Neymar delivers for Brazil
Neymar’s PK sends nation into frenzy
Neymar buried the final penalty kick and host country Brazil won its first-ever Olympic men’s soccer gold medal with a 5-4 shootout following a 1-1 draw with Germany.
RIO DE JANEIRO >> With a kiss of the ball and an unforgettable kick, Brazil’s biggest soccer star gave the Olympic host nation its biggest moment of the games.
Brazil won its first Olympic gold medal in soccer Saturday with a dramatic penalty kick by Neymar to defeat Germany, sending the nation into a frenzy.
Before the decisive shot, Neymar picked up the ball and kissed it before placing it on the penalty spot. He calmly sent the shot into the top corner and fell to his knees before being mobbed by his teammates.
“That’s it,” Neymar said. “We made history.”
It was a victory that was about more than soccer for a nation that desperately needed something to celebrate. The country had been battered by recession, political scandal, health scares over polluted water and the Zika virus and questions over whether it could pull off hosting the Olympics.
But all the troubles were forgotten when Neymar’s kick sailed into the net. US WOMEN’S BASKETBALL WINS GOLD >> The dominant U.S. women’s basketball team won a sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal in impressive fashion, routing Spain 101-72 on Saturday.
Diana Taurasi and the Americans played nearly flawless basketball in Rio, and were never challenged. They have won 49 consecutive games in the Olympics with only one of those decided by single digits.
They won by nearly 40 points a game, but fell short of the record 102.4 points the 1996 team averaged.
The U.S., which beat Spain by 40 in a preliminary round game, got off to a slow start and only led 21-17 after the first quarter. Then the Americans got going with a 16-3 run in the second that blew the game open and the rout and celebration was on. CENTROWITZ WINS, 1500 >> Matt Centrowitz of the United States ran from the front and held off Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria at the line to win the gold medal in the men’s 1,500 meters.
Centrowitz won the silver medal at the 2013 world championships and took fourth at the 2012 London Games.
His last lap on Saturday was 50.62 seconds.
Nick Willis of New Zealand took bronze.
The last American to win the men’s 1,500 was Mel Sheppard at the 1908 London Olympics.
Kenya favorite Asbel Kiprop fell halfway through the race and could not get back into medal contention. He finished sixth. WATER POLO >> Dusan Mandic scored four times and Serbia beat Croatia 11-7 to win the gold medal in men’s water polo.
Serbia was the favorite coming into the Rio Games, increasing the pressure on the players to bring home the country’s first Olympic title in perhaps its favorite sport.
The former Yugoslavia won three gold medals and Serbia and Montenegro lost in the 2004 final in Athens, but Serbia finished third in each of the previous two Olympics.
No settling for bronze this time around. After opening with two draws and a loss to Brazil, Serbia closed with five straight victories. Branislav Mitrovic made 12 saves in Saturday’s final.
Sandro Sukno scored three times for Croatia, which won gold in London.
Italy beat Montenegro 1210 for the bronze medal. MODERN PENTATHLON >> No missed shots or missed medals for Russia’s Aleksander Lesun this time. Only gold.
Lesun held off a big charge by reigning world champion Pavlo Tymoschmenko in the final event of men’s modern pentathlon on Saturday, capturing a gold medal four years after being disappointed in London.
Tyomschenko moved up from eighth at the start of the running/shooting combination finale to earn silver. Mexico’s Ismael Hernandez Uscanga captured bronze.
Lesun is a two-time world champion and holder of two world records, but missed five shots on his final shooting turn at the 2012 London Games to finish fourth.
He was solid all the way through in Rio, taking the lead after the fencing bonus round and staying there until he waved to the crowd just before crossing the finish line. AISEN WINS 10-METER PLATFORM >> Chen Aisen of China has won men’s 10-meter platform, giving the Chinese their seventh title in eight diving events at the Rio Games.
That equals China’s best performance at the Olympics.
The diving superpower also won seven of eight golds at the 2008 games in Beijing.
Aisen totaled 585.30 points.
He was perfect on his last dive, earning all 10s for a back 2 ½ somersaults with 2 ½ twists to close the contest on Saturday night.
German Sanchez of Mexico earned silver at 532.70.
Defending champion David Boudia of the United States took bronze at 525.25.
China’s Qiu Bo, the silver medalist four years ago in London, finished sixth.
Britain’s Tom Daley, the bronze medalist in 2012, had failed to make the final.
He finished last among 18 divers in the semifinals.