SAITAMA, Aug 3: Defending champion Brazil will face Spain for the Olympic gold medal in men’s soccer on Saturday.
Spain beat host Japan 1-0 Tuesday with Marco Asensio scoring a curling shot in the 115th minute in Saitama while in the other semifinal match, Brazil was taken to penalties by Mexico, winning the shootout 4-1 after a scoreless draw in Kashima.
Brazil went close to settling their match against Mexico inside 90 minutes when Richarlison struck the post with a glancing header in the 82nd minute.
But when it came to the shootout, they had their keeper Santos to thank for a fine save to keep out Eduardo Aguirre’s spot-kick and after Mexico’s Johan Vasquez hit the post, Brazil just needed to keep their cool.
Reiner’s right-footed shot into the bottom corner ensured victory for the team captained by former Barcelona full back Dani Alves.
Mexico will play Japan for the bronze medal in Saitama on Friday. The gold-medal match is set for Saturday in Yokohama.
Brazil won its first Olympic title at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games in a penalty shootout with Germany. Neymar converted the clinching penalty at the iconic Maracana Stadium.
Japan had matched Spain throughout the game, playing with creativity and tenacity without the ball and they were five minutes away from taking the match to a penalty shootout.
After a cagey first half, Spain thought they had a great chance to go in front when referee Kevin Ortega of Peru pointed to the penalty spot after Mikel Merino went down under challenge from Maya Yoshida.
But the video assistant referee ordered Ortega to go to the pitchside monitor and he saw the clear images that Yoshida had made a perfectly fair and well-timed challenge.
That overturned penalty sparked both sides into life and it was a lively second half with openings at both ends.
Japan keeper Kosei Tani did well to race out quickly and smother Rafa Mir as the ball broke to him close to goal while at the other end Takefusa Kubo’s blast at the near post was parried by Unai Simon.
Both teams were unable to make the most of half-chances, however, and the game followed a similar pattern into extra-time before Real Madrid forward Asensio picked the ball up in the inside right channel, glanced up and curled the ball into the far corner.
Spain’s only Olympic title also came at home — at the 1992 Barcelona Games. The country’s last final was at the 2000 Sydney Games, losing to Cameroon. (Agencies)
