The men's soccer tournament at the 2016 Summer Olympics has featured plenty of surprises to this point, but there are four teams remaining, and they all have their sights on a gold medal.Many expected Brazil and Germany to still be alive in the semifinals, although they each took bizarre paths to get to this point. On the other hand, Honduras and Nigeria have shocked the field to remain alive in the semifinals, putting each in position to medal.At this point in a single-elimination competition, you don't want to count anybody out. Here is what you need to know heading into the highly anticipated semifinals.Both matches are available to be streamed online atNBCOlympics.com.Brazil vs. HondurasHonduras has been one of the teams on the rise in international soccer, and it is proving as much with an impressive run in the Olympics. The CONCACAF squad beat out the United States in qualifying, something ESPN's Max Bretos noted was not a fluke:After beating Argentina for a spot in the quarterfinals and defeating South Korea for a trip to the semifinals, this has truly been a magical run for Honduras.However, the story of this matchup is Brazil and its ability to finally live up to expectations. The home team was a laughingstock after the first two games, thanks to scoreless draws against South Africa and Iraq. But the team bounced back with a 4-0 win over Denmark and an emotional 2-0 victory over Colombia.No one has denied the talent on the roster, which includes young stars like Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Barbosa as well as emerging superstar Neymar as the captain. However, it took Brazil's players some time to jell as a squad and play to the level we know they are capable of reaching.Brazil coachRogerio Micale had high praise for Neymar heading into the semifinals, per Dermot Corrigan of ESPN.com:Neymar is very young, has lots of responsibility, and became a star very early due to the quality he has. Maturity comes with performances. He is intelligent, learns from his mistakes, we can see that. If he has made errors in the past, he has corrected them.I believe that, and I hope it happens. Football is a game of passion, with nerves on the edge, and we are humans. We can all make mistakes, even Neymar.With a goal and an assist in the quarterfinal win over Colombia, it's clear he is back to his best level.If the attack can stay as strong as it has been in recent matches while the defense remains perfect (zero goals conceded in four games), Brazil will be extremely tough to beat at home.Nigeria vs. GermanyJust like Honduras, Nigeria has been a pleasant surprise at these Olympic Games. The African squad won Group B thanks to wins over Japan and Sweden before easily defeating Denmark 2-0 in the quarterfinals.Oghenekaro Etebo turned heads with four goals in the first game, but captain Mikel John Obi is the heart and soul of the team. Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated discussed the difference from the Chelsea midfielder with his country:The normally defensive-minded player has made a big impact in the final third so far in this tournament and scored his first goal in the win over Denmark.Still, it will require a whole lot to keep up on the scoresheet with Germany.Arsenal forward Serge Gnabry has six goals already in the Olympics, while Nils Petersen has five. There are also some veteran players like Lars and Sven Bender who can match up with the experienced Mikel in the midfield.Although the defense was a little sloppy to start the group stage with five goals conceded against Mexico and South Korea, Germany's offense has kept the team undefeated. Even if the 10-0 win over Fiji was a bit ridiculous, scoring nine goals in the other three matches show what this team is capable of providing offensively.Fans should expect a lot of goals in what is likely to be an exciting matchup, but only one team will be able to advance to the finals.Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.
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