Rio de Janeiro: The notorious queue at the Maracana Stadium was still inching its way into the venue when the first roar went up. A few of our group, including myself, were still rushing up the ramp after the elaborate security check and thought we may have just missed the first move by the Samba boys as the semi-final between hosts Brazil and Honduras just got under way.
As things turned out, Neymar had struck — with his first touches and on 15 seconds — to score the fastest goal in Olympic history. It set the tempo for a raucous afternoon for the 70,000-strong crowd, the most celebrated fans of the game, as the yellow shirts toyed with Honduras to finish the rout at 6-0 as they set up a final with Germany in what will be a re-match of the 2014 World Cup semi-final.
The second semi-final between Germany and Nigeria was to come up later in the day but as the match wore on, it was apparent that the fans were looking at this match more as a dress rehearsal — and the ‘real one’ would come at the holy grail of Brazilian football on Saturday. As the fans broke into endless chants, braving a blazing afternoon, my curiosity was raised with one mentioning Germany and Marcelo — an obliging yellow shirt — translated it for me: ‘Hey Germany, just wait, your turn is coming up.’
It’s been more than two years but the hurt of Belo Horizonte, where Brazil suffered their biggest humiliation in their football history, lives on like a scar. It would be somewhat presumptious to call an Olympics final — an event essentially for the Under-23 squads — a revenge of sorts, but it could somewhat soothe the nerves of the Brazilians who have had nothing much to write home about since 2014.
The sense of history is never lost on the Brazilian fan — which comprises of much more beyond the vivacious groups who have delighted around the world with their riot of riot of colour, dress sense and music. A closer look reveals that the passion for their ‘Selecao’ is something handed over by the generations — there were families with the grandparents, the father with the youngest member of the family on his shoulders — who made their way singing out of the stadia and merged into the city — content to see that the goals were flowing once again.
It was difficult to spot a survivor of the ‘Maracanazo’ or disaster at the Maracana when Brazil — hot favourites to win the World Cup — went down 2-1 in a humiliating loss to Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup final.
Brazil had cemented their place in the World Cup history ever since with five triumphs, but none of them have come on Brazilian soil — and more importantly, the historic Maracana.
The stadium had undergone a complete overhaul before they hosted the World Cup, with the capacity being brought down from 100,000 to comply with the guidelines of spectator safety — but the effect of a colosseum was not lost on this first-time visitor. There are some vintage practices which makes the experience even more unique — sitting at vantage points outside the stadium and under searing heat — were young girl volunteers with a large mike in hand guide the spectators to their respective stands by shouting instructions.
The opportunity to provide some succour after the World Cup nightmare has come all too soon for the hosts now. It will be interesting to watch if the talismanic Neymar, along with some of the Gen-X stars at his disposal, can change the tide and bring them a major title on the Maracana turf.
Semi-finals: Brazil 6-0 Honduras
Neymar 1, 90; Jesus 26, 35; Marquinhos 51; Luan 79.
Germany 2-0 Nigeria
Klostermann 9
Petersen 89.
Final:
Saturday, August 20: Germany vs Brazil (Kick-off Sunday, August 21, 12.30am UAE time)
