Olympic Football Semi-finals: Who will go for gold?
France, Egypt, Morocco and Spain are still standing in the men's football tournament at Paris 2024
With 938 sports all happening at once in Paris and the 2024/25 football season beginning at at least some level in many countries, it may have passed you by that the men’s Olympic football tournament has reached the semi-final stage.
Today (Monday) sees the two matches that will decide who goes to the gold medal match and who will be left to battle it out for bronze.
Awaiting us are two Western Europe vs North Africa match-ups; first, Spain meet Morocco before hosts France take on Egypt.
Who is going to be standing atop the podium at the Parc des Princes on Friday? Who will be settling for silver? Who is bound for bronze and who will be left medal-less? Here is my preview ahead of the closing stages of the tournament.
Spain vs Morocco
After reaching their zenith in Berlin less than a month ago, a second European capital can see the golden summer for Spain continue into August, as the U23 team look to add Olympic medals to the ones secured in style at UEFA Euro 2024.
But La Roja’s opponents in the semi-final in Marseille will stir up painful recent memories. Morocco defeated their Strait of Gibraltar neighbours in the Round of 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on their way to becoming Africa’s first semi-finalists in the global tournament.
That match ended 0-0 before the Atlas Lions triumphed on penalties, but we can expect a much different match on this occasion, as this tie pits together the two highest scorers of the competition so far.
That stat is largely down to their respective quarter-final performances, where Spain breezed past Japan 3-0, while Morocco went one better, beating the United States 4-0 at the Parc des Princes, as both teams took their tournament totals to nine.
Achraf Hakimi, scorer of the winning penalty in the 2022 shootout, was on target in the win against the USA and will be hoping for a similar impact,
But Morocco’s main dangerman is Soufiane Rahimi - he opened the scoring from the spot against the States, adding to the two he notched in the controversial victory over Argentina, and one apiece against Ukraine and Iraq to take his tally to five in four matches.
Morocco’s match with Argentina finished hours later than expected, in front of an empty stadium, after pitch invasions reacting to what was thought to be a late Argentinian equaliser. That big win was followed up by a disappointing 2-1 loss to Ukraine, before a no-nonsense 3-0 success over the Iraqis.
Spain also picked up six points in their group, with Egypt the only team to beat the Spanish in a tournament this summer so far. That 2-1 loss came after 2-1 and 3-1 wins over Uzbekistan and the Dominican Republic.
Not exactly a perfect start, but two Fermin López goals and one for Abel Ruiz - star of last year’s U21 Euros - suggested that in the Japan win, Spain are clicking into gear when it matters most.
That, coupled with Morocco’s tendency to follow a good result with a poor one, means I’m tipping Spain to banish the demons of 2022. I will be writing a match report of this game elsewhere, so I really don’t want to jinx it, but I think the goals will continue!
Spain 3-2 Morocco
France vs Egypt
While Spain have reached the last four by scoring plenty of goals, France have made it to the semi-finals be being defensively sound. Where have we heard that before?
Thierry Henry’s side are yet to concede a goal all tournament, but unlike Didier Deschamps’ seniors, they have entertained, putting three past both USA and New Zealand either side of a 1-0 success over Guinea in Group A.
But what really got the home crowd going was their 1-0 victory over Argentina in Bordeaux in the last eight. Jean-Phillipe Mateta’s early goal turned out to be enough, as France got revenge for both their 2022 World Cup final defeat and for the offensive chants sung by the Argentina team amidst their Copa América celebrations.
Mateta leads the team’s scoring with two, but with six men on one each, they pose a threat from all areas of the field. Mateta’s former Crystal Palace teammate Michael Olise has grabbed a goal, provided assists and added a sense of calm and control to proceedings as Argentina looked for a late equaliser last time out.
Egypt, meanwhile, did find a late leveller in the last round against Paraguay to take their tie to penalties, and five perfect spot kicks sent them through.
The Pharaohs started with a 0-0 draw against the Dominicans, and needed a fortunate deflection to beat Uzbekistan 1-0 in their second match when the Central Asians were much the better side.
But they did show their mettle against Spain, as Ibrahim Adel scored twice to give the North Africans a deserved 2-0 lead before Spain grabbed themselves a late consolation.
Should the Egyptians put in another performance of that calibre then they have every chance against France, but a failure to kick on against Paraguay in the last round suggests that was a one-off, against a Spain side who were already safely through come that last group fixture.
Better teams have failed to score against France in this tournament, and I don’t see why Egypt will be the first to breach the home defence, as the belief from the home crowd will only grow.
France 2-0 Egypt
Those medalling kids
Those of you who read my Euros and Copa previews earlier this summer will know I don’t like previewing matches that might not happen, but if I am correct in that we will have an all-European final and all-African bronze medal match, this is how I think the medals will be distributed…
It was a rare victory for attack over defence in Germany, but I think defence will use one of its best pioneers to get back on top at these Olympics, as France’s success at home continues in Paris.
Morocco, with plenty of raucous support of their own, will have too much in the tank for this Egyptian team who look the clear weakest of the final four.
GOLD - FRANCE
SILVER - SPAIN
BRONZE - MOROCCO
Fourth - EGYPT
Anthony Tomas is a football writer and commentator, who writes for Flashscore and World Soccer Magazine.