via Reuters
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Soccer Football – Men – Semifinal – Mexico v Brazil – Ibaraki Kashima Stadium, Ibaraki, Japan – August 3, 2021. Reinier of Brazil celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning penalty during the shoot-out REUTERS/Henry Romero
via Reuters
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Soccer Football – Men – Semifinal – Mexico v Brazil – Ibaraki Kashima Stadium, Ibaraki, Japan – August 3, 2021. Reinier of Brazil celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning penalty during the shoot-out REUTERS/Henry Romero
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
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USA Gymnast Sunisa Lee Decides to Take a Break From Social Media to Focus on the Tokyo Olympics 2020However,?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
Despite having potentially one of the strongest teams in world football, Brazil only won its first gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. This is mainly because up until the 1992 Olympics, professional football players were not allowed to play in the Olympics. Somehow, they still won their first gold medal only through a penalty shootout. It seems like lady luck is always on their side when it comes to penalty shootouts.
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