Brazil, Spain to Meet in Men's Gold Medal Game at Olympics

Marco Asensio's extra-time winner sent Spain to the final, while Brazil outlasted Mexico in penalty kicks.

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Defending champion Brazil will face Spain for the Olympic gold medal in men’s soccer on Saturday.

Spain beat host Japan 1-0 Tuesday with Marco Asensio scoring a curling shot in the 115th minute in Saitama. The 25-year-old Real Madrid winger is one of three players in the squad over the age of 24 permitted at the Olympics. Spain benefits from being able to secure the release of players from its top clubs for an additional tournament squeezed into the season.

After 335 minutes of men's semifinal play at the #Olympics, there's been a goal at last: Marco Asensio's beauty puts Spain on course for a gold medal showdown vs. Brazil, a PK victor over Mexico in the day's earlier match

(via @TelemundoSports) pic.twitter.com/fwEJesq7x4

— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) August 3, 2021

This time, the Brazilians don’t have Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar, whose penalty clinched gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in a penalty shootout against Germany. But they still won a shootout in Kashima, beating Mexico 4-1 on penalties after a scoreless draw in the semifinal.

Brazil goalkeeper Santos stopped Mexico’s first penalty from Eduardo Aguirre, and Johan Vasquez’s attempt then hit the post. Reinier converted the winning kick to send Brazil into a third successive Olympic final.

#OlimpicosTelemundo ¡ Qué mal le pego Aguirre!

El delantero de #MEX falló el primer penal para @miseleccionmx

Síguelo EN VIVO por Nuestra APP Telemundo Deportes ➡️ https://t.co/XLH7mBrzlM#Football pic.twitter.com/1NEEci4KhI

— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) August 3, 2021

¡Brasil acabó con el sueño de México 😥!

⚽ #BRA fue efectivo en los penales y así celebra su pase a su tercera final consecutiva de #JuegosOlimpicos 🥇#OlimpicosTelemundo #Football pic.twitter.com/0uBV0qIqyk

— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) August 3, 2021

Mexico will play Japan for the bronze medal in Saitama on Friday. The gold-medal match is set for the following day in Yokohama.

“Spain is coming with its maximum force,” Brazil coach Andre Jardine said. “They’ve formed a strong team over the course of the tournament.”

Spain’s only Olympic title came at home — at the 1992 Barcelona Games. The country’s last final was at the 2000 Sydney Games, losing to Cameroon.

Brazil, which lost the Copa America final to Argentina last month, is through to a record fifth Olympic final. The 38-year-old defender Dani Alves leads an otherwise youthful squad.