French soccer legend Thierry Henry stood with arms outstretched, basking within the adoration of the jubilant crowd.
With the boys’s soccer match ultimate inside attain, France had been pushed to the bounds by Egypt in Monday’s semifinal at Stade de Lyon.
Jean-Philippe Mateta, surrounded by ecstatic teammates, celebrated his second purpose in a 3-1 victory that propels France right into a showdown with Spain at Parc des Princes on Friday.
“It was like, I don’t know say – it was unbelievable,” Mateta mentioned.
France vs. Spain will guarantee a European gold medalist on the Olympics for the primary time in 32 years.
The host nation’s place within the ultimate regarded in critical doubt as Egypt closed in on an upset after main via Mahmoud Saber’s 62nd-minute purpose.
France had hit the body of the purpose thrice earlier than Mateta equalized within the 83rd minute, sending the sport into additional time.
His second purpose got here within the 99th minute, and Michael Olise added France’s third within the 108th minute.
“It’s not straightforward, proper? We knew that. But on the finish of the day, we saved on coming. We saved on attempting. We saved on creating from the wing and attempting to play, and we obtained our reward,” France coach Henry mentioned.
This end result ensures gold for a European workforce for the primary time since Spain’s victory at Barcelona 1992 and ends the dominance of Latin American nations, which had received the final 5 tournaments – two every for Brazil and Argentina, and one for Mexico.
It additionally provides Henry the prospect so as to add to his storied profession, having received the World Cup and European Championship with France as a participant. This could be his first main honor in a training profession nonetheless in its early phases.
“I’m not there but. We have the medal, that’s for positive. Let’s not speak in regards to the gold,” he mentioned.
France’s solely Olympic gold got here at Los Angeles 1984, and it additionally took silver when the Games had been held in Paris in 1900.
One of the pre-tournament favorites, Henry’s workforce had entered the semifinal with an ideal document, having taken most factors within the group section and crushed Argentina within the quarterfinals.
But Egypt had already proved able to shocking by beating Spain to prime its group and got here shut to a different upset when Saber fired a shot previous France goalkeeper Guillaume Restes.
By that time, Loic Bade had already headed towards the submit within the first half.
Egypt’s purpose sparked a response from French followers, who roared loudly to carry their workforce.
Egypt keeper Alaa Hamza denied Alexandre Lacazette from point-blank vary. France hit the body of the purpose twice extra in fast succession when Lacazette headed towards the submit and Bade hit the bar with a follow-up header.
The equalizer lastly got here when Olise strode via the center of the sphere and slipped a go to Mateta. With Hamza advancing to chop down the angle, Mateta obtained to the ball first and swept it residence.
France thought it had received a penalty deep into stoppage time when VAR reviewed a handball by Omar Fayed. Referee Said Martinez spent a very long time reviewing the sideline monitor earlier than ultimately ruling there had been a foul within the buildup.
While that reprieve despatched the sport to additional time, Fayed was despatched off within the 92nd minute, having been booked throughout the assessment of the potential penalty.
France took benefit of the additional man and went forward with Mateta’s second purpose of the match. Olise was on the coronary heart of it, swinging a ball into the field for Kiliann Sildillia to move throughout purpose.
Mateta rose to move previous Hamza.
Olise then obtained on the scoresheet himself, firing a low left-footed shot from contained in the field.
“We showed the team that we have character, and we showed the fans and everyone that we have character,” Mateta said. “We can consider 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.
Source: www.dailysabah.com