August 6 – After winning Euro 2024 and the U-19 European Championship, Spain can wrap up an outstanding summer by claiming Olympic gold against France after reaching a second consecutive final with a 2-1 victory against Morocco.
In the other semi-final with a brace from Jean-Philippe Mateta, the hosts eliminated Egypt 3-1 in extra time to return to the Olympic final 40 years on from the Los Angeles Olympics.
On Friday, Spain will be looking to claim a second Olympic gold medal after labouring to a 2-1 victory against the defiant North Africans.
At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Spanish had to settle for silver against Brazil in the final. They won Olympic gold on home soil at the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992. France are seeking a second first-place finish.
The Spanish fell behind when, with his fifth goal of the tournament, Moroccan striker Sofiane Rahimi opened the score in the 36th minute from the penalty spot. He sent the Spanish goalkeeper Arnau Tenas the wrong way after Pablo Barrios had kicked the calf of Amir Richardson.
Morocco’s enthusiasm had cancelled out Spain’s dominant ball possession and highlights in the first half were scarce. Fermin Lopez dispatched two long-range attempts and after a Spanish player accidentally floored Ilgiz Tantashev, the Uzbek referee limped off injured to be replaced by Glenn Nyberg from Sweden.
In a final first-half flourish, Alex Baene’s attempt struck the woodwork after the Moroccan goalkeeper failed to clear his lines properly.
Spain had created few chances and, after the pause, the team’s tempo remained too low but against the run of play, the side equalised when first-half dangerman Lopez exploited Morocco’s lax defending. The number eleven then provided the assist for substitute Juanlu Sanchez to claim the winner.
The final on Friday will be all-European.
In the second semi-final, Egypt had the intensity and aggression, but France had the chances: full-back AdrienTruffert and midfielder Michael Olisé dispatched dangerous attempts as both sides struggled for cohesion at the back. In the 40th minute, defender Loic Badé’s header bounced off the post.
Near the hour mark, Saber Abdelmohsen broke the deadlock pouncing on French hesitancy in the box to riffle home. The hosts reacted with a double opportunity for Mateta and Alexandre Lacazette.
They applied urgency and the Egyptians struggled to contain the French with headers from Lacazette and Badé – in the rebound – hitting the woodwork. Deservedly, in the last ten minutes, France equalised when Olisé carved open the Egyptian defence for Mateta to deliver a cool finish, eliciting wild scenes in the stands and a fist pump from manager Thierry Henry.
In injury time, France claimed a penalty when defender Omar Fayed handled the ball unintentionally inside the box. The Egyptians protested heavily, arguing that Badé had pushed Ofayed before he headed the ball onto the defender’s hands. After a lengthy on-field review, the referee Said Martinez agreed with the Egyptians and didn’t award a spot kick.
Fayed quickly became the anti-hero though when he was sent off with a second booking at the start of the extra time. The French tide could not be stemmed however and Mateta scored the winning goal from a set piece to propel France to their first Olympic final since 1984 when they defeated Brazil. They will be hoping for more medal glory on Friday against Spain.
In an all-African affair on Thursday, Morocco and Egypt will seek to win their first Olympic medal in the bronze medal match in Nantes.
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