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Tuesday, August 2, 2016

2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil Aug 05-21,2016 - Men's Football Preview, Brazil Targets First Olympic Gold

 

Playing at home, with its biggest star onboard and an unexpected last-minute change at the helm, Brazil is looking to win its first Olympic men's soccer gold medal in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil's men's team has won the silver medal three times and the bronze two.

Dunga was also slated to coach in the Olympics, but now the job falls to the usual under-23 coach, Rogerio Micale.

This will be the third straight Olympics in which Brazil brings some of its best players looking for that elusive gold medal.

The 5-time World Cup champions failed with a team led by former FIFA Player of the Year Ronaldinho in 2008, eliminated by Argentina in the SF's, and with Neymar in 2012, losing to Mexico in the final

Brazil opens against South Africa on Thursday Aug 04,2016 in Brasilia, one day before the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.

Three-time silver medalist Denmark and Iraq are also in Group A.

Defending champion Mexico will field a strong squad, led by Pachuca striker Hirving Lozano, the only under-23 player on the Mexico team in Copa America. The Mexicans will face Germany, South Korea and Fiji in Group C

Colombia beat the United States in a playoff in March and its squad includes several players from the Copa America squad, including up-and-coming strikers Roger Martinez and Marlos Moreno.

The Colombians face stiff competition in Group B from Sweden, Japan and African powerhouse Nigeria.

Looking for its third gold medal, Argentina leads Group D against Portugal, Algeria and Honduras.

Germany will be playing in the tournament for the first time since 1988, when current U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann was on the team.

Brazil and Germany could meet in the SF's at Maracana Stadium, a rematch of the World Cup SF from two years ago when the German senior team embarrassed Brazil at home.

Soccer is the only competition played outside Rio. The other host cities will be Salvador, Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and the jungle city of Manaus

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