France moved one step closer to the 2024 Summer Olympics final by defeating Argentina 1-0 in a tense semi-final match.
They will now face Egypt, who advanced past Paraguay on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time.
Les Bleus and the Pharaohs are set to clash on Monday night for a chance to compete for the gold medal.
Meanwhile, Spain will take on Morocco in the other semi-final.
La Roja easily defeated Japan 3-0 in Lyon, while Morocco secured a 4-0 victory against the USA, earning their spot in the final four for the first time.
Morocco vs USA: Total dominance
Morocco dominated the match against the USA from the start.
Soufiane Rahimi opened the scoring at Parc des Princes, netting his fifth goal of the tournament in the first half.
Ilias Akhomach also found the back of the net from close range, followed by captain Achraf Hakimi adding a third goal.
Substitute Mehdi Maouhoub sealed the victory with Morocco’s second penalty of the game, making it a perfect evening for Hakimi’s team.
Reflecting on the match, Hakimi stated: “I felt at home playing in this stadium where I represent my club, especially with our passionate fans in attendance.”
“Our supporters have been with us throughout the tournament, and we hope they continue to support us all the way to the final. We aim to make them proud.”
Spain vs Japan: Vamos La Roja
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π The semi-finals of an Olympic Games are something to celebrate in style!
Joy in the locker room for this step closer to the medals π₯π₯π₯ #UnSueΓ±oCompartido | #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/yaSUcohjBR
β Spanish Football (@SpainIsFootball) August 2, 2024
Fermin Lopez scored twice in Spain’s 3-0 victory, building on his contribution to the team’s Euro 2024 triumph the previous month.
The Barcelona midfielder found the back of the net early in the match and added a second goal shortly after halftime.
Mao Hosoya had a chance for Japan hitting the post and had a goal disallowed for offside, but Abel Ruiz sealed the win with a late tap-in.
All eyes are now on the upcoming clash between Spain and Morocco in Marseille for the semi-finals.
Egypt vs Paraguay: Pharaohs through
Egypt faced a tough challenge against Paraguay, but managed to secure a 5-4 win on penalties.
The match ended 1-1 after regular time, with Diego Gomez giving Paraguay the lead late in the game before Adel Ibrahim’s equalizer forced extra-time.
Adel then converted the winning penalty for Egypt, while Marcelo Perez missed his spot-kick for Paraguay.
Egypt will now need to regroup as they prepare to take on France for a spot in the final.
France vs Argentina: Allez Les Bleus
The highly anticipated match between France and Argentina was a tense affair, with Les Bleus emerging victorious with a 1-0 win.
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Itβs a 1-0 win over Argentina for Les Bleus, who are through to the πππππππ ππππ-π πππππ π€©π₯#FRAARG | #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/C5njvwHwSN
β French Team ββ (@FrenchTeam) August 2, 2024
The only goal of the match came early on as Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta headed in from Michael Olise’s corner in the fifth minute.
France also had a goal disallowed late in the game, sparking tensions that spilled over at full-time with players from both teams confronting each other.