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Brazil's men's soccer team whips Denmark 4-0

 

© Felipe Oliveira, Getty Images Brazil's men's soccer team whips Denmark 4-0 RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil men’s soccer team claimed its first win at this Olympics after failing to do so its first two, and the nation can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

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The Brazilians easily beat Denmark on Wednesday night, 4-0, in a match played at Fonte Nove Arena in Salvador, Brazil.

For the soccer-obsessed country, the first two games of Brazil’s Olympic campaign were nothing less than a national embarrassment. Two 0-0 ties, against South Africa and Iraq, caused panic for the host nation; the 0-0 tie against Iraq, especially, was viewed as a humiliating result. Iraq’s senior team is currently ranked 99th in the world by FIFA.

Much of Brazil’s derision has been directed at Neymar, the 24-year-old star who plays his club soccer for Barcelona, and who is one of three “over-age” players selected to the Brazil team for the Rio 2016 Games.

Olympic soccer is played by countries’ U-23 national teams, with three exceptions allowed for older players.

The game on Wednesday night was a return to normalcy at least for Brazilian fans, who expect not only wins, but beautiful, dominant wins. Goals from Luan, Gabriel Barbosa and Gabriel Jesus put the game out of reach for Denmark, who had previously tied Iraq and beat South Africa, 1-0. A fourth goal from Gabriel Barbosa, his second of the game, in the 80th minute put it out of reach.

Neymar played well, but it was clear he was desperate to score a goal for his country, firing shot after shot late in the match, trying to put his imprint on the game.

Miles away from the stadium, in Copacabana Beach, every bar and restaurant had the game on just about every available screen, normal for games featuring the national team. On this night, for the first time this Games, the fans looked relaxed.

The win puts Brazil at the top of Group A. The team will next play Colombia on Saturday.