Neymar fires Brazil into Olympics football semi-finals

Neymar scored a superb free-kick as Brazil beat Colombia 2-0 to move into the semi-finals of the men's football tournament at the Rio Olympics.

Brazil, who have never won the Olympic title, were nervous, especially in a first half that had 21 fouls and five yellows cards, four of them for Colombia.

Colombia rarely tried to play, preferring to hack at their opponents and it was from a 30-yard free-kick that Brazil took the lead after 12 minutes with Neymar curling the ball through a wall that disintegrated.

It was Neymar's first goal of the tournament but he also may have been lucky to escape with just a yellow card for chopping down Andres Roa and provoking a brawl between the two teams just before half-time.

Brazil were the better team throughout and Luan got the second goal they deserved seven minutes from time when he lifted a sublime chip over the goalkeeper from 25 yards out.

"It was very important that we scored early and that helped us not fall into their trap of winding us up," said defender Marquinhos after the game in Sao Paulo.

"We are very disciplined to not lose a goal and when we score early that allows us to open up a bit. We held it together at the back and we played well."

Brazil will face Honduras in Wednesday's semi-final in Rio after the Central Americans stunned South Korea 1-0 thanks to Alberth Elis' 59th-minute winner in Belo Horizonte.

Earlier, Germany had hammered Portugal 4-0 to set up a semi-final clash with Nigeria in Sao Paulo on Wednesday.

Serge Gnabry of Arsenal put the Germans ahead with an angled strike just before half-time and Matthias Ginter added a second with a commanding header from a corner 12 minutes into the second half.

Davie Selke got the third in the 75th minute with a goal that was almost identical to the first before substitute Philipp Max sealed the win when he ended a sweeping move with a neat finish into the top corner three minutes from time.

Nigeria scored a goal in each half to defeat Denmark 2-0.

Chelsea's John Obi Mikel put Nigeria ahead after 16 minutes when he slotted home from the edge of the six-yard box after Imoh Ezekiel had set him up.

And Aminu Umar doubled their lead with a glancing header that may have come off his shoulder from a corner after 58 minutes.