ARGENTINA ELIMINATES BRAZIL FROM OLYMPIC MEN'S SOCCER QUALIFYING ENDS THREE-PEST BID

Argentina eliminates Brazil

Brazil will not bid for an unprecedented third consecutive Olympic men’s soccer title in Paris after losing to Argentina in its last South American qualifier with one Olympic spot at stake.

Argentina won 1-0 on a Luciano Gondou goal in the 78th minute of a match in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday.

Argentina and either Paraguay or Venezuela will be South America’s two representatives in the 16-team Olympic men’s soccer tournament.

Brazil needed a win or a draw against Argentina to qualify for the Olympics in the last stage of South American qualifying.

Brazil lost its opening match to Paraguay in a four-team group, then beat Venezuela 2-1. Argentina tied Venezuela and Paraguay. Those results meant that one of Brazil or Argentina would qualify for Paris, but not both.

razil will miss the Olympic men’s tournament for the first time since 2004.

In Rio in 2016, Brazil earned its first Olympic soccer title in dramatic fashion. Neymar scored the winning penalty kick in a shootout against Germany at the Maracanã.

In Tokyo in 2021, Brazil again went undefeated, beating Spain in the final on Malcom’s 108th-minute goal.