The Paris 2024 Olympic men’s soccer semifinals promise heart-pounding action as these four teams battle for a coveted spot in the final. Host nation France faces Egypt, while surprise package Morocco takes on Spain—a clash that could redefine Olympic history.
22/10 Morocco | Draw 39/20 | Spain 12/10 (18:00)
After both cruised into the Paris 2024 Olympics semi-finals, Morocco and Spain will fight it out for a guaranteed medal on Monday, when they go toe-to-toe in Marseille. While La Roja swept past Japan in the quarter-finals, their neighbours from across the Strait of Gibraltar made light work of the USA.
Having been consigned to runners-up spot behind Egypt, who were 2-1 winners in the teams’ final Group C game, Spain was faced by opponents that had won all three of their matches at this summer’s Olympic Games. Nonetheless, Santi Denia’s side was inspired by Barcelona star Fermin Lopez and strode to a 3-0 win over Japan: his first goal was impressive, but the second was spectacular, as he controlled the ball beautifully before volleying home from outside the area. Girona’s new signing Abel Ruiz, who impressed in Portugal’s Primeira Liga last season, was also on the scoresheet in Lyon, as La Roja eased into the final four. Olympic champions on home turf in 1992, Spain then reached the gold medal match at Sydney 2000, and they are ultimately aiming to go one better than three years ago in Japan when they lost out to Brazil in the final. A team featuring Eric Garcia – who is back in the squad after coming so close three years ago – also hopes to emulate the success of Spain’s senior team at Euro 2024. If they are to make it a golden summer by taking the top spot on the Paris podium, though, they must first get past Morocco – then either Egypt or hosts France will await in the final.
Of course, Tarik Sektioui’s squad will have other ideas, as Morocco’s Olympic team follows on from the national side by making it to a major semi-final. Captain of the Atlas Lions this summer, Achraf Hakimi played a major part in their memorable run to the latter stages of Qatar 2022, and the Paris Saint-Germain star was back on familiar turf for Friday’s quarter-final clash with the United States. The flying full-back even scored as his team dominated the Americans in front of a partisan crowd at Parc des Princes, with top scorer Soufiane Rahimi putting them ahead from the penalty spot before Ilias Akhomach and Hakimi added two more. Mehdi Maouhoub’s stoppage-time spot kick then wrapped up the win and having previously topped Group B ahead of Argentina, the Moroccans are strong contenders to go all the way to Friday’s final. Winners of last year’s Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, where they beat Egypt to take the trophy, could face a possible re-match with the Pharaohs in the gold medal game – but a strong Spain side stands in their way. Morocco to win and over 2.5 goals.
7/20 France | Draw 31/10 | Egypt 7/1 (21:00)
Following a fiery win in the last eight, hosts France aim to take one step closer to gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics, as they meet Egypt in Monday’s second semi-final. While Les Bleus edged past bitter foes Argentina in Bordeaux, the Pharaohs had to find a late equalizer before knocking Paraguay out in the quarter-finals.
In a repeat of the most recent World Cup final, France and Argentina resumed battle on Friday when the two teams clashed in Bordeaux for the right to reach the semi-finals of Paris 2024. A hostile contest was decided by Jean-Philippe Mateta’s early header, as the Crystal Palace striker linked up with former clubmate Michael Olise to unlock the Albiceleste’s defence; France also had a late goal ruled out by the VAR, but they still emerged with a much-cherished win. Scuffles broke out all over the pitch following the final whistle, with head coach Thierry Henry celebrating passionately before taking on the role of peace-maker, as his thoughts turned back to securing a place on the top step of the podium. France last won Olympic gold in men’s football back in 1984, and after finally winning their country’s first knockout match at the Games since then, Henry’s young squad is intent on joining the French medal rush on Friday. Victory in Lyon would guarantee at least silver for Les Bleus, who won all of their group matches while scoring seven goals and keeping three clean sheets. Yet to concede a single goal at the tournament, France can now set up a decider with either Morocco or Spain by winning again on Monday evening, but their next opponents have already proven capable of causing an upset this summer.
Egypt reached the Olympic Games football semi-finals for the first time in their history with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Paraguay, and their quest for a ground-breaking medal continues. Despite being drawn alongside Spain, who they beat 2-1 in Bordeaux, the Pharaohs had topped Group C to reach the knockout phase. On that occasion, Ibrahim Adel scored twice to shock a much-changed Spanish side, and he repeated his heroics at Parc des Princes to produce an 88th-minute equalizer against Paraguay to send the tie into extra-time. After 30 goalless minutes, Adel then converted the winning spot kick in a shootout, putting his nation within one win of a guaranteed medal, which was a distant dream when they kicked off their campaign with a frustrating 0-0 draw against the Dominican Republic. Having subsequently seen off Uzbekistan and Spain, Rogerio Micale’s men have built momentum throughout the tournament, already beating Egypt’s performance at Tokyo 2020, when they lost in the quarter-finals to eventual winners Brazil. They qualified for Paris 2024 by finishing runners-up to Morocco at the Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, and a potential re-match in an all-African final could take place on Friday – but first, the inspired hosts stand in their way. Back the hosts France to win.
Written by Marc Strydom