By Kehinde Okeowo
Brazil needed a second half extra time goal from Malcom to win a pulsating encounter with Spain, who ousted African representative , Cote d’Ivoire, at the quarter finals stage.
The match started with the two heavyweights trying to dominate play and dictating the tempo of the game and it was a fairly balanced encounter.
With nothing to separate the two teams, Everton’s striker, Richarlison, missed a penalty in the 38th minute of the first half, before Matheus Cunha gave Brazil the lead in the 47th minute of the first half.
The game resumed in the second half and continued to be a tight affair before Spain got an equalizer through Mikel Oyarzabal in the 61th minute.
The two teams could still not be separated at the end of the second half and the match had to go into extra time before Malcom Antony, the Brazilian substitute, scored the second goal in the 108th minute to put Brazil back ahead.
Spain made spirited efforts to get an equaliser and force a penalty shout-out but the Brazilian rear guard stood firm to defend the Olympic gold they won in 2016, leaving their Spanish counterpart to settle for silver medal.
Mexico who lost to Brazil in the semi-final on penalties, defeated the host , Japan, 3-1 to clinch the third position and win the bronze medal.