Rio de Janeiro: Neymar struck the winning penalty as Brazil claimed their first ever Olympic football gold medal with victory over Germany on penalties at the Maracana here.

The 6-5 win — 1-1 after 120 minutes — was seen by some as a revenge for a humiliating 1-7 World Cup semi-final defeat to Germany two years ago.

The Olympic gold was the only major title to have escaped the five-time world champions. But Barcelona star Neymar righted that historical wrong as he fired the winning penalty into the top corner before breaking into tears.
In front of the biggest crowd of the Rio Games, including nine-time Jamaican gold medallist Usain Bolt, Neymar’s brilliant free-kick handed Brazil a first-half lead.

In honour of the retiring sprinting great, Neymar even adopted the “lightning bolt” celebration, whilst chants of “ole, ole, ole, Neymar” rang around Rio’s most iconic arena.

However, Germany captain Max Meyer enjoyed a special celebration of his own as he taunted the raucous 78,000 crowd at the Maracana by kissing the number seven on his shirt, when he swept home Jeremy Toljan’s cross just before the hour mark.

The first eight penalties in the shootout were all successful, before Brazil goalkeeper Weverton stopped Nils Petersen’s effort to set the stage for Neymar.

And he didn’t disappoint as, with the weight of a nation on his shoulders, he rifled the ball into the top corner.
In stark contrast to the empty seats on show across the Games, even at times when Bolt has been running, there wasn’t a seat to be had at the Maracana — where Germany won the World Cup against Lionel Messi’s Argentina two years ago.
However, it was for the 7-1 mauling in Belo Horizonte five days previously that Brazil were seeking revenge. None of the players that took to the field that day started on Saturday.

Neymar missed the darkest day in Brazil’s football history due to two broken bones in his back suffered during a bruising quarter-final win over Colombia.

Yet, the good fortune that escaped Brazil on home soil two years ago was certainly with them in the first-half as Germany were desperately unlucky to go in behind at the break.

Julian Brandt’s fine curling effort came back off the bar, whilst Sven Bender also hit the woodwork from close range. In between times, Neymar had opened the scoring via the bar with a sumptuous dipping effort from 25 yards for his third goal of the tournament.

Weverton made a fine save from Meyer and Paris Saint-Germain defender Marquinhos was fortunate when his mishit clearance flew inches over his own crossbar.

However, Weverton was beaten for the first time in the competition just before the hour mark when Meyer swept home Toljan’s low cross.

Brazil piled on the pressure in the final half hour of normal time as Gabriel Jesus turned Renato Augusto's dangerous cross just wide, substitute Felipe Anderson fluffed his lines and Neymar’s effort from distance flew just off target.

The hosts had the better chances in extra-time too, as Luan burst clear only to see his shot blocked before Anderson was denied when one-on-one with Horn.

Thankfully for Rogerio Micale’s men they were far more clinical from the spot as Augusto, Marquinhos, Rafinha and Luan all netted to hand Neymar the chance to live up to his billing as the host’s poster boy for the Games. 

Germany, meanwhile, refused to be intimidated in the hostile cauldron of the Maracana, but they did face an uphill task against 11 Brazilian players roared on by 80,000 vengeful and passionate fans.

In the run-up to Saturday’s final, both coaches had played down the idea that it was all about Brazil exacting revenge for a 1-7 home defeat to Germany in the World Cup.

But no one had told the fans that, who booed the German players throughout the 120 minutes of play and the tense penalty shootout.

“I think they were all against us,” was the accurate observation of Matthias Ginter, who stepped up to score Germany’s first kick in the shootout.

“There’s no greater pressure than that, when you’re here in the Maracana being whistled by 80,000 people and you’ve got to score... It's not so easy.”

Coach Horst Hrubesch said he had steeled his players for the reception they would receive by trying to harness the energy of the crowd.

 “I said to my players before the game: this is your stadium, go out and you’ll see 80,000 people to welcome you,” he said.

“You can turn it around and make something positive out it, or you cave in and lose your nerve and then you can’t play football.”

 And play they did. Apart from the Max Meyer goal that cancelled out Neymar’s free kick, they hit the bar three times in the first half, and Julian Brandt posed a repeated threat in attack, including with an extra-time volley attempt.

Coach Hrubesch said it was not a bitter moment. 

“The lads have achieved something amazing here. We’re leaving as winners, not as losers.” Brazil coach Rogerio Micale paid tribute to Neymar after the game.

“He is a player of 24 years of age and already has and Olympic gold and silver medal. I think the natural step for him now is to win a World Cup and he is going to fight for it, he has the attributes,” he said. 

As for comparisons to other Brazilian greats such as Pele and Zico? “Everything is pointing in that direction.”
Meanwhile, Germany’s Robert Bauer apologised to Brazil fans for holding up seven fingers following the game. 
The act was believed to refer to Germany’s 7-1 victory in the last World Cup semi-final. 

However, Bauer later took to social media to offer an apology. In an Instagram post showing him wearing a Brazil shirt, Bauer said: “During the game, I acted emotionally. If I have offended anyone with this action, I offer 1,000 apologies. 
                                                    (Agencies)