The 2016 Olympics at Rio De Janeiro are almost upon us, and it's a tournament that's got people from around the world tingling with excitement. It's got a male and female version, with both editions featuring some of the best national football teams in Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. The defending champions of the gold medals are the USA women's team and the Mexican men's national team - they both struck gold in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
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Also Read: How the Football tournament works, how to qualify, squad selection process
Rio Olympics 2016 - Men's Football Teams:
The 16 male national football teams have been drawn into the following four groups for the initial phase of the tournament:
Group A - Brazil, South Africa, Iraq, Denmark
Group B - Sweden, Colombia, Nigeria, Japan
Group C - Fiji, South Korea, Mexico, Germany
Group D - Honduras, Algeria, Portugal, Argentina
AFRICA (2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations)
Algeria
Road To the Finals: Algeria’s Chita equalized after Egypt’s Kahraba put them ahead in Senegal in the first game. Mali were the next team to be overcome, as a Traore own goal 7 minutes from time put the Algerians 2-0 to the good. The final fixture was a top-of-the-table clash, as Algeria and Nigeria played out a 0-0 stalemate.
The South Africans were up next, and Darfalou opened the scoring after 8 minutes before Benkhemassa killed the clash in the second half. In the final, Algeria & Nigeria were reunited – Nigeria scored all 3 goals in their 2-1 victory, with Oghenekaro’s penalty and 40th-minute strike cancelling Tope’s 30th-minute own goal.
Nigeria
Road To the Finals: Nigeria opened their campaign against Mali, with Usman scoring between an Ajayi double before the second half awoke the Mali team, who scored 2 after the break to raise hairs but ultimately lose. Against Egypt, the Nigerians won 2 and converted 2 spot-kicks in the first half before Sobhi & Elsayed fought back for a point with 2 second-half goals. Algeria were their final opponents and they played out a 0-0 draw for the two of them to progress to the knockout stages.
Oghenekaro scored another penalty to overcome Senegal with just over 10 minutes left on the clock to send Nigeria into the final & the Olympics. There, Ogenekharoo scored a brace (including yet another penalty) to overcome the Algerians and clinch the trophy.
South Africa
Road To the Finals: Senegal’s Keita opened the scoring with a 15th minute penalty, scoring 5 minutes later to put the South Africans under real pressure. Ntshangase in turn converted a 27th minute penalty but 3 minutes from time Sarr scored again to confirm their 3-1 defeat.
In the next fixture, South Africa were once again pegged back in the first half (by Luchanga), but Motupa and Masuku scored 3 in 12 minutes to come back superbly in a 3-2 victory. The Tunisians held on stubbornly but a Masuku shot in the 85th minute won them the 3 points in Group A. In the semi-finals, Algeria netted two goals without reply to dump the South Africans out of the tournament, before a penalty shootout ended 3-1 to the South Africans to book a consolation ticket to the Olympics.
ASIA (2016 AFC U-23 Championship)
South Korea
Road To the Finals: Moon Chang-jin opened the scoring with a penalty, before hitting a second one just after the break against Uzbekistan in the 2nd Group C match. In the second fixture, Kwon Chang-Hoon plundered a deadly first-half hatrick before goals from Seung-woo and Seung-jun rounded off a 5-0 obliteration of Yemen.
Kim Hyun opened the scoring against the Iraqis but a late, late goal meant two points dropped. Jordan were the next team that faced the Koreans, and they too were beaten – by the slimmes margin this time. The Qatari hosts were well beaten 3-1 before the Koreans fell to the Japanese in a hotly contested final (3-2).
Iraq
Road To the Finals: Iraq kicked off their campaign with 2 quickfire goals against Yemen before Humam’s goal 6 minutes from time settled a see-saw 3-2 encouter with Uzbekistan. Amjad W. snapped in an injury-time equalizer against South Korea to preserve their unbeaten record after Hyun had put the Koreans ahead in the 1st half.
The United Arab Emirates took them to extra-time before finally losing 3-1, until Japane finally beat the Iraqis in the semis. Qatar (the hosts) were then beaten off after extra-time, sealing 3rd place and a ticket to Brazil.
