Brazil net first men's soccer gold after beating Germany

Brazilian players celebrate after winning the gold medal in men's soccer in Rio de Janeiro on Aug 20, 2016. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/chinadaily.com.cn]

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Neymar converted the decisive spot-kick as Brazil ended their long wait for Olympic soccer glory with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over their 2014 World Cup tormentors Germany here on Saturday.

The Brazil captain held his nerve after the scores were tied 1-1 at the end of extra-time in a pulsating final at the Maracana stadium.

Lars Bender was the only player to miss in the shootout, with Brazil goalkeeper Weverton punching away the midfielder's feeble attempt.

Neymar had earlier opened the scoring with a superb first-half free-kick but Germany equalized through a 59th-minute strike from captain Max Meyer.

Brazil's victory came barely two years after they crashed out of the World Cup on home soil with a 7-1 loss to Germany in Belo Horizonte, a result that was described by the country's media as a national tragedy.

An Olympic Games triumph had been the only major prize to elude the five-time World Cup winners and their bid for gold in Rio had become something of an obsession.

Brazil had previously reached the final on three occasions - 1984, 1988 and 2013 - but had to settle for silver each time.

The Olympic football tournament doesn't quite have the prestige of the World Cup, but Brazilian fans have embraced it in a way that other Olympic sports can only envy.

While many events during these Games have been played out in front of empty stands, the Selecao have mostly enjoyed near-capacity crowds at their matches. That was again the case on Saturday, with 78,000 braving the rain to fill the Maracana.

After starting the Olympic tournament with two goalless draws, Brazil won their next three matches by an aggregate of 12 goals.

Germany's form had been even more impressive, with 21 goals for the tournament, including six each from SC Freiburg striker Nils Petersen and Arsenal midfielder Serge Gnabry.

Perhaps understandably, Brazil began nervously as a settled-looking Germany took control of possession. The visitors nearly went a goal up in the 10th minute when Julian Brandt's dipping long-range shot cannoned off the crossbar.