Playing at home, with its biggest star onboard and an unexpected last-minute change at the helm, Brazil is looking to win its first Olympic mens soccer gold medal in Rio de Janeiro.No pressure, right?Coach Dunga opted to include star striker Neymar as one of the three over-23 players allowed in the Olympic squads instead of taking him to the Copa America. That plan backfired when Brazil was eliminated by Peru in the group stage of the tournament being played in the United States. That result prompted the dismissal of Dunga, who was replaced by Tite as the senior team coach.Dunga was also slated to coach in the Olympics, but now the job falls to the usual under-23 coach, Rogerio Micale.This will be the third straight Olympics in which Brazil brings some of its best players looking for that elusive gold medal. The five-time World Cup champions failed with a team led by former FIFA Player of the Year Ronaldinho in 2008, eliminated by Argentina in the semifinals, and with Neymar in 2012, losing to Mexico in the final. Brazils mens team has won the silver medal three times and the bronze two.The pressure to win gold will be higher after the elimination at Copa America, and with local fans still smoldering from the embarrassing 7-1 loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup semifinals at home.Brazil opens against South Africa on Thursday in Brasilia, one day before the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro. Three-time silver medalist Denmark and Iraq are also in Group A.Local organizers will take advantage of the stadiums built for the World Cup, and the Olympic tournament will be played at seven venues, including two in Rio and one in the Amazon city of Manaus.STARS TO WATCH: Neymar will be the main attraction, the only top soccer star to make it to the games. The striker is coming off an excellent season with Barcelona and will be rested after skipping the Copa America. Brazil will also have two up-and-coming players who have been targeted by big European clubs: Gabriel Barbosa, known as Gabigol, and Gabriel Jesus.Colombia will feature veteran forward Teo Gutierrez, while defending champion Mexico will count on striker Oribe Peralta, who scored four goals in the teams winning campaign in London four years ago. Defender Matthias Ginter, World Cup champion in 2014, will play for Germany, and experienced midfielder John Obi Mikel will star for 1996 Olympic champion Nigeria.TEAMS TO WATCH: Defending champion Mexico will field a strong squad, led by Pachuca striker Hirving Lozano, the only under-23 player on the Mexico team in Copa America. The Mexicans will face Germany, South Korea and Fiji in Group C.Colombia beat the United States in a playoff in March and its squad includes several players from the Copa America squad, including up-and-coming strikers Roger Martinez and Marlos Moreno. The Colombians face stiff competition in Group B from Sweden, Japan and African powerhouse Nigeria.Looking for its third gold medal, Argentina leads Group D against Portugal, Algeria and Honduras.Germany will be playing in the tournament for the first time since 1988, when current U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann was on the team. Brazil and Germany could meet in the semifinals at Maracana Stadium, a rematch of the World Cup semifinal from two years ago when the German senior team embarrassed Brazil at home.VENUES: Soccer is the only competition played outside Rio. The other host cities will be Salvador, Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and the jungle city of Manaus. Rio will host matches in two venues: Maracana, site of the World Cup final two years ago, and the opening and closing ceremonies for these games, and the Olympic Stadium, which will also host the track and field events.Sao Paulo will host matches at the Itaquerao Stadium, home of the World Cup opener.JUNGLE OLYMPICS: Manaus will be one of the most unique cities hosting soccer matches at the games. Located about 1,800 miles from Rio in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, the city was picked as a host by local organizers even though FIFA said it was not a suitable first option for a hosting venue. Rio organizers said they added Manaus in part to integrate all of Brazil in the games. The city will host six mens and womens matches in the group stage, including Colombia-Sweden in the mens tournament and U.S.-Colombia in the womens.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni Chris Paul Clippers Jersey . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. JaMychal Green Jersey .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. https://www.clipperslockerroom.com/Jerome-Robinson-City-Edition-Jersey/ . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. Rodney McGruder Clippers Jersey . Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. Ivica Zubac Jersey . Kuznetsov, who was selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been playing for his hometown team Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL. CALGARY, Alberta -- Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau was scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday for a fractured finger.Gaudreau suffered the injury in Tuesdays 1-0 win over the Minnesota Wild. The team said a timeline for his return will be provided in the coming days.Its his finger so it can be four (weeks), it can be six, you dont know, Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said.For me, Im just preparing for the worst-case scenario and thats how it goes. But we wont know anything on this injury until we hear from the doctors. It could be less, it could be more.Gaudreau left Tuesdays game early in the third period after taking a slash to the hand.The NHL has tried to crack down on that stuff, Gulutzan said. What we did last night was we addressed it with the officials, after the second period. There were a few whacks there that Johnny had to go off for. But the third whack got him. But we addressed it.The 23-year-old native of Salem, N.J., has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 17 games this season.He signed a $40.5 million, six-year contract extension with the Flames last month. Gaudreau sstruggled at the start of the season with two goals in his first 14 games, but had three goals in his last two games.ddddddddddddThats a big piece out of our lineup and our team. I felt like Johnny was going out there and getting his game to where it needs to be so its a tough blow, Flames captain Mark Girodano said.Linden Vey will take Gaudreaus spot in the lineup, but will center the third line between Matt Stajan and Alex Chiasson.Sam Bennett will be elevated to the first line alongside Sean Monahan and Troy Brouwer.Were going to have to continue to play tight-checking. Were not the first team or the last thats going to lose a star player and then have to find a way to manufacture wins, Gulut