Olympics: Morocco routs Egypt to win 1st soccer medal

Soufiane Rahimi scored two goals as Morocco won the bronze medal with a 6-0 rout of Egypt on Thursday for the team’s first podium finish at the Olympics.

Abde Ezzalzouli, Bilal El Khannouss, Akram Nakach and Achraf Hakimi also scored for Morocco, which went into half-time with a 2-0 lead to the delight of Moroccan fans at Nantes’ La Beaujoire Stadium.

Rahimi scored eight goals in France, the most in the tournament. At 28, he is one of the overage players allowed on the under-23 Olympic squads.

It was Egypt’s third fourth-place finish at the Olympics — after Amsterdam in 1928 and Tokyo in 1964.

Morocco has been inspired throughout the tournament by its senior men’s team, which was a surprise semifinalist at the World Cup in 2022. The players have also been boosted by the faithful fans who have followed the team on its journey in France.

“We wanted to win the gold medal, that’s for sure, but to win a game like this, to get our country’s first-ever medal here and in front of so many of our fans, it feels incredible,” said forward Ilias Akhomach.

The team also trounced the United States 4-0 at Parc des Princes in Paris in the quarterfinals but then lost to Spain 2-1 in the semifinals. Spain will play France on Friday for the gold medal.

Moroccan fans have been genuine in their support throughout the tournament. In the group stage, they rushed the field and threw bottles in a 2-1 win over Argentina, causing the game to be suspended for around two hours.

Rahimi’s first goal came off a header in the 26th minute that Egypt goalkeeper Hamza Alaa got a glove on but couldn’t stop.

Less than three minutes before Rahimi’s goal, Ezzalzouli scored into the far corner from the top of the penalty box. He joined his Moroccan teammates in a prayer on the corner of the field after the goal.

Morocco saw the return of midfielder El Khannouss, who was suspended for the semifinal. He made it 3-0 by shaking off a series of defenders for a goal in the 51st.

Rahimi’s second came in the 64th, and he assisted on Nakach’s goal in the 73rd.

Hakimi, who plays in France for Paris Saint-Germain, scored on a late free kick.

“All credit to Morocco. They were incredible in front of goal. They had a very high percentage in terms of their finishing. For us, it wasn’t today,” said Egypt coach Rogerio Micale, who coached Brazil to the gold medal on home soil at the 2016 Games.

Egypt was without Omar Fayed, who was sent off with a red card in the semifinal against France.

Egypt also lost winger Zizo, one of the team’s overage players, who had to leave in the 12th minute after pulling up with an injury.

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