Brazil, crowned at home in 2016, qualified Tuesday for the final of the Tokyo Games men's football tournament, after a penalty shoot-out (0-0, 4 tab to 1) against Mexico, at Kashima.
The Brazilians will try Saturday in Yokohama to win the second Olympic title in their history against Japan or Spain, opposed in the other semi-final in Saitama.
The Mexicans will play bronze on Friday against the loser of this game.
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In this tempting duel on paper between the last two Olympic champions, revenge of the 2012 final won by the Mexicans, the opening scoring never arrived.
Goalkeeper and captain Guillermo Ochoa, 36, pushed back the deadline three times in the first period, including a free kick from captain Dani Alves (23rd), 38.
The Brazilians thought they would get a penalty when José Esquivel seemed to push Douglas Luiz into the box, but after resorting to VAR, the referee changed his mind.
Authors of 14 goals in the first four matches of the tournament, the Mexicans also did not find the flaw in the image of the recovery of Henry Martin flirting with the cross (45 + 2).
In the second period it was Ochoa's right post who pushed back a crossed header from the Brazilian Richarlison (82nd), current top scorer in the competition (5 goals). Still tied 0-0 at the end of regulation time, the two teams had to resort to penalties. A session in which the Mexicans Vasquez and Aguirre did not convert their attempts against a faultless Alves and his teammates against Ochoa.