Tottenham Hotspur’s Giovanni Dos Santos helped guide Mexico to their first ever Olympic football final as they came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory over Japan at Wembley.

Japan, hoping to emulate the success of their female side by reaching the final, took the lead with a wonder strike from Yuki Otsu.

The Mexicans responded fiercely from then on, and goals from Marco Fabian, Oribe Peralta and Javier Cortes put them in the final.

Japan, who had not previously conceded in the tournament, took an early lead when Otsu picked the ball up around 30 yards from goal and turned neatly before producing one of the goals of the tournament.

It was Dos Santos who provided the route back into the game, when his dangerous in-swinging corner was flicked on before being guided home by Fabian.

From then on the meanest defence in the tournament started to crumble, as Mexico took the league with a 20-yard Peralta effort that was equal in class to that of Otsu’s earlier.

With moments to spare, the Mexicans wrapped up victory as Javier Cortes played a neat one-two before slotting his effort under the keeper.

Meanwhile, Brazil, who Mexico will meet in the final, ghosted through their semi-final with South Korea, but it could have been a different story had it not been for Spurs’ Sandro.

The Koreans surprised many and dominated the early exchanges, but couldn’t find that decisive breakthrough - a trait that has haunted them throughout this tournament.

Kim Hyun-sung come closest when he looped a header over the Brazilian goalkeeper, but Sandro was alert to the danger and hooked it off the line.

The midfielder was then fortunate not to give away a penalty, when his challenge on Kim Bo-kyung sparked mass appeals, but not a decision from the referee.

However, a goal from Romelu and a brace from Tottenham Hotspur target Leandro Damiao saw Brazil comfortably through.

The final takes place at 3pm on Saturday at Wembley, with both Dos Santos and Sandro likely to be at loggerheads to claim that gold medal.