Brazil vs Ivory Coast LIVE result: Tokyo 2020 Olympics final score and reaction

Relive all the action from the Olympics fixture

Naomi Osaka lights Olympic cauldron as Tokyo 2020 Games begin

Playing with 10 men for most of the game, Brazil held the Ivory Coast to a 0-0 draw on Sunday in the group stage of the men’s Olympic football tournament.

Brazil are the defending Olympic champions after winning on home soil at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, but they were at a disadvantage early when Douglas Luiz, who plays for Aston Villa, was sent off in the 13th minute.

Ivory Coast midfielder Eboue Kouassi was sent off in the 79th. Both Luiz and Kouassi won’t be able to play in their teams’ final group matches.

The Brazilians won their Group D opener over Germany 4-2. Richarlison scored a hat trick.

Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie scored the winner in his team’s opening 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia.

Brazil captain Dani Alves, at 38, is the oldest player in the tournament, which features under-23 teams on the men’s side with coaches allowed to bring three older players.

Relive all the action below:

Key Points

[26 July 2021 00:00 · Nathan Place]

When to watch the Olympic football matches

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are underway in the men’s and women’s football tournaments.

There has already been an upset with the USA women suffering a heavy defeat to Sweden in their opener.

Team GB enjoyed a fine start over Chile, with Ellen White’s double enough to earn a comfortable 2-0 win in Sapporo.

For the full schedule of both tournaments, kick-off times and TV information, check out The Independent’s coverage here:

[25 July 2021 23:00 · Nathan Place]

Looking ahead: Where and when will the next Olympics be?

Paris will be the host of the next Games and they will be held between July 26 and August 11 in 2024 . This means the Olympic cycle will be shortened to three years from the usual four.

The cycle will then return to normal with the next edition being in 2028 in Los Angeles.

Read more here

[25 July 2021 22:31 · Nathan Place]

FAQ: Why is Russia banned from the Olympics?

Russia was banned from the Tokyo Olympics in December 2019 after its notorious doping scandal, which rocked the sporting world.

The initial ban of four years was reduced to two years in 2020, but still ensured no official Russian te

am would be present at the Olympic Games in Japan or the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Nonetheless, Russian athletes are still at Tokyo 2020 due to the establishment of the Russian Olympic Committee.

Read more here

[25 July 2021 20:47 · Nathan Place]

Viewers struggle to watch Olympics as ratings hit historic lows

This year’s Olympic Games are receiving record-low ratings as viewers fume that NBC has made them too hard to watch.

On Twitter, complaints abound that Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, has blocked some sports with a paywall, while other viewers have struggled with TV reception problems.

“NBC and Peacock suck for making #USA #Basketball a Premium Peacock option,” one user griped.

“This still isn’t the #Olympics… but I guess it’s better than the test pattern,” another wrote, posting a photo of a typed message on her TV: “The station normally seen on this cable channel is experiencing technical difficulties.”

If the broadcast’s ratings are any indication, there does seem to be a problem. According to data from NBC, only 16.7 million Americans watched the Olympics’ opening ceremony on TV – its smallest audience in 33 years.

[25 July 2021 20:07 · Nathan Place]

Internet hails US skateboarder Jagger Eaton for winning bronze with his AirPods on

Olympic viewers are sharing their praise and admiration for US skateboarder Jagger Eaton after he secured a bronze medal while listening to his AirPods.

“I need to know what Jagger Eaton is vibing to on his AirPods,” one person tweeted, while another asked: “Is anyone else insanely curious what Jagger Eaton is listening to in those AirPods?”

Read more here.

[25 July 2021 19:44 · Nathan Place]

46-year-old gymnast gets standing ovation at her 8th Olympics

Uzbek gymnast Oksana Chusovitina, 46, received a standing ovation after her record-breaking eighth appearance at an Olympic Games.

Ms Chusovitina received a score of 14.166 in the vault competition, not enough to make it into the final. But she earned a moving show of support from her teammates and opponents, who stood and cheered for her as she posed for pictures.

Ms Chusovitina first competed at the Olympics in 1992, representing the former Soviet Union.

[25 July 2021 19:01 · David Taintor]

An epic slam dunk from 2000 Olympics France vs US

Mother Jones resurfaced this iconic sport moment, when Team USA player Vince Carter literally leaped over French player Frederic Weis to slam dunk.

It’s worth a watch:

[25 July 2021 18:13 · Nathan Place]

FAQ: How are football teams chosen and why is there no men’s Great Britain team?

Britain's forward Ellen White (R) celebrates with teammates after Britain won the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games women's group E first round football match between Japan and Britain at the Sapporo Dome in Sapporo on July 24, 2021 (AFP via Getty Images)

How the teams were chosen

In the context of men’s football, the International Olympic Committee only allow players on the teams to be aged 23 or under. There is an exception to this rule as three selected over the age 23 are permitted on the squad list.

Clubs are also not forced to release players for the event.

Women’s football works differently as they are allowed to choose any players they would like, regardless of age.

Why isn’t there a Team Great Britain men’s squad?

The last time a men’s Team Great Britain squad competed at the Olympics was in London 2012. At the time the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FAs were concerned they would lose their Home Nations status given to them by FIFA if they participated in a Team GB.

Despite being reassured by ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter that that wouldn’t happen, only English and Welsh players competed in 2012.

When organising a team for the 2016 Games the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FA’s turned down ideas put forward for how the squad would come together.

An agreement wasn’t reached and so there was no men’s Team GB squad at Rio and a similar situation happened ahead of Tokyo.

Learn more here

[25 July 2021 17:49 · Nathan Place]

French basketball player reacts to upset victory over US

After scoring a surprise win against the US Olympic team, French basketball player Evan Fournier succinctly explained his team’s victory.

“They are better individually but they can be beaten as a team,” Mr Fournier told Washington Post reporter Ben Golliver.

[25 July 2021 17:22 · Nathan Place]

IOC warns athletes to stop hugging each other on podium

The International Olympic Committee has sternly reminded medal-winning athletes not to hug each other on the podium, due to this year’s strict Covid-19 precautions.

“We would urge and ask everyone to obey the rules, whatever stakeholder you are,” said Mark Adams, a spokesperson for the IOC. “We understand there is excitement and we feel for the athletes but unfortunately we have had to make the rules stricter.”

Even as the games continue, Japan remains in a state of emergency amid the latest wave of the coronavirus.