There are two teams remaining who can win the gold medal at the men’s football tournament at the Olympic Games. Brazil meet Spain in the final of the competition on the 7th of August at the International Stadium Yokohama, in Japan.
Brazil are the defending champions having won the tournament in 2016 on home soil. You must go back to 1992 to find the only time Spain have won the gold medal and that was as the host country in Barcelona.
Chegamos ao capítulo final da nossa caminhada rumo à medalha de ouro. Sábado é dia da #SeleçãoOlímpica encarar a Espanha na luta pelo bicampeonato olímpico. Vamos pra cima! 💪🏅🇧🇷🇧🇷 x 🇪🇸 | 07/08 - 8h30 | #BRAxESP #JogosOlímpicos pic.twitter.com/fP2QRvt4fZ— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) August 3, 2021
Chegamos ao capítulo final da nossa caminhada rumo à medalha de ouro. Sábado é dia da #SeleçãoOlímpica encarar a Espanha na luta pelo bicampeonato olímpico. Vamos pra cima! 💪🏅🇧🇷🇧🇷 x 🇪🇸 | 07/08 - 8h30 | #BRAxESP #JogosOlímpicos pic.twitter.com/fP2QRvt4fZ
Brazil come into the match having been taken all the way to a penalty shootout by Mexico in their semi-final. The Brazilians came closest to breaking the deadlock inside 90 minutes when Richarlison hit the post but there were no clear chances in extra-time and the game went to penalties.
Brazil held their nerve and scored all four of their spot kicks to win the shootout 4-1 and progress to the final.
Brazil have remained undefeated throughout the Olympic Games competition, winning 4 of their 5 matches, all be it one of them via a penalty shootout. Ivory Coast held Brazil to a 0-0 draw in the group stage and 3 of their 5 games have ended with under 2.5 goals scored.
That includes each of their last two fixtures which have seen just a single goal scored. Brazil have kept a clean sheet in 3 of their last 4 games and will be aiming to keep things tight in the final.
Spain were also forced into extra-time in their semi-final against the host country, Japan. The first half saw little in the way of goalmouth action but Spain improved in the second half but could not make the breakthrough.
That changed in extra-time and Spain scored the only goal of the match in the 115th minute to break the hearts of the host nation.
Spain are yet to taste defeat at the Olympic Games in Japan and they have won 3 and drawn 2 of their 5 fixtures in the tournament.
Aside from the extra-time victory over Ivory Coast, which saw 8 goals, Spain have grinded their way to the final of this competition. They have seen under 2.5 goals scored in 4 of their 5 matches and have kept 3 clean sheets.
Only once in the tournament have Spain managed to score more than a single goal in a game.
Team news and Brazil will be looking towards Richarlison for inspiration and he is the top goal scorer in the competition. Captain Dani Alves will look to add an attacking option from the right-back position.
Spain will include central defender Pau Torres and goalkeeper Unai Simon, both of which have been key to their good defensive record. Marco Asensio and Mikel Oyarzabal could provide the spark in attack.
If previous results in the tournament are anything to go by, we do not expect to see a high scoring final. Therefore, under 2.5 goals seems like a good prediction with the teams finishing level at 1-1 at full-time.