RIO DE JANEIRO -- Fans wearing the familiar gold-and-green-trimmed shirts of Brazils national team were still streaming up the ramp and into the Maracana Stadium when Neymar struck. All of 15 seconds had elapsed since the opening whistle.As it turned out, there was no need to hurry, let alone worry. Whatever terrible toll these Olympics wind up extracting from this cash-strapped, soccer-mad nation, its already clear that wont put a dent in the Selecao.Its 6-0 semifinal win Wednesday over Honduras kept Brazil in pursuit of the Olympic gold medal -- the one important international prize the only five-time World Cup champions have never won.Im happy for the goals but the most important thing is that we made it to the final, said Gabriel Jesus. It was important to win like this, playing well and with a lot of goals.The locals expect them not just to win, but to do it with style, keeping faith with a long line of stars -- beginning with Pele -- who set the bar high with their commitment to play o jogo bonito (the beautiful game). By that standard, Neymars opening tally was a comedy of errors.Honduran defender Johnny Palacios clumsy clearing attempt from the top of his goal box bounced off Neymars shins and the slim forward kept his balance and followed it toward the net. Goalkeeper Luis Lopez rushed out, went to the ground and tried to spread himself, but his clearing attempt, too, bounced off Neymar and rolled slowly forward once more, this time into the net.We can admit now -- we were all nervous when we came. The last game (against Mexico) was too close, said Rio native Marcio Salles.Salles was wearing the jersey of former Brazilian player Hulk and dancing in the concourse afterward alongside his pals as samba music filtered through the stadium.But even when it was still only 1-0, Salles added, they showed confidence and then ... they honored this place and played as they should.At least Brazils other two scores before halftime were artistic successes. Gabriel Jesus beat Lopez with the flick of his right boot after running onto a surgical cross from Luan in the 26th minute to make it 2-0; then he outraced a Honduran defender and scooped up a perfectly weighted pass from Neymar in the 35th , finishing the breakaway with a rocket into the roof of the net.Footballers like Neymar, who draws his hefty paycheck from the Spanish giant Barcelona, are the countrys most famous exports. At last count, there were more than 600 Brazilians employed in the top leagues in Europe, where the money is good and the living is much easier than back home.Neymar left Brazil in 2013 as a 21-year-old and is one of three senior players on Brazils team; Olympic rules require the remaining players to be 23 or younger. So while only four of the players on the roster currently play overseas, 10 more will likely be gone within the next two to three years. Prominent in that group are Garbiel Barbosa, known in these part as Gabigol and Gabriel Jesus, who signed Premier League powerhouse Manchester City.By comparison, all but two of Honduras 18 players ply their trade in the countrys domestic league, and nearly all of them are likely to stay there.Including Neymar wasnt simply about winning Olympic gold, but a way to let him begin forming a partnership with Gabigol and Gabriel Jesus, two youngsters who also figure prominently in Brazils 2018 World Cup plans. The nation is still keening for revenge over the way Germany humiliated them in the last World Cup -- 7-1 en route to the title -- and on their home soil no less.That much was apparent right after Brazils first tally, when fans, clearly pulling for Germany in its semifinal match against Nigeria later in the day, began chanting, Hey Germany, just wait! Your turn is coming up!---Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and Twitter.com/JimLitke. Cheap Patriots Jersey . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. Cheap Patriots Jerseys Authentic . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. http://www.cheappatriotsjerseysauthentic.com/ . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. Cheap Patriots Jerseys China . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. RIO DE JANEIRO -- First it was a World Cup upset for Japan. Now its the Olympics.For the second time in less than a year, Japan stunned a traditional rugby power at a global event -- and its destined to keep people interested.Inspired by the win over South Africa in the 15-a-side game last September, which ranks as the biggest Rugby World Cup upset ever, the sevens team had a 14-12 win over New Zealand on the opening day of the mens competition at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.Making it more memorable, it was the first day in 92 years of mens rugby competition at the Summer Games.This is our chance to prove to the world that Japan can beat any team, said Lote Tuqiri, a Fiji-born flyer who proudly plays for Japan. How Japan finished at the World Cup really lifted rugby in Japan. Numbers are coming in. Hopefully our win against New Zealand will boost it another level -- in sevens its anybodys game.Hours after beating the 12-time world sevens series champion New Zealanders for the first time, the Japan squad showed it was no fluke by pushing Britain all the way before missing a last-minute kick at goal that could have forced a draw.Theyre a good team. They pushed Britain very closely as well -- perhaps that says it all, veteran New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens said of Japans performance. There are no given games these days.Rugby in Japan has been almost entirely dominated by teamss owned by big corporate teams which important talent from abroad.ddddddddddddThe win over South Africa at the World Cup last year set TV ratings records, and caused a surge in interest in the game. The Japan-based Sunwolves joined the southern hemispheres Super Rugby competition this year and, although it didnt have a lot of on-field success, it showed glimpses of promise against well-established teams.Tuqiri, who shares the same name as a cousin who played a Rugby World Cup final for Australia, is hoping for an influx of talented young Japanese players for the sevens program to improve the countrys chances of winning a medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.Sevens isnt a big thing in Japan, its more 15s, so we want to lay a good platform, Tuqiri said. Look what the 15s did in the World Cup.This Olympics is not only a world series, it is the highest level of any (sevens) competition. Were not coming here just to make up the numbers ... were here to give a big run to all the big boys.A win on Wednesday over Kenya, which had a breakthrough title on the world sevens circuit last season, would help Japan qualify for the quarterfinals. The 15s team narrowly missed the knockout stage of the World Cup.The winners of quarterfinal matches at Rio will be playing for medals. ' ' '