Brazil win shootout to secure men's hockey qualification for Rio 2016

Brazil celebrate after securing a men's hockey victory over the US via a shootout ©FIH/Twitter

Brazil's men's hockey team have secured a place at next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in dramatic fashion here at the Pan American Games to ensure the host country will be represented in every sport on the programme next year.

Hockey, a sport in which Brazil have little international pedigree and have never competed at the Olympics in before, was the only one of the 28 sports in which they were not awarded automatic qualification slots by virtue of being the host nation.

Instead, to prove their competitiveness they had to secure at least a sixth place finish here, something they guaranteed by virtue of a nailbiting quarter-final victory over United States.

Scores were locked at 1-1 at the end of the match after Paulo Batista's opener was cancelled out by Michael Barminski's equaliser for the Americans.

This led to a shootout in which Lucas Paixao, Yuri Van der Heijden and Bruno Sousa all expertly converted to ensure a Brazilian victory over a team which won their only male Olympic medal in the sport with a bronze at Los Angeles 1932.

Brazil have ensured they will be represented in every sport at Rio 2016 ©FIH

Brazil are now guaranteed at least a top four finish and will face Canada tomorrow for a place in the final and a historic first Pan American Games medal.

They will join six other teams who have already secured Rio 2016 qualification at the recent Hockey World League Semi-Final events in Buenos Aires and Antwerp.

These consist of defending champions Germany, The Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Belgium and Great Britain.

India have also qualified by virtue of winning last year's Asian Games title in Incheon, while the remaining four spots in the 12-team tournament will not be finalised until after the Continental Championships which are due to finish in October.

Brazil's men will not be joined by their female counterparts in Rio de Janeiro however as they failed to fulfil the criteria, not sending a team to the Pan American Games amid criticism that they do not enjoy the same support and backing as the men's team.