Japan
Road To the Finals: Group B’s first fixture saw Japan play North Korea, and before the 5th minute was ot Ueda had already put them ahead with what proved to be the match-winner. The next game was much more straight-forward, as a Kubo double in the final 15 minutes served Thailand a 4-0 rout. The final group match saw the Japanese eliminate the Saudis (2-1). Iran put up up a good fight in their quarter-final bout’s normal time, but the Japanese then proceeded to put them to the sword with 3 goals in extra time. Iraq were toppled 2-1 next, before South Korea were overcome 3-2 in the final.
EUROPE (2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship)
Sweden
Road To the Finals: Italy’s Berardi made no mistake from the spot as hit a penalty goal on the 29th minute against the Swedes. John Guidetti cancelled it out around the hour mark, leaving things finely poised until it was 4 minutes from time. Then, it was Thelin’s time to make no mistake – and he did not, winning Sweden a crucial head-to-head tie that would save them at the end.
Jesse Lingard was the English hero as he beat the Swedes 5 minutes from time to throw their qualification hopes into serious danger. Just when the Portuguese were about to extinguish them 8 minutes from time in their final fixture, the Swedes rallied and Tibbling score yet another late goal, to save themselves with 1 minute to go and pip Italy to the Olympics!
Germany
Road To the Finals: It was the Serbians who drew first blood, stunning the Germans with an 8th-minute goal before Emre Can equalized for them. In the next fixture, the Germans got some of their swagger back as Volland & Ginter combined to put a 3-0 margin between them and the Danish.
In their final fixture and looking good, Krejci’s goal 11 minutes from that of Schulz not only held Germany to a draw, but also ensured that they were the only unbeaten team in the group and still finished second – but also on the plane to Brazil.
Portugal
Road To the Finals: Joao Mario struck just around the hour mark to down the Englisman in their Group B match-up, before a 0-0 stalemate with the Italians in the second match. In their final match, Paciencia scored a late goal which should have been the winner, but for Tibling’s even later intervention (89th minute)! They advanced top of their group to the semi-finals and the Olympic Games.
Denmark
Road To the Finals: Jannik Vestergard equalized minutes before the hour mark as the Czech Republic looked to run away with a 1-0 victory aganst Denmark in the Group A opener. 6 minutes from times, the comeback was complete as Sisto scored a late, late winnner to give Denmark all 3 points. In the next clash, a Kevin Volland double pinned the Danish back before the Germans added some extra gloss to their 3-0 win.
Serbia were dispatched 2-0 in the final fixture to send Denmark throguh to the semi-finals, and to the Rio 2016 Olympics.
OCEANIA (2015 Pacific Games)
Fiji
Road To the Finals: Fiji started the tournament with a Chand goal to cancel out Vanuatu’s Kaltack’s 20th-minute opener, whilst Tahiti were putting an incredible 30 past FS Micronesia! If they felt a little bit goal-shy upon hearing the score, they didn’t have to worry. In the next game against the Micronesian minnows, they racked up a ridiculous score of 38-0, with Wasasala scoring 9 – only bettered by Tuivuna with 10 goals in a tortuous, 96-minute match!
Against Tahiti, the two big-hitters completely cancelled each other out in a 0-0 stalemate, while Micronesia let in their 114th goal in just 3 games! Fiji were then drawn with Papua New Guinea, who Qasevakatini scored a hat-trick against to beat 3-1 in the semi-finals. Finally, they met Vanuatu again; it took penalties to finally overcome them, with Dreola scoring the winning spot-kick.
NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEANS (2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship)
Mexico
Road To the Finals: Mexico began their Group B campaign with a 4-0 defeat of the Costa Ricans, which they followed up with a 1-0 victory over Haiti courtesy of a 74th minute Lopez penalty. Lopez once again struck early before Honduras’ Elis equalized, only for Torres to put them back up 6 minutes later (2-1).
The Canadians were their semi-final opponents, and Torres opened the scoring on the 6th minute this time before Lozano confirmed the win (and their flight to Brazil) with a second-half goal. In the final, the Mexicans once again faced the Hondurans, who fell behind to an Acosta own goal just 3 minutes before the 1st-half whistle. Guzman stuck the knife in just past the hour mark.
