Overview
No surprises occurred in the men's football semifinals at the Olympic Paris 2024. The two top contenders for the championship title, U23 France and U23 Spain, both advanced to the final, albeit with some difficulty.
U23 Spain conceded the opening goal to U23 Morocco and had to struggle to come back and win 2-1. In contrast, U23 France even needed extra time to defeat U23 Egypt 3-1.
Considering their performance since the start of the tournament, France is still the team with more impressive and stable displays than Spain. Les Bleus have maintained their unbeaten record (including the win over Egypt in extra time).
On the other hand, Spain suffered an unexpected loss to Egypt in the group stage. Of course, that defeat holds little significance for La Roja, as they had already secured their passage to the next round.
In the context of a final match, both teams will rely heavily on experienced players. For U23 France, Lacazette, Mateta, or Olise will play key roles. Although Olise is only 22 years old, he has already made 82 appearances in the Premier League before being signed by Bayern Munich this summer.
The defense will be a solid foundation for the host team in the final, having kept a clean sheet in 4 out of 5 matches so far. In contrast, Spain's defense has raised concerns among fans, having conceded goals in 4 matches and a total of 5 goals, including against Uzbekistan and the Dominican Republic.
In general, France is the stronger team before entering the decisive match. Spain has reached the final for the second consecutive time, but they are likely to finish as runners-up, just like at Tokyo.
Probable Lineup:
U23 France: Restes, Lukeba, Truffert, Bade, Sildillia, Olise, Akliouche, Chotard, Diouf, Lacazette, Mateta.
U23 Spain: Tenas, Pubill, Miranda, Garcia, Cubarsi, Lopez, Oroz, Gomez, Barrios, Baena, Ruiz.
The match between U23 France vs U23 Spain will take place at 23h00 on August 9 (Vietnam time).
