Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice to help France come back and beat 10-man Egypt 3-1 after extra time, securing a spot in the men’s Olympic football final.
With this win, Thierry Henry’s team is guaranteed to win a medal for the first time in 40 years and will face Spain at the Parc des Princes on Friday at 17:00 BST.
Egypt initially led with a strong header from Mahmoud Saber, but Mateta tied the game late in regular time with a pass from Michael Olise.
France took charge in extra time, with Mateta scoring a header to put them ahead nine minutes in.
This happened after Omar Fayed was sent off for a second yellow card. Fayed’s first yellow card was given in stoppage time of the second half for arguing about a VAR-reviewed penalty.
Olise added a third goal to secure France’s victory. Egypt will now play Morocco in the bronze medal match in Nantes on Thursday at 16:00 BST.
France’s path to the final included a 3-0 win over the USA, a close victory against Guinea, and a strong performance against New Zealand to finish top of their group.
France then narrowly defeated Argentina in the quarter-finals before their decisive win over Egypt. The final against Spain is scheduled for Friday, August 9, 2024.
