Egypt defeats Spain with 2-1, Into Olympic Quarterfinals

Spain managed a late consolation goal through Samu Omorodion, but it was not enough to prevent Egypt’s triumph.

Egypt has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympic men’s football tournament after defeating Spain 2-1 in their final group-stage match. The unexpected victory allowed Egypt to top Group C, surpassing the already-qualified Spanish team.

Ibrahim Adel was the hero for Egypt, scoring both goals in the match held in Bordeaux. His first goal came from an impressive strike late in the first half, while the second resulted from capitalising on a mistake by Spain’s Jon Pacheco in the 62nd minute. Spain managed a late consolation goal through Samu Omorodion, but it was not enough to prevent Egypt’s triumph.

The Egyptian team, led by former Arsenal player, Mohamed Elneny, will now face the runners-up of Group D in their quarterfinal match scheduled for Friday in Marseille. Their potential opponents include Japan, Paraguay, Mali, or Israel. This marks a return to the quarterfinals for Egypt, who were eliminated at this stage by Brazil in the previous Olympics.

Spain, despite the loss, had already qualified for the knockout stage. They will play their quarterfinal match in Lyon against the winners of Group D. The Spanish team will be looking to bounce back from this defeat as they aim to repeat their success from the last Olympics, where they reached the final before losing to Brazil.

Other notable teams, including hosts France and two-time gold medallists Argentina, were also competing on Tuesday to secure their places in the quarterfinals.