Morocco beat Egypt by a once-in-a-century margin to win Olympic bronze medal.
Báo Thanh niên•20/11/2024
Morocco thrashed Egypt 6-0 to win the bronze medal in men's football at the Paris Olympics.
The match between Morocco and Egypt in the third-place playoff at the Paris Olympics was considered evenly matched, with both teams having played well from the start of the tournament, only lacking a bit of luck to reach the final. While Morocco narrowly lost to Spain, Egypt also held on until extra time against France. However, the events on the field contradicted predictions. Morocco dominated the game, attacking sharply and repeatedly finding the back of the net against Egypt within the first 30 minutes. Achraf Hakimi and his teammates got off to a perfect start in the 23rd minute thanks to a beautiful curling shot from Abde Ezzalzouli. Receiving the ball in the penalty area, the Real Betis star quickly assessed the situation and then produced a beautiful curved shot that found the back of the Egyptian net.
Egypt (in red) was powerless against the overwhelming strength of Morocco.
REUTERS
The goal boosted Morocco's morale, while Egypt became more impatient and prone to errors. In the 26th minute, Egypt's net was shaken again. From a corner kick, Soufiane Rahimi positioned himself well, then rose high to head the ball into the ground with incredible force, giving Morocco a 2-0 lead. This quick advantage allowed Morocco to play comfortably in the second half. Despite having less possession, Morocco attacked more effectively and dangerously, while Egypt's morale plummeted after the quick goals. In the 51st minute, Bilal El Khannous broke through the center and fired a low, powerful shot, making it 3-0. The goal from the 2004-born star put an end to Egypt's hopes.
Iran has again blockaded the Strait of Hormuz.On June 19, Iran reimposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel's refusal to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon and the continued presence of US troops in the region.
Despite the remaining time, Egypt was unable to turn the tide against Morocco's solid and shrewd defense. In fact, in the second half, they conceded three more goals, ending the match with a heavy 0-6 defeat. By crushing Egypt with a six-goal difference, Morocco became the biggest winner in a third-place match in nearly 100 years, since Italy's 11-3 victory in the 1928 Olympic third-place match. Coincidentally, Egypt was also the team that suffered a crushing defeat against Italy almost a century ago. With this resounding third-place win, Morocco concluded the Paris Olympics with a bronze medal in men's football. The North African representative had a memorable tournament, defeating Argentina (2-1), Iraq (3-0), the USA (4-0), and Egypt (6-0), only suffering a heartbreaking loss to Spain in the semi-finals. Coupled with their achievement of reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup just two years prior, Morocco's name is becoming increasingly prominent on the world football map.
Báo Thanh niên•20/11/2024
