Olympic soccer gold!
WEMBLEY, England -- Mexico is celebrating its first Olympic gold medal in men's soccer, and Brazil is wondering if it will ever be able to add the title to its long list of triumphs.
Oribe Peralta
scored only 29 seconds into the Olympic final at Wembley Stadium and added
another goal in the second half to help Mexico upset Brazil 2-1 Saturday.
Peralta took
advantage of a mistake by the Brazilian defense in one of the game's first
plays and sent a low right-footed shot inside the near post. It was fastest
Olympic goal since FIFA began keeping records of the competition in 1976.
The striker
added the second with a firm header off a free kick in the 75th. Hulk scored
for Brazil in injury time, but Oscar missed a header in the final seconds to
waste the last chance for a comeback in front of 86,162 fans.
Brazil was also
trying to win its first Olympic gold, which is the only significant trophy the
five-time World Cup champions haven't won in soccer. The Brazilians established
the London Games as the team's priority this year and arrived as the big
favorite after bringing most of its top players for the competition.
As Mexican
players jumped up and down at midfield in celebration, the Brazilians dropped
to the ground in despair. Neymar, touted as the future of Brazilian soccer, was
one of them, sitting stoned-faced. Real Madrid left back Marcelo dropped his
head and cried as his teammates came to console him.
Peralta gave Mexico
the early lead after Manchester United right back Rafael tried to make a
backward pass. Mexico midfielder Javier Aquino intercepted the ball, sending it
forward to Peralta just outside the area. With no defenders near him, he calmly
sent his shot into the left corner.
FIFA said
Peralta's goal was the fastest since the 1976 Montreal Olympics, when
football's governing body began keeping records of the competition. The fastest
goal in a senior competition was scored by Turkey's Hakan Sukur 11 seconds into
a match at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
FIFA said the
fastest goal in all competitions came from Brazil's Fabinho, who scored in nine
seconds in the 2007 Under-17 World Cup in South Korea.
Peralta's
second goal came off a firm header from near the penalty spot after a free kick
cross by Marco Fabian.
The Mexicans
also had a goal by Peralta disallowed for offside in the 69th, and Fabian
missed the open net with his header off a corner in the 72nd.
Brazil
appeared to be shaken by the early goal and struggled to create scoring
opportunities. Neymar started playing better in the second half and helped
Brazil push forward, but struggled to get his efforts on target.
Hulk scored
the team's only goal with a low shot from inside the area in the first minute
of injury time.
Brazil knew
that anything but the gold was going to be considered a huge failure. The
expectations back home were high and the Olympics were seen as an important
test because the majority of the players in London will also likely be in the
team trying to lead Brazil to the 2014 World Cup title at home.
It was the
team's first Olympic final in men's football since the 1988 Seoul Games, when
youngsters Romario and Bebeto ended with the silver. Brazil also lost the final
four years earlier at the Los Angeles Games.
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