Photo Associated Press
With the final day of group stage matches in the bag we find out who made the grade to the next round and who will be leaving Brazil without a medal.
In Group A it was singularly down the the match between the hosts Brazil and Denmark rather than the other match of South Africa and Iraq.
Denmark had done their work earlier in earning four points from the first two and esured passage to the knockout phase while Brazil needed nothing less that the full three points or forever lose the fans of Selecao for even longer.
With an Iranian refereeing crew, wonder if Iraqi fans will claim falsehood, Brazil was able to score a second first half goal by Gabriel Jesus to give confidence of knockout stage qualification. At the time it was 1-1 between Iraq and South Africa and should Denmark had gotten an equalizer Iraq and not the hosts would have made it to the next phase.
Brazil had been very much a one trick pony with Neymar but with some confidence perhaps there has been the needed spark for a team that the hopes of an entire country rests.
In Group B Nigeria had ensured themselves the group with two wins over Japan and Sweden that they would be group winners so it was their game against Columbia that would dictate who would join them in the knockout phase.
Columbia came in with two draws and the upper hand in playing a Nigeria side who had wrapped up the group and could rest their best for the next phase. With that in mind an early goal from Teofilo Gutierrez gave the upper hand to the playoff qualifier and a converted spot kick by Dorlan Pabon ensured that Columbia has more than a good chance at earning a gold medal to go home with that of weightlifter Oscar Figueroa.
Group C had the most drama of the four group with three teams all with an equal chance of making the next phase. The results was one match reaching double figures in goals and another whose second half goal changed the fortunes of each country.
Germany had an interesting first two matches as they faced whipping boys Fiji. First it was a 2-2 exciting draw with reigning gold medalists Mexico followed up by a last minute goal to round off a scintillating 3-3 draw against South Korea. This meant that so long as a big scoreline was reached against Oceania representatives they would get though. And in the same stadium, the Mineirao, where the senior side defeated Brazil 7-1 in 2014 the Olympic team won 10-0 ensuring that via goal difference they would make the knockout round.
Mexico and South Korea both had draws against Germany and had their own heavy wins over Fiji but presented with playing themselves they knew they could only win to ensure the next phase each. What ensued was the equivalent of a heavy weight boxing match with each side trading punches before a second half break through goal by Kwon Chang-hoon to have the Koreans move on to the knockout round.
As for Group D Portugal, having already qualified faced an already eliminated Algeria in a match that meant only pride to the North Africans and a chance to rest bodies for the Europeans. In the Battle of the America’s of Argentina and Honduras the final knockout round spot was to be decided.
The match ended 1-1 and ensured that CONCACAF would have a representative in the next phase as via goal difference Honduras bested Argentina. A nervy match as can only be played by these Latin sides but a goal from Anthony Lozano from the penalty spot meant that two goals would be needed from Argentina to mean progress. This did not happen as only a goal in the third minute of added time came from the South American side.
Now come the quarterfinals and the fun that it will bring. Brazil faces Columbia in a match that will bring back the feelings from the quarterfinals of the World Cup two years ago. Germany faces Portugal in a battle of two European powers whose players will refill the ranks of the recently successful senior sides. Honduras against South Korea presents an opposition who can be beaten and give hope to winning a medal wheter be bronze, silver or gold. Nigeria carries the flag of the African continent against the surprise Danish side that is looking for their first soccer triumph since the 1992 European Championship.
