In the quarterfinal, Brazil edged out Egypt 1-0 and in the semifinal, they beat Mexico 4-1 (0-0) in the penalty shoot-out to reach the final for the second consecutive time. In the final, they beat Spain 2-1 to win their second gold medal on the trot
Matheus Cunha and Malcom goals confirmed the Selecao’s back-to-back victories while Mikel Oyarzabal had sent the contest beyond 90 minutes with his equalizer.
Richarlison missed a first half penalty and a chance to put the game out of sight inside of the regulation time, but Andre Jardine’s men did enough to earn their victory.
Richarlison scored the most number of goals (5) for Brazil and is also the top goalscorer in the competition.
Cunha gave Brazil the lead just before half time when he punished some sloppy Spanish defending and it was a relief for tournament top scorer Richarlison (five) who failed to hit the target from the spot earlier in the first half.
Oyarzabal levelled for La Rojita with a superb second half volley and it was enough to force extra time as Luis de la Fuente’s side sought to end a 30-year wait for gold.
However, it was not to be as Malcom put the finishing touches on an incisive counter-attack which featured a brilliant Antony pass to secure the gold for the South Americans.
Brazil 2, Spain 1 (AET)
