PARIS — Soufiane Rahimi, Ilias Akhomach, Achraf Hakimi and Mehdi Maouhoub all scored in Morocco’s 4-0 thrashing of the USA on Friday, sending America packing within the quarterfinals of Olympic soccer.
All 4 scores set off celebratory flares throughout packed Parc des Princes, because the decidedly pro-Moroccan crowd delighted within the Atlas Lions’ domination.
Rahimi earned the penalty off a foul by Nathan Harriel within the twenty ninth minute. As he stepped as much as take a penalty, U.S. goalkeeper Patrick Schulte guessed accurately, diving to the shooter’s left, however the tempo and precision of the Moroccan’s strike was sufficient for the rating.
Morocco stored up the strain after intermission as Akhomach, Hakimi and Maouhoub added the ending touches on a match their aspect had properly in hand.
The People’ finest probability might need come within the ninth minute when Paxten Aaronson couldn’t redirect a fast-moving cross at shut vary.
And within the 59th minute, Miles Robinson could not fairly wrap his foot round a cross from about 10 yards out.
Morocco ended up controlling 57% of possession and taking eight of the match’s 11 nook kicks, in statistics that belied the profitable aspect’s complete domination.
The U.S. look in knockout play might be seen as an accomplishment.
The US was left for useless after a 3-0 thrashing by the hosts French to start out the match. However the People responded with consecutive blowout wins, 4-1 over New Zealand and 3-0 over Guinea.
People have by no means received a males’s soccer medal within the trendy period of Olympic soccer. Within the 1904 video games in St. Louis, membership groups performed within the match and U.S. sides took silver and bronze. They have been final within the quarterfinals within the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Paris was their first time within the Olympics since Beijing in 2008.