The gold medal game is set. Germany has defeated Nigeria, 2-0, to set up the game pretty much everybody wanted: Brazil vs. Germany. Remember that 7-1 thrashing in the 2014 World Cup semifinal? So do the Brazilians, and they want revenge.
They will have an opportunity for that thanks to goals from Lucas Klostermann and Nils Petersen. Both were products of good team movement and a cross that was just outside the keeper's reach, leading to two easy finishes.
#JJOO - #Rio2016 | Semifinal#Nigeria 0 vs #Alemania 1
El gol de Klostermann para el 1-0 de #GER. pic.twitter.com/5xRc9p6bPH— Fútbol de Naciones (@FutboldNaciones) August 17, 2016
#Rio2016: The moment Nils Petersen sealed victory for Germany. FT #NGR 0 - 2 #GER https://t.co/mfY8IMYnYM #NGRGER pic.twitter.com/P0nJE2SmZb
— Naij.com (@naijcom) August 17, 2016
This result means Nigeria, the darlings of the tournament, who almost didn't land in Brazil in time for their first game and had Venezuela's national anthem played instead of theirs, can do no better than bronze. But hey, a medal's a medal.
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus