Neymar and Brazil’s men fail to ingite, but Marta and the women are on fire in Rio

August 8 – Two games, no goals, booed off twice in four days by their own fans and now clinging on for dear life. Brazil’s men may have won the World Cup a record five times but their dreams of winning Olympic gold for the first time hang by a thread after another dismal performance.

A second successive goalless draw, this time against Iraq in Brasilia, leaves the host nation having to beat group leaders Denmark to make it through to the knock-out stages and avoid another humiliating group-stage exit – just two years after losing 7-1 to Germany in the World Cup semi-finals, again on home soil.

Led by Neymar and despite 20 shots on goal, Brazil could not break Iraq down and are increasingly desperate to finally claim the one prize that has so far eluded them – Olympic gold.

“We need to apologise to the fans, to the people,” said Brazil coach Rogerio Micale. “As the time passes and we can’t score, the anxiety increases, and in this situation it’s easier to make mistakes.”

By contrast the Brazilian women’s team are firing on all cylinders having won their first two games in their qualifying pools and scoring eight goals.

The Brazilian women won their opening match against China 3-0 before thrashing Sweden 5-1 in the Maracana (renamed Olympic Stadium for the games), with five times World Player of the year scoring twice.

The Brazilian women play their final pool game against South Africa in Manaus, Tickets for the 40,549-seat Amaazonia Arena are already sold out.

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