Two games, zero goals scored, two conceded (against anything but irresistible opponents) and the super Spain of football, the favorite immediately after Brazil, has already said goodbye to the Olympics. After the first setback at the debut against Japan, yesterday the prompt redemption of the Red Furies was expected and yet another defeat arrived, this time even with the small and unknown Honduras (which already in, for us glorious , the 1982 World Cup managed to stop the hosts Spain with a sensational draw). If in the first match the Spaniards had been surprised by the speed and dynamism of the Japanese, for yesterday's match we can also speak of a lot of bad luck: in fact, after finding the unexpected advantage immediately at the beginning of the match thanks to Bengtson, the Central American national team defended ferociously until the end, but Spain can recriminate on 24 shots on target against the opposing goal, including three posts, and on a penalty that appeared clear and was not awarded by the Venezuelan referee Soto, which unleashed the ire of the players earlier in field and later also in the tunnel of the changing rooms.
But these negative episodes cannot justify a sensational and shocking (today the Spanish newspapers used much worse adjectives) elimination for a team that had presented itself in London with the intention of making the Treble (in 2012 in addition to the last European triumph of the national team humiliating Italy in the final, we must add the victory of the Under 19 team in the European Championships in its category) and to win its second gold medal after that of 1992. The Spaniards arrived at these Games with four years of domination behind them absolute at all levels of the national team, in fact, in addition to the two most recent successes already mentioned, there is another European and the 2010 World Cup for the senior team (with the feat never achieved by any other country of winning three consecutive titles) and other three continental affirmations of the minor formations (Under 21 and 19 in 2011 and Under 17 in 2008), furthermore the Red Furies could count, although it is an Under 23, on a formation full of players already established at an international level such as the new signing of the Barcelona Jordi Alba, Thiago Alcantara, Mata, Muniain as well as many other young talents already on the launch pad.
The disappointment was burning and no one could predict that the path of this Army (almost invincible) would already stop at the elimination round, which also includes Morocco, now some have already begun to pronounce that perhaps the Martians have returned to earth and how sooner or later every cycle is destined to run out, but honestly, waiting for the next competitions, this seemed like just an incredible empty passage. To take advantage of Spain's absence in the continuation of the tournament will certainly be the Brazil show of Neymar and his companions, even if, honestly, from what we have seen so far, even the Iberian national team could have done very little against this group of phenomena. The green and gold national team came to these Games with a single goal: to bring home for the first time in its history the only title it lacks and which it has only come close to in four editions (two second places, in Los Angeles '84 and Seoul '88, and two third places, in Atlanta in 1996 and in Beijing 4 years ago), as well as preparing in the best possible way for the next World Cup which it will host in two years' time, for which the whole Brazilian football movement is already in turmoil. Brazil has a frightening group of players in this tournament, just to name a few in addition to the absolute star Neymar, there are the new PSG signing Thiago Silva (one of the three overages in addition to Milan player Pato and Real full-back Marcelo), the market dream of Inter Lucas, playmaker Oscar (just bought from Chelsea for more than 30 million), Lenadro Damiao (recently approached to Milan for the attack), Hulk (incredible too), Ganso and we could go ahead by naming the entire squad, a formation that would most likely be the favorite even in a World Cup with all the other strongest nations present, all the more reason it has the obligation to win gold in these Games where the opponents certainly don't make an impression .
Looking at the field, after the victory with some apprehension on their debut over Egypt, in the second day Mano Menezes' boys beat Belarus 3-1, which had taken the lead a few minutes after the start with Renan, to put first the revived Pato and then Neymar thought of things in order with an amazing free-kick, in the final the seal of Oscar arrived. Even in this second game, however, the result goes close to the South Americans, who create dozens of goals every time but as often happens they end up too pleased with plays and numbers that are sometimes useless, becoming less incisive and risking keeping alive until the end of the match. lastly the opponents, who in the end gain confidence and attempt the sensational tripping. In fact, the Brazilians only have to decide to finish the matches early, because as we have seen in a tournament of this kind with teams that may be little known but that give their best and sometimes also offer interesting young players, the prank could be just around the corner and a gold already in your pocket can suddenly vanish, even if with a Neymar like this, who dances in music videos but makes his opponents dance on the pitch, there shouldn't be any problems. With Brazil already qualified and playing New Zealand, Belarus and Egypt will compete for second place on the final day. Moving on to the group with hosts Great Britain and Uruguay, there was no shortage of surprises here too in the last round. In fact, one of the favorite teams for a medal, the Uruguay of the "Italians Cavani, Ramirez and Hernandez", also risks remaining out and not passing the group, due to the surprising 2-0 defeat suffered by Senegal.
Tabarez's team, despite playing for most of the match in numerical superiority, was surprised twice by the very promising Moussa Konatè and now the road for Suarez and his companions has suddenly become complicated, after the inaugural victory over the United Arab Emirates. With the Africans almost certain to pass, at this point the direct confrontation between the Albiceleste and Great Britain will be decisive on the last day. The latter, after having certainly not impressed in the preparatory matches and in the first official match drawn with Senegal, managed to snatch three hard-earned but fundamental points in the final from the United Arab Emirates, in a match where finally the two "old men" Ryan Giggs (initial goal scorer) and Craig Bellamy managed to make the difference, putting aside for a while the controversy over Stuart Pierce's failure to call up home idol David Beckham. For the record, the final result was 3-1, after the Welsh winger's lead, Eisa equalized in the 15th minute of the second half, thwarted by goals from Sinclair and the Chelsea striker Sturridge. In the last round, victories for Mexico, 2-0 over Gabon, and South Korea, 2-1 over Switzerland, now the Central Americans and Asians are in the lead with 4 points, +3 over the other two, but on the last day the situation could reverse. Beyond everything, there is the regret of not seeing our young Italian talents as protagonists, who, given the level of the tournament, would certainly have had the opportunity to play it big and hope to return home with a medal.
