Morocco secured their first-ever Olympic football medal, winning bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a dominant 6-0 victory over Egypt. Despite an early injury to Egypt’s key player Zizo, Morocco capitalized, with standout performances from Abde Ezzalzouli and Soufiane Rahimi, who set an Olympic record. The Atlas Lions maintained pressure, scoring six goals from six shots on target.
Soufiane Rahimi scored two goals, Abde Ezzalzouli, Bilal El Khannouss, Akram Nakach including a stunning free-kick by Achraf Hakimi. The outcome would have been difficult to predict as the match went into halftime with a 2-0 lead to the delight of Moroccan fans at La Beaujoire Stadium.
Rahimi scored a brace in the 6-0 trashing of Egypt that took him to eight goals at the Olympics, cementing his status as the tournament’s top scorer.
Ezzalzouli put Morocco ahead from a superb strike just inside the box midway through the first half and Rahimi made it 2-0 shortly after, when he headed in a cross by Ezzalzouli. El Khannouss curled with precision a low shot into the bottom-right corner from just outside the box for the third goal, and Rahimi got his brace from a pass from Akhomach to make it 4-0. Akram Nakach, a defender also got an assist from Rahimi to make it five. A stunning free-kick from Achraf Hakimi from 30 metres three minutes from the end was the icing on the cake for the Moroccans but compounded the woes for the Egyptians who have a night to forget.
Morocco, who beat Argentina in their opening group game and walloped USA 4-0 in the quarter finals were eventually beaten by Spain in the semi-finals, setting them up for a bronze medal match with a similarly determined Egyptian side.
Hosts France play Spain in the gold medal match in Paris on Friday.
