A brace of goals from Mexico’s Oribe Peralta ensured Brazil’s wait for Olympic football gold continued as Mexico won their first gold of the Games at Wembley on Saturday.
Mexico took the lead with the fastest goal ever in an Olympic final - it took a mere 29 seconds for Peralta to score after Manchester United right-back Rafael da Silva played a poor pass that Javier Aquino knocked up to Peralta for the overage player to score with a precise finish.
Peralta grabbed his and Mexico’s second with a bullet header from Marco Fabian’s free kick on 75 minutes as four motionless Brazilian defenders watched the unmarked striker score.
Hulk pulled one back for Brazil in second-half stoppage time with clever movement followed by a precise finish, but it proved to be only a consolation as his teammate Oscar headed over from three yards with seconds left.
Although their defense seemed nervous after Peralta’s opener, Brazil began to assert their presence in attack and on 20 minutes a pass from Leandro on the left flank found its way to Oscar in the box, but his shot was weak and aimed at Mexico goalkeeper Jose de Jesus Corona.
Bringing on Porto striker Hulk for Alexis Sandro on 31 minutes firmed up Brazil with the presence of a respected senior player, and their confidence level crept upwards.
On 38 minutes, Hulk tested Corona with a curving and dipping 30-yard shot, forcing him into a diving save, two minutes before Marcelo hammered a shot past Corona’s post from eight yards.
In the second half, Brazil upped the pressure, creating their best chance of the match so far on 59 minutes, only for Neymar to miscue his shot from eight yards and send the ball over the bar.
Fabian almost doubled Mexico’s lead four minutes later, going one-on-one with Gabriel and missing his first effort before responding with a spectacular overhead kick on the rebound that clattered against the bar.
Peralta soon put the ball in the back of the net again with a placed finish from a cross, but it was disallowed for a clear offside.
On Friday, South Korea won bronze, beating Japan 2-0 for third place.
