Tokyo 2020: Cunha, Malcom Score as Brazil Defeat Spain to Win Gold In Men's Football Event
- Brazil vs Spain Men's gold medal match in football event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games ended in victory for the Selecao
- Matheus Cunha found the back of the net in first half stoppage-time to give Brazil the lead in the encounter
- Spain pulled one back through Oyarzabal to force extra-time, but Brazil won courtesy a second half extra-time goal by Malcom
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Brazil has 19 medals, with seven gold, four silver, and eight bronze, at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.
The men's football team pipped their Spanish counterparts 2-1 on Saturday afternoon in the gold medal's event to defend their title which they won back in Rio in 2016, GOAL reports.
Matheus Cunha's first half stoppage-time goal and then an extra-time strike by Malcom were enough to hand Brazil their second ever title at the Olympic men's football event.
Source: Getty Images
However, it was Spain that began the game on the front foot and in the 16th minute, Mikel Oyarzabal headed the ball into the middle of the box with Daniel breezing past everyone, the ball got through to Marco Asensio who fired over the bar.
Brazil eventually broke the deadlock two minutes into first half stoppage-time when Cunha somehow found space in the opposition. He cooly slotted home and the Selecao took a 1-0 lead into the break.
The Spainiards improved their tempo upfront in the second half and equalised after Soler's cross from the right wing was met by Oyarzabal, who scored the equalizer in the 61st minute.
Both teams battled hard before the end of 90 minutes, but somehow it stayed 1-1 and proceeded into extra-time.
After a barren first half in extra-time, Brazil were desperate in avoiding a penalty and got the winner in the second half.
Malcom found space and hits it hard, low and going to the bottom of the goal, putting Brazil in front! 2-1.
Spain battled hard, but their efforts came too little too late. It ended Brazil 2-1 Spain.
Team Kenya gets second gold
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon earned the country her second gold of the Tokyo Olympics, thanks to an emphatic performance in the women’s 1500m finals.
Kipyegon was too powerful for pre-race favourite Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who finished third after a slight mishap in her steps in the final 200 metres.
Great Britain’s Laura Muir, who also ran an impressive race, won silver.
Source: Legit.ng
