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Olympic soccer gold goes to Mexico
Jorge Enriquez of Mexico falls to the ground with jubilation as team-mates celebrate winning the gold medal after the Men's Football Final between Brazil and Mexico on Day 15 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wembley Stadium on August 11, 2012 in London, England.
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Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
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Mexico has put the soccer world on notice. The “El Tricolor” team is young, talented, experienced and now accomplished.
Mexico won the gold medal today in Olympic soccer competition with a 2-1 win over Brazil before more than 86,000 fans at London's Wembley Stadium.
Now the young team turns its attention to the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro in two years when they are among the favorites to win.
Mexico's Oribe Peralta, one of the team's three players over 23 years old, scored two goals in the gold medal win.
The first came 29 seconds into the game when Peralta spun past a Brazilian defender, moved to the top of the penalty area, and then scooted the ball along the ground past the Brazilian goalkeeper to give Mexico a quick lead.
Peralta's second goal came late in the second half off a cleverly-designed play on a free kick that curved into the penalty area.
He slipped away from Brazil's Hulk, ran around a screen of teammates into the open and knocked the ball off his head and into the goal to give Mexico the second goal they needed to win.
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Brazil kept the ball in Mexico's end for most of the game. But small errors foiled the repeated rushes.
Brazil's Neymar had a chance for a tying goal in the second half on a pass that floated high into the penalty area. But goalkeeper Jose Corona punched the ball away, and flattened Neymar with a hard but legal elbow to the head.
Neymar had another chance at a goal from close in, but he kicked the ball high over the goal, and then dropped to his knees in frustration at the missed chance.
Hulk, who'd nearly scored on a swerving blast in the first half, finally put Brazil on the board with a bouncing shot in extra time. That cut the Mexican lead in half.
Moments later, Hulk put a crossing pass right in front of the goal, but Oscar's header went high over the goal and the gold medal belonged to Mexico.
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