TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 SPORTS Neymar finds redemption in Olympic gold RIO DE JANEIRO: Just two weeks ago joining the Pele, Zico and “the phenome- 2018 World Cup in Russia. its tournament around. First came a deci- We go to extremes. People go back and Neymar’s commitment to the Olympic non” Ronaldo. Brazil coach Rogerio Neymar eschewed the Copa America sive 4-0 victory over Denmark to close forth. But I’m truly happy to be a team was questioned by Brazil’s fans. Micale essentially said it was too soon to to focus on the Rio Games. The men’s out the group, followed by a 2-0 victory Brazilian.” Now he’s a national hero - and an put Neymar in that realm, suggesting his Olympic tournament is contested among over Colombia in the quarterfinals. Saturday night’s victory was not only Olympic champion. next step is a World Cup title. under-23 teams, but they can each bring Neymar really made it known that Neymar’s redemption, it was a nation’s. It Neymar buried the winning kick of a But he nonetheless had great praise three players from the senior national Brazil was back with a 6-0 victory over came two years after an embarrassing 7- penalty shootout against Germany on for the charismatic 24-year-old striker team. Honduras in the semis. He had two goals 1 home loss to Germany’s senior team in Saturday night at Maracana Stadium, who plays for Barcelona and is consid- Still, the Olympics started disastrously - including one only 15 seconds into the the World Cup semifinals at home. Brazil sending all of Brazil into a boisterous cel- ered among the best current players in for the hosts. Brazil struggled with score- match for the fastest goal in Olympic his- was also coming off a demoralizing elim- ebration. The cheering could be heard the world. Neymar has been an integral less draws against South Africa and Iraq tory. “We needed to respond to the ination in the group stage of this year’s down Rio’s famed Copacabana Beach, part in Barcelona’s recent success, along was even in danger of missing out on the Brazilian people. Say something to the Copa America. where fans yelled out “Campeoes!” with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. knockout round. people and to the football community, Neymar was on the World Cup team Champions! “He’s a leader on the national team. Neymar was heavily criticized by soc- by doing something different,” Micale but didn’t play against Germany because Neymar sunk to the field on his knees Dedicated,” Micale said through a transla- cer-crazy Brazilians who saw the said. “We did that. We won. We’re skilled of a back injury sustained in the quarter- as his teammates engulfed him. He lay tor. “Now that we’ve finished this tourna- women’s national team, and particularly and competent. We responded as neces- finals against Colombia. on the ground for several long moments ment, I have the best possible impres- star Marta, off to a fast start in contrast. sary and we did this in the short time With his penalty kick in the Olympic while they celebrated, sobbing. “This is sion of Neymar. The whole team does.” There were fans who crossed off that was available to us.” final, Neymar helped ease some of that one of the happiest things that have The men’s soccer tournament attract- Neymar’s name on their No. 10 jerseys As for the comparison with Marta, lingering bitterness. He also countered happened to me,” he said moments later. ed most of the attention of Brazilian fans and wrote in Marta instead. Neymar was that was unfair. Marta is considered one the doubters who dogged him early in It was Brazil’s first gold medal and it at the Olympics. The country’s football taunted with fans shouting Marta’s name of her sport’s greatest players ever: She is the games. “We went through difficult came on home soil. For Neymar, it was a federation took the Olympic tournament at his matches, while Marta was honored a five-time FIFA World Player of the Year. moments in the beginning of the com- seminal moment. Some were already very seriously, bringing Neymar and with fans chanting “Better Than Neymar!” “That’s just a part of the Brazilian culture,” petition, we were criticized,” he said, asking whether Neymar’s name should many talented youngsters who are at hers. Micale said. “That’s the way we are. We “and we answered on the field, with be added to the list of Brazil’s greats, expected to be in the main squad in the With Neymar at captain, Brazil turned love and hate from one day to the next. soccer.” — AP Wasteful Cavani jeered as PSG see off Metz PARIS: Lucas, Layvin Kurzawa and Marco ball and rounded Didillon, but he betrayed Verratti got the goals as Paris Saint- a lack of confidence as he hesitated and Germain beat newly promoted Metz 3-0 at refused to shoot as the away defence the Parc des Princes in coach Unai Emery’s tracked back to cover. first home game in charge on Sunday. The Substitute Verratti then put the gloss on result allowed PSG to continue their perfect the scoreline when he got the third goal start to life under their new Spanish coach right at the end, his shot from the edge of but the evening was somewhat overshad- the area coming off Metz defender owed by the whistles of the home support Jonathan Rivierez on its way in. towards striker Edinson Cavani. The “When the strikers start improving in Uruguay star scored 53 Ligue 1 goals in the certain aspects, we will score a lot of goals,” last three seasons despite living in the said Emery, who defended Cavani. shadow of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and toiling at “He demands an awful lot of himself. He times since his 64 million-euro move from has character. If we create as many chances Napoli in 2013. in future, I am not worried about him scor- With idol Ibrahimovic having departed ing. “That the fans are so demanding of for Manchester United, Cavani is now PSG’s Cavani is a good thing too.” main man in attack but he missed chance after chance against Metz and the French MARSEILLE BEATEN champions won in spite of the Uruguayan. PSG join Lyon and Nice on a maximum Cavani had a penalty appeal waved away six points from two games, but Marseille as he went down under a Georges remain without a win after the troubled Mandjeck challenge and then saw a net- giants lost 2-1 at Guingamp on Sunday bound shot deflected onto the post by afternoon. Simon Falette late in the first half. Yannis Salibur struck after just 32 sec- Later on, he contrived to slice the ball onds with Jeremy Sorbon netting wide when a rebound fell to him after Guingamp’s second shortly after half-time Angel Di Maria curled a shot against the as the hosts withstood late Marseille pres- bar. Cavani kicked the post in frustration sure. Substitute Florian Thauvin pulled a as the boos rang out from the stands in goal back on 78 minutes with a low long- the capital. range effort, but Guingamp this time held Fortunately for the home side, by that on having thrown away a two-goal lead in point they were already two goals to the last week’s 2-2 draw at Monaco. SAN SEBASTIAN: Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, right, with Real Sociedad’s Inigo Martinez left, during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between good, with Lucas getting the breakthrough Meanwhile, Manchester United star Paul Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, at Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian, northern Spain, Sunday. — AP seven minutes into the second half. Pogba was in the crowd in Saint-Etienne as Adrien Rabiot was almost dispossessed Les Verts claimed a 3-1 win over as he tried to dribble the ball out of his own Montpellier. At the Stade Geoffroy- box, but he escaped and the hosts broke Guichard, the world’s most expensive play- Bale double gives Real forward quickly. Serge Aurier teed up er — who started for United in their Lucas and the Brazilian winger took a touch Premier League win over Southampton on before steering a low shot across goalkeep- Friday-was there to support his brother er Thomas Didillon and into the far corner. Florentin, the Guinea defender who turned Madrid winning start Paris needed goalkeeper Kevin Trapp to 26 on Friday. The elder Pogba played all 90 intervene with good saves from Renaud minutes as Saint-Etienne came from Cohade and Mevlut Erding to preserve behind after Steve Mounie put Montpellier BARCELONA: A Gareth Bale brace and a Marco since returning to Real Madrid but, after a clever ing a lot of the ball in the second half but was their advantage before Kurzawa headed in ahead midway through the first half. Kevin Asensio lob helped Real Madrid make light work dribble, his strike was deflected behind for a foiled at every turn, being booked for diving in from an Angel Di Maria corner midway Monnet-Paquet equalised seconds after of Real Sociedad, running out 3-0 winners at corner. A Toni Kroos effort met the same fate, the area before his shot was saved and Kroos through the second half to make it 2-0. the restart before youngster Dylan Saint- Anoeta in their opening game of the season in with goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli quick to get cracked the rebound against Rulli’s crossbar.