Paris 2024: Spain Beats Morocco, One Step from Gold

Morocco Falls, Spain Rises to Olympic Final

Spain edges Morocco, reaches Olympic showdown...

Spain's Olympic men's football team is back in the final for the second consecutive time, seeking redemption after their heartbreaking silver medal finish in Tokyo three years ago, where they fell to Brazil in a thrilling extra-time match.

Juanlu Sanchez emerged as the hero for Spain, scoring a late winner to seal a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Morocco in the Olympic men's football semi-final on Monday. The substitute's strike sent Spain to the final, where they'll seek to improve on their silver medal finish from Tokyo 2020.

Morocco had taken the lead through Soufiane Rahimi's penalty late in the first half at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille. However, Spain fought back, with Fermin Lopez equalizing midway through the second half. Lopez then turned provider, setting up Sanchez for the decisive goal that sent Spain to their second consecutive Olympic final.

Spain's quest for a second Olympic gold medal, after their triumph in Barcelona in 1992, continues as they head to Paris for the final on Friday. Their opponents will be either hosts France or Egypt, who face off in the other semi-final match. A win would mark a historic moment for Spain, who are eager to add to their medal tally.

Morocco's impressive Olympic run, which saw them win the Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations last year, came close to yielding a shocking semi-final victory over Spain. Soufiane Rahimi's 37th-minute goal put them ahead, and they looked poised to pull off a major upset. Although they ultimately fell short, Morocco still has a chance to make history by claiming their first Olympic medal in the bronze medal match on Thursday in Nantes.

Morocco was awarded a penalty kick after a VAR review confirmed a foul by Pablo Barrios on Amir Richardson inside the box. Soufiane Rahimi confidently took the spot kick, expertly sending the goalkeeper in the wrong direction to give Morocco a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute.

Soufiane Rahimi's penalty kick goal marked his sixth strike of the Olympics, solidifying his position as the tournament's top scorer. Notably, four of his goals have come from the penalty spot, showcasing his reliability from 12 yards out. The goal sparked jubilation among the sizable Moroccan fan base in attendance.

However, Spain remained composed under pressure and eventually found their equalizer through their key player, Fermin Lopez, in the 66th minute. Lopez's goal brought the Spanish team back on level terms, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the match.

Fermin Lopez, a hero of Spain's Euro 2024 triumph and scorer of two goals in the Olympic quarter-final against Japan, proved decisive once again. He seized upon a loose ball in the box, pouncing on the opportunity to score the equalizer with a precise low shot into the net, leveling the match at 1-1.

As the match seemed destined for extra time, Lopez played a crucial role once more, this time as the provider. He found Juanlu Sanchez making a run into the area, and Sanchez delivered the winner with a well-placed shot into the far corner in the 85th minute, securing a thrilling 2-1 victory for Spain.