Morocco and Egypt eye historic Olympic Games final places
The potential for an all-African final of the Men's Olympic Football Tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is tantalisingly within reach as Egypt and Morocco play in the two semi-final matches on Monday.
With the eyes of Africa and the world upon them, Morocco and Egypt stand on the precipice of greatness after the two countries stormed into the semi-finals on Friday.
The Atlas Lions, making their eighth appearance in the Olympic football tournament, have finally broken through to the semi-finals for the first time in their history.
Their journey to this stage has been nothing short of spectacular, with the team showcasing a blend of tactical acumen and individual brilliance that has left opponents trailing in their wake.
At the heart of Morocco's success has been the red-hot form of striker Soufiane Rahimi. The prolific forward has been a constant thorn in the side of defences, netting in each of Morocco's four matches so far.
With five goals to his name, Rahimi sits atop the tournament's scoring charts and is on the verge of making history. Should he find the back of the net against Spain in the semi-final, he would become the first player to score in five consecutive Olympic matches for an African team.
Rahimi's hunger for goals is matched only by his dedication to the team's cause. Speaking ahead of the crucial clash with Spain, he stated, "We hope to go on with the fans support until the end of the tournament. My priority is to help the team and I hope I'll score in the semi-finals to reach the final."
The Moroccan side's path to glory, however, is fraught with challenges. They face a formidable Spanish team that is no stranger to the pressures of Olympic football.
La Roja, runners-up in Tokyo 2020, are eyeing a return to the gold medal match and boast a squad brimming with talent from some of Europe's top clubs.
The last time Spain faced an African team in an Olympic semi-final was at Barcelona 1992, where they emerged victorious against Ghana en route to claiming gold.
Morocco will be keen to flip the script this time around, banking on their resolute defence and lightning-quick counterattacks to unsettle the Spanish rhythm.
Meanwhile, in the other semi-final, Egypt's Pharaohs are writing their own captivating narrative.
Having navigated a nail-biting penalty shootout against Paraguay in the quarter-finals, the Egyptians find themselves in familiar territory – this being their third Olympic semi-final appearance.
However, the team is not content with merely matching past achievements. There's a palpable sense of destiny surrounding this Egyptian squad, a belief that they can go one step further and reach the gold medal match for the first time in their history.
The road to the final runs through the tournament hosts, France, in what promises to be an electrifying encounter at the Stade de Lyon.
The only previous Olympic meeting between these two nations came in the 1984 quarter-finals, where France emerged victorious before going on to win the tournament. Egypt will be eager to avenge that defeat and create their own slice of Olympic history.
Ahmed Atef, Egypt's midfield dynamo, encapsulated the team's unwavering determination: "We have been fighting for two years for this moment. We promised our people that we would win a medal in this championship, so we will continue to fight for our dream until the end."
The prospect of an all-African final looms large, a scenario that would be unprecedented in Olympic football history.
Should both Morocco and Egypt triumph in their respective semi-finals, it would guarantee Africa its third gold medal in men's Olympic football.