Honduras
Road To the Finals: In their first game, Lozano set the score early, just 6 minutes after the opening whistle to put Haiti behind for the rest of the 90 minutes. Costa Rica were dispatched next as Lozano once again opened the scoring before Elis confimed the win just 8 minutes from time. Elis scored again in the following match, but Mexico hit back soon after and consigned them to their first defeat. Elis wasn’t to be stopped though and his double in the semis against the United States went unresponded, sending them to Rio De Janeiro.
SOUTH AMERICA (2015 South American Youth Championships & 2016 CONCACAF – CONMEBOL play-off)
Argentina
Road To the Finals: Simeone started Argentina off in terrific style, as his 1st-minute goal knocked the stuffing out of a Peru side that would lose 2-0. In the following game, Compagnucci would score just minutes from time to cancel out a Barrera penalty, before Rolon and Contreras downed their eternal enemy Brazil. Simeone scored a double against Paraguay to sandwich a Rolon strike before Driussi and Correa ensure that Argentina finished top and safe in Rio.
Colombia
Road To the Finals: Colombia drew 0-0 against Paraguay in their opener. before Barrera’s 50th-minute spot-kick was cancelled out 2 minutes from time by Compagnucci. Lucumi and Borre combined to put 3 past Peru who hit one back in the next match.
A draw with Uruguay and a 3-0 defeat of the hosts meant that Colombia advanced to the CONCACAF vs CONMEBOL play-offs, where the USA where beaten 3-2 on aggregate. That final result sent Colombia to the 2016 Olympic Games.
Brazil
Road To the Finals: As the host nation, Brazil were already qualified to the Olympic Games.
Rio Olympics 2016 - Women's Football Teams
The 12 female national football teams have been drawn into the following four groups for the initial phase of the tournament:
Group E - Brazil, South Africa, China, Sweden
Group F - Canada, Australia, Zimbabwe, Germany
Group G - United States, New Zealand, France, Colombia
AFRICA (2015 CAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
South Africa
Road To the Finals: The South Africans first played Gabon, who opened the scoring after just 3 minutes with a Mapangou penalty. However, Seoponsewe hit back with a first-half brace to put them ahead before they were pinned back to 2-2 in the 70th minute. Mollo’s winner came just 5 minutes later as they ran out 3-2 winners.
Their home fixture was much easier though, as they hammered Gabon for 5 to no reply! In the next round, Kenya were defeated 1-0 home and away, before the Equatorial Guinea fell to another strike from Seoponsewe, who ended as the tournament’s joint top-scorer with 5 goals to send her country to the Olympic Games in Brazil.
Zimbabwe
Road To the Finals: Zimbabwe were beaten 2-1 in the opening leg against neighbouring Zambia, before an away goal meant that 2-2 was enough for them to squeeze through to the next round. Zimbabwe’s first fixture in the next round was a major hash-up – initially, they could not secure the funds to travel for the away leg, which resulted in FIFA defaulting the fixture as a 3-0 win to the Ivory Coast.
On top of that, CAF declared the tie over and awarded the Ivory Coast a win, which would later be overturned by FIFA in order for the second leg to be played. However, the Ivory Coast didn’t show up to that one and the tie was awarded to Zimbabwe – the original defaulters! In the next round, Cameroon’s Ngono Mani 2nd half double overturned a 6th-minute strike by Neshamba to beat Zimbabwe 2-1. The second leg again opened with an early Neshamba goal, but on that occasion they could not overturn it and lost on away goals, sending Zimbabwe through.
ASIA (2016 AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
Australia
Road To the Finals: The Australian national team entered the Olympic Qualifying tournament at the very last round, and had a near-perfect qualification campaign. Their opening match was a 3-1 defeat of the Japanese, before a total obliteration of Vietnam as a Simon hat-trick led the way to a 9-0 victory with 7 different scorers.
Simon struck again against South Korea, opening the scoring within the very first minute. North Korea were the next to fall, 2-1 to Heyman and Gorry goals. The Australians only drew in their final fixture, as Van Egmond equalized China’s Ma Xiaxou goal just 5 minutes from time.
China
Road To the Finals: The Chinese kicked off their qualification campaign with a 2-0 defeat of Vietnam, as Zhang Rui’s penalty killed the match just 6 minutes after Gu Yasha’s 57th minute opener. North Korea drew first blood in the next match through Un-Sim – and they would have won had Wang Shuang not scored an incredible 93rd-minute penalty. Against Japan, Rui & Yasha were at it again this time, with Yasha scoring the second goal. Shanshan beat South Korea just moment before the first had finished, before the Chinese themselves were on the receiving end of a late goal – against the Australians, the only team above them.
