Egypt’s dream of securing their first-ever Olympic football medal was dashed after a hard-fought 3-1 defeat to hosts France in the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The thrilling encounter at Groupama Stadium in Lyon saw the Young Pharaohs push the match to extra time, but they ultimately fell short.
Egypt will now be hoping for a bronze medal when it faces off against fellow North African team Morocco, which lost to Spain earlier in the day.
The match began with both teams showing cautious play. Egypt had a golden opportunity in the second minute when Ibrahim Adel’s volley narrowly missed the post. Throughout the first half, both sides traded chances, with Egypt’s goalkeeper Hamza Alaa making crucial saves to keep the game scoreless. France came close in the 41st minute, but the post denied Loïc Badé’s header, and the first half ended 0-0.
The second half saw Egypt take a surprising lead. In the 62nd minute, Mahmoud Saber intercepted the ball in the box and fired into the roof of the net, putting the Young Pharaohs ahead 1-0. France, however, pressed hard for an equalizer, and Jean-Philippe Mateta found the back of the net in the 83rd minute, thanks to an assist from Michael Olise.
Regulation time ended with the score tied at 1-1, leading to a tense extra time. Early in extra time, Omar Fayed received a red card for a second bookable offense, leaving Egypt to battle with ten men. France capitalized on this advantage, with Mateta scoring his second goal in the 99th minute, heading home from close range to put France ahead 2-1.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Egypt continued to fight. However, in the 108th minute, Olise sealed the victory for France with a well-placed shot, ensuring France’s place in the gold medal match against Spain.
Egypt’s path to the semifinals, its third ever appearance, included a dramatic victory over Paraguay in the quarterfinals, where they triumphed 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.
Coach Rogerio Micale and his team will now regroup and focus on the bronze medal match against Morocco on Thursday 8 August.
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