France eliminates Egypt in overtime and advances to the final against Spain

On Monday night, France secured a dramatic 3-1 victory over Egypt in the Paris 2024 semifinals, earning their place in the final where they will face Spain.

Earlier in the day, Spain had also advanced to the final after a thrilling comeback victory over Morocco. The final, which promises to be a high-stakes clash between two European powerhouses, will take place on Friday, August 9th, at 5:00 PM in Paris. Meanwhile, Morocco and Egypt will compete for the bronze medal on Thursday, August 8th, at 4:00 PM.

The match between France and Egypt was a tense and hard-fought battle. Egypt, seen as the underdogs, stunned the French side by taking the lead in the 62nd minute when Saber found the back of the net. The goal was a result of a well-executed counterattack that caught the French defense off guard. For a significant portion of the match, it looked as though Egypt might pull off a major upset, as they defended resolutely against France's increasingly desperate attempts to equalize.

However, France, known for their resilience and depth, continued to press forward. Their persistence paid off in the 83rd minute when Mateta managed to score the equalizer, bringing the match level and reigniting France's hopes of reaching the final. The goal shifted the momentum firmly in France's favor, and they pushed hard to find a winner before the end of regular time, though Egypt held firm to force the game into extra time.

The turning point of the match came early in extra time. In the 92nd minute, Egypt's Fayed was shown a red card for a reckless challenge, leaving his team to play the remainder of the match with only 10 men. This numerical disadvantage proved too much for Egypt to overcome, as France quickly capitalized on their extra man. Just seven minutes later, in the 99th minute, Mateta struck again, scoring his second goal of the match to give France a crucial 2-1 lead.

With the lead in hand and an extra player on the field, France continued to dominate the match. They put the game beyond doubt in the 109th minute when Olise added a third goal, sealing the 3-1 victory and sending France to the final.

This win sets up a highly anticipated final against Spain, a matchup that will see two of Europe’s strongest teams battle it out for the gold medal. Spain's path to the final was also filled with drama, as they had to come from behind to defeat Morocco earlier in the day. Both France and Spain have shown great resilience and quality throughout the tournament, and their meeting in the final is expected to be a closely contested affair.

For Egypt and Morocco, the disappointment of missing out on the final will be tempered by the chance to win a bronze medal. Their third-place match, scheduled for Thursday, August 8th, will be an opportunity for both teams to finish the tournament on a high note.

As the tournament reaches its climax, all eyes will be on Paris this Friday as France and Spain compete for the ultimate prize in what promises to be a thrilling finale to the Paris 2024 football tournament.