UPDATE 1-Olympics-Soccer-Brazil rout Honduras 6-0 to reach final

By Andrew Downie
Reuters

* Brazil hammer Honduras 6-0 to reach final

* Host nation to face Germany, who beat Nigeria 2-0 (Updates with quotes, late result)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Neymar scored a brace, including the fastest goal in Olympic history, Gabriel Jesus got two more and Marquinhos and Luan added one each as Brazil swept past Honduras 6-0 into the final of the men's Olympic tournament on Wednesday.

The home side, desperately seeking the only international title they have yet to win, will face Germany in the final on Saturday after the Germans overcame Nigeria 2-0 in Sao Paulo.

The game will be an under-23 repeat of the 2014 World Cup semi-final in which Germany destroyed their host by seven goals to one.

The Olympic soccer tournament is played by under-23 teams, with each side allowed three over-age players.

Playing in front of a packed crowd at the Maracana stadium, Brazil got off to the perfect start by scoring after just 15 seconds.

Honduras knocked the ball back from the kick-off, but Neymar caught Johnny Palacios in possession on the edge of the box and bravely challenged the keeper to bundle the ball into the net.

The goal got the famously fickle Brazil fans behind the home side and Gabriel Jesus doubled the score in 26 minutes. Luan freed the new Manchester City signing from the offside trap, and his assured finish went under the advancing keeper from 18 yards.

The same player made it three eight minutes later, when he ran onto a superb 30-yard pass from Neymar to lift the ball over the keeper and into the roof of the net.

Marquinhos got a fourth in 51 minutes, which he hammered home from three yards at the second attempt when the ball fell kindly to him at a corner.

Luan got the goal his hard work deserved 12 minutes from time, side-footing the ball home from close in after nice set-up work from Gabriel Barbosa and substitute Felipe Anderson.

Neymar made it six when he calmly slotted home a penalty in the final minute after Luan was upended.

"The goal at the start helped us a lot and we knew it would be a scrappy game," said Rogerio Micale, Brazil's coach. "When you get a goal right at the start it's really a great help, it gives you the confidence to control the game in what was a very hot sun."

The Germans meanwhile, were less convincing in defeating the 1996 gold medal winners Nigeria.

Lukas Klostermann grabbed an early goal after nine minutes but Nigeria pushed hard for an equalizer and were unlucky not to get n equalizer on several occasions.

Nils Petersen wrapped the game up with a second goal one minute from full time. (Editing by Jan Harvey and Nina Chestney)

08/17/2016 17:02