France, Argentina set for Olympics football quarter-final clash

France set up a potentially explosive quarter-final showdown with Argentina in the men’s Olympic football tournament after beating New Zealand 3-0 in their final group game on Tuesday.

Argentina had sealed their last-eight spot earlier in the day and France joined them in the knockout phase with Jean-Philippe Mateta, Desire Doue and Arnaud Kalimuendo scoring for the hosts against New Zealand in Marseille.

France finished on top of Group A with three wins out of three and no goals conceded, with the United States going through as runners-up after seeing off Guinea 3-0, Kevin Paredes scoring twice.

That means Thierry Henry’s French side will take on Argentina in Bordeaux on Friday after the South Americans, two-time gold medallists, went through in second place in Group B thanks to a 2-0 win over Ukraine in Lyon.

Thiago Almada’s superb strike gave Argentina the lead just after half-time and substitute Claudio Echeverri sealed their victory late on.

It will be the first meeting of the nations since Argentina players were recorded singing racist chants about French players as they celebrated winning the Copa America earlier this month.

FIFA has announced an investigation into the chants, which targeted France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe among others and included racist and homophobic insults.

Argentina players have already been booed by rival fans at the Olympic tournament.

The nations last met in the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar which Argentina won on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

However, the men’s Olympic football tournament is an under-23 competition, except up to three over-age players per squad. Only two members of Argentina’s Olympic squad, Nicolas Otamendi and Julian Alvarez, played in the 2022 game, and none of France’s.

Argentina will only face France after missing out on first place in Group B to Morocco head-to-head.

– Egypt surprise Spain –

Morocco beat Iraq 3-0 in Nice in their last group game thanks to goals by Amir Richardson — the son of former NBA star Michael Ray Richardson — Soufiane Rahimi’s fourth of the tournament and a stunning goal from Abde Ezzalzouli, all in the first half.

Morocco and Argentina finished level on six points, and tied on goals scored and goals conceded, but Morocco won 2-1 when the sides met in their opening game.

That was only because a last-gasp equaliser for the South Americans was disallowed after a VAR review before the final minutes of the game were completed in an empty stadium following crowd trouble.

Morocco, winners of last year’s Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, will play their quarter-final tie on Friday in Paris against the United States.

Earlier, Egypt reached the quarter-finals with a surprise 2-1 win over already-qualified Spain, with Ibrahim Adel scoring both goals.

Adel gave Egypt the lead in Bordeaux with a superb strike late in the first half and added another on 62 minutes, pouncing to score after possession was given away by Spain’s Jon Pacheco.

Samu Omorodion pulled one back late on for Spain, but Egypt held on for the win allowing them to leapfrog their opponents and snatch first place in Group C.

Egypt, captained by former Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny, will play their quarter-final on Friday in Marseille against the runners-up in Group D, which contains Japan, Paraguay, Mali and Israel.

Egypt lost in the quarter-finals three years ago to Brazil, who went on to beat Spain in the final.

Spain’s last-eight tie will be in Lyon against the winners of Group D, which will be completed later on Tuesday.

AFP