LYON, France (AP) — Thierry Henry stood along with his arms outstretched, dealing with the jubilant crowd and absorbing the ambiance.
The ultimate of the boys’s soccer match on the Paris Olympics was in sight after France had been pushed to the restrict by Egypt in Monday’s semifinal at Stade de Lyon.
Jean-Philippe Mateta, in the meantime, was being mobbed by his teammates after scoring his second aim in a 3-1 win that units up a closing towards Spain at Parc des Princes on Friday.
“It was like, I don’t know how you can say — it was unbelievable,” Mateta stated.
France vs. Spain means there can be a European gold medalist on the Olympics for the primary time in 32 years.
The host nation’s place within the closing regarded in critical doubt as Egypt was closing in on an upset after main by Mahmoud Saber’s 62nd-minute aim.
France had hit the body of the aim on three events earlier than Mateta equalized within the 83rd and despatched the sport into additional time.
His second got here within the 99th and Michael Olise added France’s third within the 108th.
“It’s not simple, proper? We knew that. However on the finish of the day, we stored on coming. We stored on attempting. We stored on creating from the wing and attempting to play and we bought our reward,” France coach Henry stated.
Whereas this ensures gold for a European crew for the primary time since Spain’s victory at Barcelona 1992, it additionally ends the dominance of Latin American nations after the final 5 editions of the match noticed victories for Brazil and Argentina — two every — and Mexico.
It additionally provides Henry the possibility to added to his storied profession, having gained the World Cup and European Championship with France as a participant.
This may be his first main honor in a training profession that’s nonetheless early in its improvement.
“I’m not there but. We’ve got the medal, that’s for positive. Let’s not discuss concerning the gold,” he stated.
Compensate for the most recent from Day 10 of the 2024 Paris Olympics:
France’s solely Olympic gold got here at Los Angeles 1984 and it additionally took silver when the Video games had been held in Paris in 1900.
One of many pre-tournament favorites, Henry’s crew had gone into the semifinal with an ideal profitable file, having taken most factors within the group part and crushed Argentina within the quarterfinals.
However Egypt had already proved able to upsetting the chances by beating Spain to high its group. And it got here so shut to a different shock win when Saber flashed a shot previous France goalkeeper Guillaume Restes.
By that time, Loic Bade had already headed towards the foot of the publish within the first half.
Egypt’s aim sparked a response from the French followers, who roared loudly to attempt to raise their crew.
Egypt keeper Alaa Hamza denied Alexandre Lacazette from level clean vary. France hit the body of the aim twice extra within the area of seconds when Lacazette headed towards the foot of the publish and Bade hit the bar with a comply with up header.
The equalizer lastly got here when Olise strode by the center of the sector and slipped a go into the run of Mateta.
With Hamza advancing to chop down the angle, Mateta bought to the ball first and swept house.
France thought it had gained a penalty deep into stoppage time when VAR reviewed a handball by Omar Fayed.
Referee Stated Martinez spent agonizingly lengthy reviewing the sideline monitor earlier than ultimately figuring out there had been a foul within the buildup.
Whereas that was a reprieve for Egypt and despatched the sport to additional time, Fayed was despatched off within the 92nd, having been booked throughout heated scenes when the potential penalty was being reviewed.
France took benefit of the additional man and went forward by Mateta’s second aim of the match.
As soon as once more Olise was on the coronary heart of it — swinging a ball into the field for Kiliann Sildillia head throughout aim. Mateta rose and headed previous Alaa.
Olise then bought on the rating sheet himself firing low with a primary time left-footed shot from contained in the field.
“We confirmed the crew that we now have character, and we confirmed the followers and everybody that we now have character,” Mateta stated. “We are able to imagine we will rating, and we do.”
Egypt, which has completed fourth on two earlier events — Amsterdam 1928 and Tokyo 1964 — will play Morocco in an all-African bronze medal match in Nantes on Thursday.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP Summer season Olympics:
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