EUROPE (2016 UEFA Olympic Qualifying Tournament & 2015 FIFA World Cup)
Germany
Road To the Finals: The Germans were in Group B for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and just like the men’s team they showed that they were seriously heavy hitters. Their opener was a 10-0 ripping apart of the Ivory Coast, before they drew with Norway 1-1. Thailand were then blasted for 4 prior to their last-16 fixture with Sweden – who scored 1 at least, but were also smashed for 4.
They were then held by the French, but ultimately the German spot-kick efficiency came to the fore as the beat the French 5-4 on penalties. The eventual champions of the USA finally beat them 2-0, before an extra-time time goal by the English consigned them to 4th which was enough to qualify.
France
Road To the Finals: France topped their group, defeating the English 1-0 and putting 5 past Mexico but losing 2-0 to Colombia in-between. South Korea could not handle Delie as her double put them on their way to a 3-0 win prior to their defeat to the Germans.
A 5th place finish would normally not be enough for them to qualify, but England’s lack of a team and the fact that the European quota wasn’t filled mean that the French (as the 2nd-highest ranking European team after Germany) were granted a shoe-in to the Olympic Games!
Sweden
Road To the Finals: Dahikvist scored as early as she could in the all-Scandinavian opener against Norway, as her 3rd-minute strike was enough to beat the Norwegians. Seger struck much later in the first half Switzerland, again edging them by the slimmest margin. In their 3rd match, the Dutch scored first through Miedema, but an equalizer on the stroke of half-time salvaged a point for Sweden. That put them top of the mini-tournament between the 4 teams and sending them to the Rio De Janeiro 2016 Olympics.
OCEANIA (2016 OFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
New Zealand
Road To the Finals: New Zealand’s route to the Olympic Games was very much straightforward. As the highest-ranked team registered to the IOC, they simply had to face the best opponent in the Pacific Games, without playing the 1st round. The team they met? Papua New Guinea, who conceded 7 at home. Moreover, they faced several issues to acquire visas for the second leg and had to withdraw from the tie, handing the New Zealanders the tie, and a ticket to Brazil.
SOUTH AMERICA (2014 Copa America)
Colombia
Road To the Finals: Colombia came out of the blocks flying in Group A, as Andrade’s 6th-minute strike set them on course to a fine victory that Ospina capped off with a fourth goal on the 90th minute. Against Venezuela, it took Garcia 78 minutes to finally breach the Colombian net – it was the only consolation as they lost 4-1.
In their final fixture, the Colombians edged Peru 1-0. In the final stage, they played out a stalemate with Argentina but Rincon’s 2nd goal proved to be crucial as Ecuador’s Lattanzio scared them with an 86th-minute goal in their 2-1 win. Their final day draw with Brazil ensured that they would go to the tournament their opponents on the day are about to host.
Brazil
Brazil qualified automatically as the host nation for the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Summer Olympics.
NORTH AMERICA (2016 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament)
United States
Road To the Finals: The current champions were in Group A and showed their class right from the first minute, as Morgan drew blood within the opening minute to lead her side to a 5-0 whitewash of Costa Rica. The Mexicans fell next, losing 1-0 to an 80th minute Lloyd goal.
The real obliteration came against Puerto Rico though, as Dunn notched a 4-goal haul to take the score to double-digits (10-0)! In the semi-finals, Morgan scored a stunning hat-trick as Trinidad & Tobago were buried with 5 goals, confirming a place in Rio. Their northern neighbours Canada were then defeated 2-0 for the 4th Olympic Qualifying title.
Canada
Road To the Finals: Canada’s Lawrence and Rose shared the spoils against Guyana, as they blew the Guyanese away with 5 goals in the opening 50 minutes. Trinidad and Tobago fare even worse, conceding 6 goals to 6 players.
If that was painful, what must Guatemala have felt like when Prince & Quinn both netted hat-tricks in another 10-0 mauling? Costa Rica could do nothing to stop, falling 3-1 to book the Canadians a place in Brazil, and a date with their neighbours US, who ran out 2-0 conquerors.
