In the soccer quarterfinals at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, who will the United States face next?
The United States defeated Guinea 3-0 in their Group A
matchday three match to secure their spot in the Olympic soccer quarterfinals
in Paris 2024.
After losing 3-0 against France on the first day of competition, the Americans
had a difficult start to the Games. However, they bounced back on matchday two,
winning 4-1 against New Zealand.
The United States' Olympic dream would have (probably) ended in a draw or a loss to Mali, hence the stakes were quite high for this match. But in the first fifteen minutes of the match, Mihailovic's spectacular free kick gave the United States the lead. Paredes scored the third goal of the match and extended the lead against Guinea as the opportunities kept flowing. With six points, the United States advanced to the quarterfinals.
Group B got underway with Morocco shocking Argentina 2-1 in
a match that had a contentious ending. Then, following another thrilling stoppage-time
loss to Ukraine, Morocco destroyed Iraq 3-0 to take the lead in Group B thanks
to their victory against Argentina in their head-to-head match.
Who
does the U.S. play in the Olympic Games soccer quarterfinal?
After
placing second in Group A and going on to play Group B winners Morocco, the
men's Olympic soccer team from the United States advanced to their first
quarterfinal since 2000. At stake was a position in the medal stages.
paris 2024 football quarterfinals date.
There must be a winner on the day of the USA vs. Morocco single-elimination
quarterfinal match, which takes place in Paris on Friday, August 2 at 9 a.m.
EDT. There will be 30 minutes of extra time and, if needed, a penalty shootout
if the sides are deadlocked after 90 minutes.
Will the United States triumph and move on to the medal
round?
The USA vs. Morocco quarterfinal matchup should be an
exciting one as both teams displayed impressive attacking throughout the group
phase. In their three games, the USA scored seven goals and Morocco scored six.
Morocco, like the United States, has had to wait a while to participate in
another men's Olympic soccer competition. After winning the African Under-23
championship, they were unable to qualify for the 2024 event in 2016 and 2021.
In addition, this is the first time Morocco has moved past the first round of
an Olympic men's competition since 1972, which has fueled the excitement
surrounding the national team program in the wake of the senior squad's 2022
FIFA World Cup semifinal performance.
Three of the players on Tarik Sektioui's team, Achraf Hakimi
(PSG), Abde Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), and Bilal El Khannouss (Genk), were on
Morocco's World Cup roster. The players are primarily from Europe's top
divisions.
Moroccan attacker Soufiane Rahimi has led the attack and scored four goals in
three games while playing in a 4-5-1 system thus far. Along with Hakimi of PSG
and starting goalie Monir El Kajoui, he is one of three players on the squad
who are overaged.
Morocco Olympic soccer projected lineup:
- Goalkeeper: 1-Monir El Kajoui (RS
Berkane / Morocco)
- Defenders: 2-Achraf Hakimi (PSG /
France), 4-Mehdi Boukamir (Charleroi / Belgium), 11-Zakaria El Ouahdi
(Genk / Belgium), 17-Oussama El Azzouzi (Bologna / Italy)
- Midfielders: 8-Bilal El Khannouss
(Genk / Belgium), 10-Ilias Akhomach (Villarreal / Spain) or 7-Eliesse Ben
Seghir (AS Monaco / France), 14-Oussama Targhalline (Le Havre / France),
16-Abde Ezzalzouli (Real Betis / Spain), 18-Amir Richardson (Stade de
Reims / France)
- Forward: 9-Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain / UAE)
2024 USA Men's Olympic Soccer Roster
- Goalkeepers
(2): 1-Patrick
Schulte (Columbus Crew), 18-Gabriel Slonina (Chelsea / England)
- Defenders
(6): 4-Maximilian
Dietz (Greuther Furth / Germany), 2-Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union),
12-Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), 5-John Tolkin (NY Red Bulls), 17-Caleb
Wiley (Atlanta United), 3-Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
- Midfielders
(5): 6-Gianluca
Busio (Venezia / Italy), 15-Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami), 16-Jack
McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), 8-Tanner Tessmann (Venezia / Italy),
14-Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids)
- Forwards
(5): 11-Paxten
Aaronson (FC Utrecht / Netherlands), 10-Taylor Booth (FC Utrecht /
Netherlands), 13-Duncan McGuire (Orlando City), 7-Kevin Paredes (VfL
Wolfsburg / Germany), 9-Griffin Yow (Westerlo / Belgium)
- Alternates (4 injury
replacements on standby): 21-Josh Atencio (Seattle Sounders),
Jacob Davis (Sporting Kansas City), Johan Gomez (Eintracht Braunschweig /
Germany), John Pulskamp (Sporting Kansas City)